Chapter 20: Human Evolution

Relationships among humans and the extant apes

• Humans belong to the Catarrhini suborder of the primate order
  • the primate order includes Indian Langur, Velvet colobus, Patas Monkey, Gorilla, Orangutan

The Origins of the Species Homo Sapiens

• Hypothesis concerning the transition from Homo Erectus/Ergaster to Homo Sapiens
• Distribution of specimens
  • H.Heidelbergensis → Europe and Africa
  • H.Neanderthalensis → Europe and Asia

Africa Replacement (Out-of-Africa)

• H. Sapiens evolved in Africa, then migrated to Europe and Asia
• Homo Sapiens replace locals without hybridization
• No genes from these early forms persist in the modern human population

Hybridization and Assimilation

• H. Sapiens evolved in Africa, then migrated to Europe and Asia
• H. Sapiens largely replaced the local population
• Hybridization between newcomers and residents
• Genes from local populations were assimilated and persist in Modern human population

Multigeneration Evolution Model

• H. Sapiens evolved concurrently in Europe, Asia, and Africa
• Sufficient gene flow among populations to maintain their continuity as a species
• The gene pool is derived from a mixture of distant and local populations

Candelabra Model

• H. Sapiens evolved independently in Europe, Asia, and Africa
• No gene flow among populations