HUMAN EVOLUTION

• Human is a member of order Primata of class Mammalia

• First real primate ancestors were tree shrews

Lemur Loris
Tarsier New world Old world
Prosimians monkeys monkeys
Primata Monkeys Gibbon

Simians Apes Orangutan

Human Gorilla
Chimpanzee
 HUMAN EVOLUTION
New world monkeys Old world monkeys
(South & Middle America) (Africa, Asia)
Tail Long & prehensile Non prehensile

Platyrrhines Catarrhines

Dental = 36 = 32
Formula
Menstrual
Absent Present
Cycle
Example Ateles (Spider Monkey), Alouatla (Howler monkey) Macaca (Rhesus Monkey), Presbytis (Langur)

Hence, old world monkeys are closer to human

Evidences for common Origin of Human & Apes
• Chromosomal similarities
• Banding pattern of chromosome no 3 & 6 of human
and chimpanzee is 100% similar
• Number of chromosomes are approx. same in human
46 and apes 48.
• DNA of human is more than 99% similar with
chimpanzee
• Skull of baby chimpanzee is more like adult human
• ABO blood group series in both and similar plasma
protein
• Composition of Hb - same
• Menstrual cycle - present
• Tail absent and grasping hands
Differences between human & apes
Apes Human
Body posture Semi erect Complete erect
Forelimbs Longer than hindlimbs Shorter than hindlimbs
Hairs Thick over whole body Thick on certain parts
Jaws U Shaped Semicircular
Chin Absent Present

Cranial Less More

capacity
 Evolution of man
Dryopithecus /Proconsul
Ramapithecus
Ape fossils Sivapithecus
Kenyapithecus
Fossils of
ancestors of Ape –man fossils Australopithecus
Man
Homo habilis
Man fossils Homo erectus

Homo sapiens
 Ape fossils
• About 15 mya, primates called Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus were
existing. They were hairy and walked like gorillas and chimpanzees.
1. Dryopithecus /Proconsul
- Common ancestor of man and ape
- Direct ancestor of modern day apes
- Semi erect posture, thick hair, U shaped jaws,
larger and
sharper teeth and were vegetarian
- Quadripedal, forelimbs longer than hind limbs
2. Ramapithecus
Fossils discovered from Shivalik Hills, India
3. Sivapithecus
4. Kenyapithecus
Ramapithecus was more man-like while Dryopithecus
was more ape-like.
 Ape-man fossils
Australopithecus
- 1st fossil discovered by Prof. Raymond Dart and
named as Taung baby (A. africanus)
- 2 mya, lived in East African grasslands
- Hunted with stone weapons but essentially ate fruit
- Cranial capacity – 600 cc
• Australopithecus is considered as connecting link
between apes and man
• First ancestor of man with erect posture (bipedal
locomotion)
 Ape-man fossils
• Few fossils of man-like bones have been discovered in Ethiopia (A. afarensis)
and Tanzania (A. boisei). These revealed hominid features leading to the
belief that about 3-4 mya, man-like primates walked in eastern Africa. They
were probably not taller than 4 feet but walked up right.
 Man fossils/ Pre-historic men
1. Homo habilis 2. Homo erectus
Time period 2 mya 1.5 mya
Cranial capacity 650-800 C.C. 900 to 1050 C.C.
Jaws Prognathous Prognathous
Food habit Probably did Probably ate meat
not eat meat
Special First Human Use of fire
features being like
Fossils
First Tool maker  Java man
or  Peking man
Handy man  Heidelberg man
 Human fossils
3. Homo sapiens i. Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
ii. Homo sapiens fossilis
iii. Homo sapiens sapiens
i. Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
Common name - Neanderthal man
Time period - 1,00,000- 40,000 years ago
Cranial capacity - 1400 cc
Jaws - Prognathous (slightly evolved as
Orthognathous)
Food habit - Omnivorous
Special features - Lived in East & Central Asia
- Used skin of animals to protect body
- Ritual burial of dead.
 Human fossils
ii. Homo sapiens fossilis iii. Homo sapiens sapiens
Common name: Cro-magnon man Modern man

Time period: 50,000- 10,000 10,000 years ago

years ago
Cranial capacity: 1650 cc 1450 cc
Jaws: Orthognathous Orthognathous
Food habit: Omnivorous Omnivorous
Special features:  Domestication of  Started Agriculture
Animals 10000 years ago

 18000 years old cave art  Modern Homo sapiens arose

during ice age 75,000-10,000
years ago
 Bhimbetka, Raisen, M.P.