Homo Erectus: Early Human Species with Modern Body Proportions and Expanded Braincase | Study notes Innovation

Homoerectus



WhereLived:

Northern,Eastern,andSouthernAfrica;WesternAsia(Dmanisi,Republic

ofGeorgia);EastAsia(ChinaandIndonesia)

WhenLived:

Betweenabout1.89millionand143,000yearsago

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EarlyAfricanHomoerectusfossils(sometimescalledHomoergaster)aretheoldestknown

earlyhumanstohavepossessedmodernhumanlikebodyproportionswithrelativelyelongated

legsandshorterarmscomparedtothesizeofthetorso.Thesefeaturesareconsidered

adaptationstoalifelivedontheground,indicatingthelossofearliertreeclimbingadaptations,

withtheabilitytowalkandpossiblyrunlongdistances.Comparedwithearlierfossilhumans,

notetheexpandedbraincaserelativetothesizeoftheface.Themostcompletefossilindividual

ofthisspeciesisknownasthe‘TurkanaBoy’–awellpreservedskeleton(thoughminusalmost

allthehandandfootbones),datedaround1.6millionyearsold.Microscopicstudyoftheteeth

indicatesthathegrewupatagrowthratesimilartothatofagreatape.Thereisfossilevidence

thatthisspeciescaredforoldandweakindividuals.TheappearanceofHomoerectusinthe

fossilrecordisoftenassociatedwiththeearliesthandaxes,thefirstmajorinnovationinstone

tooltechnology.

EarlyfossildiscoveriesfromJava(beginninginthe1890s)andChina(‘PekingMan’,beginningin

the1920s)comprisetheclassicexamplesofthisspecies.Generallyconsideredtohavebeen

thefirstspeciestohaveexpandedbeyondAfrica,Homoerectusisconsideredahighlyvariable

species,spreadovertwocontinents(it'snotcertainwhetheritreachedEurope),andpossibly

thelongestlivedearlyhumanspeciesaboutninetimesaslongasourownspecies,Homo

sapiens,hasbeenaround!

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YearofDiscovery:

1891

HistoryofDiscovery:

EugèneDubois,aDutchsurgeon,foundthefirstHomoerectusindividual(Trinil2)inIndonesia

in1891.In1894,DuboisnamedthespeciesPithecanthropuserectus,or‘erectapeman.’Atthat

time,Pithecanthropus(laterchangedtoHomo)erectuswasthemostprimitiveand

smallestbrainedofallknownearlyhumanspecies;noearlyhumanfossilshadevenbeen

discoveredinAfricayet.



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Homo erectus

Where Lived: Northern, Eastern, and Southern Africa; Western Asia (Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia); East Asia (China and Indonesia) When Lived: Between about 1.89 million and 143,000 years ago

Early African Homo erectus fossils (sometimes called Homo ergaster) are the oldest known early humans to have possessed modern human like body proportions with relatively elongated legs and shorter arms compared to the size of the torso. These features are considered adaptations to a life lived on the ground, indicating the loss of earlier tree climbing adaptations, with the ability to walk and possibly run long distances. Compared with earlier fossil humans, note the expanded braincase relative to the size of the face. The most complete fossil individual of this species is known as the ‘Turkana Boy’ – a well preserved skeleton (though minus almost all the hand and foot bones), dated around 1.6 million years old. Microscopic study of the teeth indicates that he grew up at a growth rate similar to that of a great ape. There is fossil evidence that this species cared for old and weak individuals. The appearance of Homo erectus in the fossil record is often associated with the earliest handaxes, the first major innovation in stone tool technology. Early fossil discoveries from Java (beginning in the 1890s) and China (‘Peking Man’, beginning in the 1920s) comprise the classic examples of this species. Generally considered to have been the first species to have expanded beyond Africa, Homo erectus is considered a highly variable species, spread over two continents (it's not certain whether it reached Europe), and possibly the longest lived early human species about nine times as long as our own species, Homo sapiens , has been around!

Year of Discovery: 1891 History of Discovery: Eugène Dubois, a Dutch surgeon, found the first Homo erectus individual (Trinil 2) in Indonesia in 1891. In 1894, Dubois named the species Pithecanthropus erectus , or ‘erect ape man.’ At that time, Pithecanthropus (later changed to Homo) erectus was the most primitive and smallest brained of all known early human species; no early human fossils had even been discovered in Africa yet.

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This elderly male belonged to a population of Homo erectus that spread from Africa to the Caucasus Mountains in western Asia. Most of his teeth fell out long before he died, and his jaw deteriorated as a result. Members of his social group must have taken care of him. Read more about this fossil.

KNM ER 1808

An outer layer of abnormal bone on this female’s thigh shows evidence of bleeding just before death. After consulting doctors and accounts of wilderness explorers, researchers concluded that an overdose of vitamin A—perhaps from eating a carnivore’s liver, which concentrates vitamin A—caused the bleeding and her death. Read more about this fossil.

KNM WT 15000

This Homo erectus youth lived in a hot, dry part of East Africa near an ancient marsh. His teeth indicate that he grew up quickly, at a rate similar to that of a living great ape. His is one of the most complete early human skeletons ever found. Read more about this fossil.

Trinil 2

When this skull cap was discovered in 1891, it was the first early human fossil recognized outside Europe. It is sometimes called "Java Man" because it was found on the island of Java, Indonesia. Read more about this fossil.

Did Homo erectus grow up in a more human like pattern and rate, or a more ape like one? Was Homo erectus the first early human species to experience an adolescent growth spurt?

Homo Erectus: Early Human Species with Modern Body Proportions and Expanded Braincase, Study notes of Innovation

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KNM ER 1808