Human Evolution: Trails from the PastHuman Evolution provides a comprehensive overview of hominid evolution, synthesising data and approaches from fields as diverse as physical anthropology, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, genetics, archaeology, psychology and philosophy. The book starts with chapters on evolution, population genetics, systematics, and the methods for constructing evolutionary trees. These are followed by a comprehensive review of the fossil history of human evolution since our divergence from the apes. Subsequent chapters cover more recent data, both fossil and molecular, relating to the evolution of modern humans. A final section describes the evolution of culture, language, art, and morality. The authors are leading experts in two complementary fields of scholarship, physical anthropology and molecular evolution. Throughout the book they successfully integrate their expertise in evolutionary theory, phylogenetics, genomics, cultural evolution, language, aesthetics and morality to produce a cutting edge textbook, copiously illustrated and with an extensive and up-to-date bibliography. It will be suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate level students taking courses on human evolution within departments of biology, anthropology, psychology and philosophy. The book will also appeal to a more general audience seeking a readable, up-to-date and inclusive treatment of human origins and evolution. |
Contents
Chapter 1 Evolution genetics and systematics | 1 |
Chapter 2 The evolution of hominoids | 44 |
Chapter 3 The hominin lineage | 81 |
Chapter 4 Miocene and Pliocene genera and species | 106 |
South Africa and the Rift Valley | 135 |
Paranthropus versus Homo | 166 |
Chapter 7 The radiation of Homo | 194 |
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Common terms and phrases
According adaptive afarensis African ancestors animals apes appeared argued associated attributed Aurignacian Australopithecus authors behavior belong bipedalism bones bovid brain capacity Cave chimpanzees classified close colleagues common complete considered cranial cranium culture dating derived determine developed discovery diverse early East erectus estimated et al evidence evolution evolutionary Figure fossil fragments functional genes genetic genus gorillas habilis hominins hominoids Homo hypothesis included indicate individuals interpretation kind KNM-ER known language later Leakey lineage living lower Makapansgat mandible means Member middle Miocene modern humans moral morphological natural Neanderthals noted occurred Oldowan Olduvai organisms origin period Pleistocene populations possible present primates proposal question regarding relative remains robust sample sapiens selection separate sequence shared similar single South species specimens suggested taxa taxon traits