Paleoanthropologists generally agree that Homo erectus belongs in our genus and represents a significant shift towards adaptations important to our own species. However, there is much variation among specimens that are grouped into H. erectus. Your instructor will let you know which of these fossil representatives to use for the exercise today.Based on your measurements and comparisons in the table above, what are major differences among Au. africanus, H. habilis, and H. erectus? Do you think H. habilis is more like Australopithecus or Homo?   How do these three species reflect the major environmental pressures of the time periods in which they lived, respectively? List three features that are changing in the genus Homo due to these selective pressures. List three features found in H. erectus that are derived, compared to Au. africanus.

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Paleoanthropologists generally agree that Homo erectus belongs in our genus and represents a significant shift towards adaptations important to our own species. However, there is much variation among specimens that are grouped into H. erectus. Your instructor will let you know which of these fossil representatives to use for the exercise today.
Based on your measurements and comparisons in the table above, what are major differences among Au. africanus, H. habilis, and H. erectus? Do you think H. habilis is more like Australopithecus or Homo?

 

How do these three species reflect the major environmental pressures of the time periods in which they lived, respectively?


List three features that are changing in the genus Homo due to these selective pressures.

List three features found in H. erectus that are derived, compared to Au. africanus.

 

 

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