Hominine

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1. Hominine is a primate that belongs to a particular taxonomic tribe known as the Hominini, Majority of the scientists and philosophers have proved that hominine is a subfamily of hominids. Still, the unique feature is that hominines have more developed brains and also they are far more evolved compared to hominid. Consequently, this taxonomic tribe of hominine has been regarded to be very closely related to human beings. The origin of Hominine lineage is traced back to Africa around seven years ago.  However, during this time, there existed a very great species which later experienced cladogenesis and got divided into two lineage groups. One linage evolved into human beings while the other evolved into Bonobos and chimpanzees. There are two primary characteristics used to identify Hominine fossils. The fossils are identified through the dental formula which contains isolated teeth as well as smaller blunt canines. Additionally, the species are identified through the bipedal mode of walking. Scientists observed that the skull contained a massive brow ridge which resembled that of male gorillas.
2. The reduced canine size in Hominines played a crucial role in facilitating the adaptation of these species in diverse environments. The reduced size canines executed a combined effort of ensuring effectiveness in cutting, pounding as well as grinding of working tools by the species. Consequently, the Hominine’s ability to use fire led to a substantial reduction in the size of the jaws consecutively for the past 5million years ago. However, the reduced canines were significant in the trend of the hominines in changing of diet as well as techniques for food preparation. Moreover, it has been extensively documented that the reduced size further strengthened the canines, which served as a weapon during intersexual competitions. These were the primary significant roles associated with reduced canines.
3. There are numerous skeletal differences between Chimpanzees and human beings. The ribcage of the Chimps is con shaped contrary to the ribcage of human beings, which is barrel-shaped. Chimps’ ribcage contains a bigger range of motion around the shoulder area, particularly in a vertical posture, in humans; it enables the arms to swing easily side to side. Consequently, the feet of the chimps have a large and more robust shape, the toes have a curved appearance, they have an opposable big toe for holding branches when swinging on trees as well as climbing and chimp’s feet has no arches which make the foot have an entire contact with the ground. Human feet have a straighter appearance with a relatively shorter length, unlike the Chips, the big toe is well aligned with other toes, and the foot contains arches which are longitudinal to help the foot easily push off the ground. The skeletal appearance of the pelvis in humans is vertically broader with the ilium wings extending to either side of the pelvis, unlike Chimps’ pelvis which is flat and narrow and the ilium wings moving from the back of the pelvis. These are the most significant skeletal differences between Chimps and human beings.
4. The early Hominins in the Ardipithecus group had unique characteristics. When they walked on the ground, they exhibited clumsy-looking feet and walked bipedally. The most significant characteristic was used in the initial stages of designating these species. The primitive features in Ardiphs are visible on body segments. For instance, they had small brains; the enamel of their molars resembled that of gorillas as well as other forest-dwelling extinct apes, their shoulders had an elevated appearance as well as long arms with curved fingers, which assisted the primates in reaching up for branches. Additionally, their wrists were very mobile and had a poorly separated thumb which resulted in a poor opposability. There are numerous features about the ‘Ardi’ skeleton that were identified. The skeleton was first reported in 1994; however, scientists in 2009 showed a skeleton that was partial and was nicknamed Ardi. Consequently, the appearance of the skeleton included a divergent huge toe which was combined to a rigid foot.
5. The numerous species of Australopithecus are projected to have existed 4million years ago. Australopithecus exhibited a combination of both ape-like and human-like traits. However, they walked on two feet and therefore were bipedal. Similar to apes, they had small brains. Consequently, they had canine teeth which appeared smaller compared to modern humans, and they contained huge jaws and teeth which were set in massive jaws.

Lucy skeleton was dated about 3million years ago. Lucy was a name given to a skeleton that was nearly complete which was recovered in 1974 from species. The postcranium skeleton of Lucy exhibited multiple features that had a direct connection with habitual striding bipedalism. However, there is recent research that shows Lucy didn’t have an upright posture like human beings.

OH, 5 fossils are also known as Zinjathropus. This was a cranium which was discovered in Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. Its classification was later changed to Australopithecus and again changed to Paranthropus. Currently, the fossil is called “Zinj.”

6. Leakey decided to look for Hominin in Africa for several reasons. Leaky started by popularizing the study of human evolution. However, the actions prompted and motivated others to go to Africa and look for ancestral remains. At an early age, leaky discovered a stone tool which further convinced him that Africa was the homeland for humankind. Numerous new fossils that got unearthed in Africa have provided enough evidence that more than two species lived in Africa. In the 1960s, he discovered the remains of Hommo habilis at Olduvai Gorge. Later in 1972, a member of Leakey’s team, Bernard Ngenes a 2million-year-old skull at Kenya’s Koobi Fora. Though the skull resembled that of Hommo Habilis, it had some different features, for instance, it had a bigger and flatter face and was named Rudolfnsis.  However, regardless of the place or name of the fossils, scientists now have proved that two species lived in Africa.
7. Besides the appearance of bones, there are other sources of evidence that shows Australopithecus was Bipedal. However, in 1970, anthropologists discovered that an in improvement in the capacity of the brain preceded the bipedal locomotion. As part of the evidence, the reconstruction of the Lucy Skeleton proved that, despite a lower brain size, Australopithecus was bipedal. It is worth noting that the actual Lucy Skeleton contained just two partial leg bones.  Consequently, there were fossil footprints that were discovered which proved that Australopithecus walked on two feet and therefore was bipedal. According to Leaky, the fossils of Australopithecus had a combination of features. The features resembled those of humans as well as the apes. Despite existing more than four million years ago, their canine teeth appeared smaller compared to those of the modern Apes. All these features and physical traits proved that Australopithecus walked on two feet.
8. Dr Tim White and his team searched for fossils in sediments far much older than that Lucy was found for several reasons. First, Tim’s findings on fossils helped to clarify the earliest stages of human evolution effectively. Initially, Tim had participated in an expedition to Olduvai Gorge which was headed by Leaky. This gave him a chance to work with Leakey’s mother in studying fossils. Tim decided to focus on older fossils, and in the early 1990s; he discovered a 3million old fossil of Australopithecus. This discovery helped to address the controversy over whether the two species which were earlier discovered, were from one species. While studying the oldest fossils, he discovered the oldest and the most ape-like hominin fossil which he named Australopithecus Ramidus, which received much criticism from his colleagues he changed the name to Ardipithecus Ramidus. Consequently, Tim later unearthed the oldest fossil of Homo sapiens. This is why he studied old fossils.
9. Several pieces of evidence show Ardipithecus could climb well. While studying the hand and wrist of the species, it was discovered that there were no possible restrictions that could have affected Ardi’s ability to climb. However, recent reports indicate that Ardipithecus was capable of climbing like an ape as well as keeping an upright posture of a human being. Biological anthropologists from the University of New York collected some sample of the pelvis from an 18million-year-old ape and a pelvis from Lucy. After comparison, it was discovered that Ardi contained an upright stance and strong hips which facilitated easier climbing and could extend fully while walking. Australopithecus either could have climbed easily, but it no longer had apelike climbing powers like those of Ardi. Consequently, it was discovered that Ardi had a flexible lower back supporting climbing and upright walking posture.
10. There are numerous pieces of evidence collected by Dr Tim White and his team, which suggested that Ardy lived in woodland. Dr Tim and the team discovered that the soil samples found alongside the fossils of Ardipithecus Ramidus indicated that Ardi lived in a grassy environment with relatively few trees; this kind of habitat is known as a Savannah. However, the argument was a contradiction to what Ardi’s discoverers had earlier claimed concerning the savannah hypothesis. The argument also overlooked other pieces of evidence, for instance, the evidence that Ardy’s body exhibited features of an adaptation to a wooded environment. Consequently, according to the carbon isotopes from Ardy’s bones and teeth, the teeth were found to be worn out, which indicated that Ardipithecusate depended on a diet from trees. All these pieces of evidence proved that Ardipithecus lived in a woodland habitat.
11. When Dr White says that members of the genus homo are “Technological Primates” he refers to the unique features that members of this genus exhibited that were not visible in other primates. First, these primates are characterized by huge cranial capacity. The unique limb structure that adapted to a habitual erect posture. Consequently, the members exhibited fully developed and completely opposable thumbs. Dr White narrates the unique ability of hands which were capable of precision grips. They exhibited an extraordinary ability to develop and make standardized precision tools. The primates used one tool to make another tool, and this enabled them to create very sophisticated tools. These unique characteristics and adaptation abilities made Dr White refer to the genus as ‘Technological Primates’.