http://humanevolutionofficial.weebly.

com/

Evolution of
the Hominids:
Morphological
changes
ANT 1013

Hominid Evolution, a brief review

What is a hominid?
Late Australopithecine

Pan troglodytes

Ardipithecus ramidus
Australopithecus afarensis

Australopithecus (Paranthropous) boisei

http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo/homo_1.htm

Early Homo
Homo erectus

Homo sapiens neanderthalensis

Homo sapiens sapiens

Homo erectus

http://www2.csdm.qc.ca/LPage/sds/histoire/HomoErectus.htm

Homo naledi, a new species?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=181&v=oxgnlSbYLSc

(3:30)

Class Activity: Measuring hominid casts

Groups of 5-6

Spread calipers, ruler, sliding calipers

Cranial capacity, cranial width, cranial length,
dentition
Centimeters
Graph our results

Cranial capacity
Cranial Capacity (cc)
Pan troglodytes

350

Ardipithecus
ramidus

315

Australopithecus
afarensis

430

Australopithecus
(Paranthropus) boisei

510

Homo erectus

1140

H. sapiens
neanderthalensis

1600

H. s. sapiens

1450

Cranial width and length

https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/chapter-4-skull-general-anatomy/deck/2262407

Supraorbital torus (above the eyes, between

the browridge)
The most posterior point of the occipital
bone (back of the brain case).

Dentition
M2R

www.infinitedentalwellness.com

Which hominid had the largest cranial

capacity?
A. Ardipithecus ramidus
B. Australopithecus afarensis
C. Homo erectus
D. Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
E. Homo sapiens sapiens

One of these hominids earned the

nickname Nutcracker Man. Based on your
results, which hominid likely earned this
title?
A. Pan troglodytes
B. Ardipithecus ramidus
C. Australopithecus afarensis
D. Parathropus Boisei

As brains got wider (cranial width),

in general they also got larger
(cranial capacity).