●Notes of human Evolution●

Some Important facts:

A.The first scientific Attempt to explain ‘the origin of man’ done by scientist Thomas Henry Huxley in his
book ‘Evidence as to Man’s place in Naure’.

B.The meaning of Homo sapiens is Wise hominid.It belongs to the order primates of the class
mammalia.

C.About 60 million years ago,in the early palaeocene ,the first prosimian primates arose .

D.The closed pongid relatives of man in the modern world are four anthropoid apes: Gibbon,orangutan,
chimpanzee, gorillas.

They all posssess large BRAIN,and are without tail.

• Topic 1: Differences between Man and apes:

• Man:
• A. Terrestrial life
• B.Walks fully erect
• C.Hindlimbs are more powerful than the forelimbs.
• D. Head erect and balanced on the neck.
• E. They have menstrual cycle
• F. Cranial capacity of about 1450 cubic centimeters.
• Apes:
• A. Arboreal life ( lives on trees).
• B. Walks semi erect.
• C. Forelimbs are more powerful than hindlimbs.
• D. Head balanced on Heavy shoulders and is buried.
• E.They have estrous cycle.
• F.cranial capacity of about under 650 cubic centimeters.

Topic2:Hierarchy of human development and their characteristics;

Learning trick: D R A H E N S

A. Dryopithecus( Earliest fossil ape);Common ancestors of great apes and man.

Characteristics:●firstly discovered about 20 millions years old from rocks of north Africa and Europe.

●Semi erect posture, large canines and 5 cupid molars.

● Arms and legs were equal in length.

●Cranial capacity of about 500 to 700 cubic cm.

● Soft fruit and leaves eater.

B.Ramapithecus ( first man like apes).

Characteristics:● fossils discovered from 12 to 14 million years old pliocene rocks of Shivalik hills in
India by Lewis.

●Cranial capacity of about under 650 cubic centimeters.

●semi erect posture

●small canines and flattened molars .

● seeds and nut eaters.

C.Australopithecus(African ape man)

Characteristics: ●Firstly fossils discovered by scientist Raymond Dart about 2 millions years ago from
pliocene rocks in Africa.

●It was about 150 cm tall.

●Cranial capacity of about 600 cubic centimeters.

●it walked almost erect.

●they have protruding face ,lack of chin.

● it was meat eater.

● Used stone weapons for hunting and lives in caves.

D. Homo habilis( Handy man, tool maker)

Characteristics : ● Fossils discovered by scientist Louis leaky about 1.6 millions years ago from
pleistocene rocks from east Africa.

● they were the first human like beings(hominid).

●it was about 120- 150 cm tall.

● Cranial capacity of about 680-800 cubic centimeters.

●carnivores ,fully erect,lived in open grassy land.

● they firstly make tools of stone and pebbles for hunting.

E.Homo erectus:They were three

1.Homo erectus erectus(Java ape man)

Characteristics :● fossils firstly discovered by scientist Eugene Dubois about 1.7 millions years ago
from pleistocene rocks on the bank of solo rivers in java.

● it was about 150 cm tall,upright.

●teeth were large,omnivores and cannibals.

● Cranial capacity of about 900 cubic centimeters.

 ●it lived in small groups in caves .

● This was the first prehistoric man which used fire for hunting ,cooking,and defense.

2.Homo erectus pekinensis( peking man)

●Fossils discovered by scientist W.C Pei from China.

● 155cm tall,lighter and weaker than java,cranial capacity of about 1075 cubic centimeters,
omnivores and cannibals

● it was used sharp chisel shaped tools of bones,stone and quartz for hunting and defense.

● it was ancestors of the modern mongoloid.

3.Homo erectus Mauritanicus( Atlantic man).

MODERN MAN

F.Homo sapiens : They were also three types:

1.Homo sapiens neanderthalensis (Neanderthal Man)

●Fossils discovered by scientist C. Fuhirott about 1.5 lakh years ago in Germany.

●It was about 150-160 cm tall .

● Cranial capacity of about 1300-1600 cubic centimeters .

●Heavily built,muscular body,intelligent and good hunters.

● he lived in caves and used to covers his body with the skin of animals.

●he buried his dead.

● He was capable of communicating by sort syllabic languages.

2.Homo sapiens Fossilis ( Cro-magnon)

● Fossils discovered by scientist Mac Gregor about 50000 years ago from France .

●It was about 180cm tall.

●Cranial capacity of about 1660 cubic centimeters.

●teeth closer together, wisdom teeth, omnivores, strong jaws.

●They were use fire for cooking and defense.

●He had some religious beliefs and elaborates burial ccustoms.

3. Homo sapiens sapiens (Man of today)