Question

Please write clear grammatically correct answer. Answers that are not grammatically correct will be counted wrong. Simplify your answers as much as possible. Do not write long paragraphs. Answer all 3 questions.

1. Name and justify your selection of the three most important differences between H. rudolfensis and H. habilis.

2. Describe the significant physical differences between H. ergaster and H. erectus and why you think they should be classified as one or two species.

3. What is the relationship between Neanderthals and modern humans? Include data in your answer to support your opinion.

Answer 1

1.

	Homo habilis	Homo rudolfensis
Known date	2.3 - 1.6 million years ago	2.4 - 1.6 million years ago
Skull	Relatively small face, somewhat prognathic, slight brow ridge	Larger, flatter face, no brow ridge
Jaws and teeth	Thinner jaw, smaller, narrow molars, single rooted premolars.	Robust jaw, broad molars, multirooted premolars.

2. H. ergaster may be distinguished from H. erectus by its thinner skull-bones.

Both are considered as two different species.

Common ancestor of two groups of humans that took different evolutionary paths. One of these groups was Homo erectus, the other group ultimately became our own species Homo sapiens.

3. Modern humans (Homo sapiens) and Neanderthals shared a common ancestor about half a million years ago. Then they split and evolved in parallel: humans in Africa, and the Neanderthals in the Eurasian continent. When humans finally made their way to Eurasia, they had intercourse with Neanderthals and swapped DNA.