Hominins {hominin}| (Homininae) vary from anthropoid apes (great apes) (hominids) (Hominidae) in locomotion, hands, tools, sight, sociability, and language.
evolution
Hominins differentiated from Pan ancestors six million years ago.
habitat
Australopithecus lived in savannas, rather than forests, and used more animal food than apes. Perhaps, necessity to eat seeds and nuts aided hand evolution. Hominins developed environments, with more energy available for brain maintenance. Free-ranging energetic environments and multiply skilled bodies allowed energy-intensive cortex to vary, grow, and integrate senses.
anatomy: tailless
Hominins had no tail, allowing more variations in intercourse position, sitting, and spinal shape.
anatomy: face
Hominins have nosebridges and nose tips, jutting chins, short canine teeth, and lips with median furrow that rolls outward.
anatomy: arm
Hominins have shorter arms than great apes and throw accurately.
anatomy: foot
Hominins have feet that arch across and lengthwise. They do not have opposed big toes.
anatomy: hair
Hominins are relatively hairless.
anatomy: posture
Hominins have erect posture.
reproduction
Hominins mature sexually earlier than other great apes, as measured by teeth eruption.
senses
Sense integration allows tracking individuals that are not present, mapping environments, and remembering.
nervous system
Brains were two to three times bigger than great-ape brains.
communication
Hominins blend the dozen meaningful ape sounds to produce new sounds related to objects far away in time or place. They possibly use nouns, verbs, and modifiers with simple syntax. They recall memories.
communication: larynx
Larynx became lower and opened throat space {supralaryngeal space}, which allows more speech sounds.
Biological Sciences>Zoology>Kinds>Hominin
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Date Modified: 2022.0224