Evolution — BIOLOGY STD 12 Science — Question

→ About 15 mya primates such as Dryopithecus and Ramapithecus existed.
→ They appeared to be similar to Gorillas and Chimpanzees in their appearance and walking.
→ Ramapithecus was more similar to man whereas Dryopithecus was more similar to apes.
→ Few fossils of bones that resemble human bones have been discovered in Ethiopia and Tanzania.
→ The skull of a child Chimpanzee is more similar to that of an adult human than that of an adult chimpanzee.
→ These human-like features further support the belief that 3-4 million years ago human-like primates roamed East Africa.
→ They were probably 4 feet tall or less, but could walk upright.
→ Australopithecines:
→ Two mya Australopithecines existed. They most likely lived in East African grasslands.
→ They used stone weapons for hunting.
→ Essentially had a fruit-based diet. They also survived on plant-based diet and did not eat meat.
→ The first human-like organism was the hominid and was called Homo habilis.
Brain capacity was 650 - 800 сс.
→ Homo erectus:
→ Fossils discovered in Java in 1891 seemed to be of the next stage i.e. Homo erectus.
→ They evolved about 1.5 mya.
→ Had large brain with capacity around 900 cc.
→ Probably ate meat.
→ Neanderthal man:
→ Brain size was around 1400 сс.
→ Lived in east and central Asia between 1,00,000 - 40,000 years back.
→ They developed use of animal hides to protect their body.
→ Buried their dead.
→ Homo sapiens:
→ Arose in Africa.
→ Migrated across continents and developed distinct races.
→ During ice age 75,000 - 10,000 years ago
modern Homo sapiens arose.
→ Prehistoric cave art developed about 18,000 years ago.
→ Prehistoric man-made paintings are found in one such cave on the Bhimbetka rock in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh.
→ Agriculture came around 10,000 years back and human settlement started.