What Are Hominids? Characteristics And The 8 Main Species
The name of our species, that of the current human being, is Homo sapiens. The man who knows. This perhaps somewhat pretentious name is what we have given ourselves. But the current human being has not come out of nowhere: we are one of the different products of evolution who have been lucky enough to survive. And along the way different species, both direct ancestors and descendants of some of them, have disappeared throughout history. We have historically called these species, very similar to ours, hominids.
What is a hominid exactly? We are going to talk about it throughout this article.
Traditionally and until very recently, we called hominid any current or past being that has been part of the human race, being an ancestor or being related to the current human being: the Homo sapiens. From this conception of the word hominid, our species is currently the only survivor, although there have been a large number of them that have become extinct, in some cases even coexisting and mixing with sapiens (such as the Neanderthal).
This genus is characterized by originating in Africa around six million years ago, presenting the particularity of having evolved in such a way that they could remain upright and move bipedally (although the first ancestors did so with difficulty). This bipedalism is associated with the presence of changes in the bones and even the body’s physiognomy, presenting variations in the lower extremities, the pelvis (which must be strengthened and made wider to be able to support the weight) and even the shape of the spine. The face and teeth have also been gradually undergoing changes, losing and changing teeth while the diet has changed and the face has become flatter.
Another of the main characteristics of hominids is the progressive increase in brain volume, being proportionally larger than that of other apes in relation to their size. This development has allowed an increasingly greater cognitive development and the emergence of an increasingly noticeable capacity for socialization and intellect, which has allowed us to make and use tools or create art.
Up to this point we have been doing a brief review of the characteristics of what most of us have considered hominid until recently. However, recently there has been a small change in the classification and definition of hominid (although it is not yet widely expanded): Hominids are considered to be the group of beings that are part of the Hominidae family including a large number of species of large primates such as chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans and jibons.
As we have seen, the term hominid has changed throughout history and until now the term used to designate the set of species that have been part of the human genus and their ancestors with a more humanoid shape However, there is a term that also includes us and that can sometimes lead to confusion: hominins.
This term is based on the creation of the evolutionary subfamily Homininae, which refers to and encompasses a set of beings and species with similar characteristics and ancestors that basically includes the Hominina tribe (which would include current human beings, extinct species of the Homo genus, and their ancestors, such as the ), along with the species of the genus Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos) and the Gorillini tribe whose representatives would be the gorillas. Furthermore, within this category we find the Hominini, known in Castilian as homininis. In addition, Within the Hominini we would find the genus Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos) and the bipedal moninines of which the only living representatives are sapiens.
However, although according to the new classification, humans and the rest of those belonging to the genus Homo (sapiens, neanderthalensis…) until now form part of the tribe hominini along with chimpanzees, the truth is that this tribe falls within the Hominidea family and the Hominoidea family, so it would still be correct to continue considering ourselves hominids. We would simply be referring to a larger classification in which the families, subfamilies and genera that would also be incorporated would also be incorporated. include orangutans and gibbons
Some of the main known species
The current human being is the only survivor of the homo genus, the rest of the species that have accompanied or preceded us throughout history having become extinct. But these have been multiple. Although there are more and it is even speculated that there may be other ancestors or extinct species that we do not yet know, below we indicate some of the most recognized.
We must take into account the species that we are going to indicate are those that until recently we considered hominids but that would now fall within the hominins, so We are not going to refer to species such as chimpanzee, gorilla, orangutan or gibbons
1. Ardipithecus ramidus
Although it is probably the most unknown of those we are going to comment on, the Ardipithecus ramidus It is the oldest of our known bipedal ancestors, so its discovery is important. The best-known representative of him is Ardi, the remains of which a large part has been recovered.
This species walked only on its legs, but had some anatomical difficulties that meant it did not have a high capacity for movement: the big toes were not yet parallel to the rest of the toes like that of our feet but opposable. Although they had teeth similar to those of apes, the truth is that they were much smaller. They were still small in size, and there was sexual dimorphism in that males were larger than females.
2. Australopithecus anamensis
One of the oldest species of Australopithecus and of which very few remains are preserved, it is a hominid with characteristics still very similar to those of apes The enamel of its teeth suggests that its diet was not only fruit but that it was possibly omnivorous. Its dentition still retained asymmetrical molars and premolars, and it had a robust jaw in which long incisors and canines were placed. It is considered an evolution of the ardipithecus.
3. Australopithecus afarensis
This type of Australopithecus is probably the most popular, with the well-known Lucy being a member of this species. The cranial capacity increased compared to its ancestors with a cranial volume of around 480 cubic cm, being able to reach a size similar to that of a current chimpanzee but in a relatively smaller body (the average would not exceed one and a half meters in the case of males, larger than females).
Although bipedal, The shape of their hands and feet makes it clear that they were still adapted to arboreal life The canines are quite small compared to other previous species. It is believed that their diet was mainly fruit-based, and their teeth were not particularly suitable for consuming meat.
4. Homo habilis
It is the first representative of the genus Homo, homo habilis is characterized by the presence of more rounded skulls although still with a certain prognathism. Small in size, it is considered to be the first of the hominins to regularly use tools (although somewhat rough stone, in the form of flakes).
Its cranial capacity was around 600 cubic cm. It is known that they hunted, something that shows that more complex cognitive, strategic and communicative skills were probably already beginning to develop.
5. Homo erectus
With thicker bones and a greater cranial capacity than its ancestors (with a volume of between 800 and 1000 cubic cm), its pelvis already resembles that of today’s human being. The beginning of the dominance of fire is associated with this species, as well as the elaboration of the first biface sheets. They were nomadic and sociable hunters, cooperating with other groups to hunt.
It is believed that the last populations may have coexisted with Homo sapiens in Asia, and were probably one of the first hominid species to travel out of Africa towards Eurasia.
With a capacity somewhat larger than that of erectus (between 1000 and 1100 cubic cm), it is characterized by being the first species considered European (His remains have been mainly found in Atapuerca). Physically, they were graceful (although most remains are from infants) and had facial characteristics similar to those of Homo sapiens. Its height was considerably greater than that of other species, reaching six feet.
It is believed that may be an ancestor of the Neanderthal and perhaps of our own species, probably being the last link between our two species. Likewise, it has been observed that he committed cannibalism.
7. Homo neanderthalensis
The last hominid species to become extinct, the exact reasons are still unknown, and it coexisted and shared space with modern humans for a long time, until about 30,000 years ago. Neanderthal man was a species adapted to the climate of a practically glacial Europe. They had a prominent eyebrow arch, a slightly flatter forehead than members of our species, and a slightly more posteriorly projected skull.
Of great physical strength although smaller in height (around 1.65m), his cranial capacity (approximately 1500 cubic cm) even exceeded ours (around 1400). It’s known that They had advanced cultural elements, practicing ceremonies such as burial. They also cared for the elderly and sick, and their tools were quite developed despite being seemingly simple. They probably had a language system that did not rely entirely on the articulation of sounds with the mouth and pharynx, and they were very knowledgeable about the environment.
8. Homo sapiens
Our species is the most recent of those mentioned so far. Without brow ridges and a high cranial capacity (although, as we have seen in Neanderthals, somewhat less than theirs), modern humans showed great ease in conquering all types of ecosystems. The first buildings created were probably the work of our species and one of the main most distinctive elements is that cave paintings appear with this group (although some authors consider that many are also attributable to Neanderthals).
We sapiens appeared in Africa, migrating first to Asia and then to Europe (where we would meet the Neanderthals) sometime between 200,000 and 150,000 years ago.
9. Other species
These are just some of the few that have received greater recognition from society and are better known to most of us. However, there are many more. In addition to the above, for the moment, others have been studied such as the following, although the consideration of one or the other as differentiated species or as subspecies is not always clear:
