Hominid Species Evolution

Analytical Essay (Hominid Species Evolution)

Hominid Species can be defined as "any of the modern or extinct bipedal primates of the family Hominidae to the extent of Homo Sapiens, present day humans" (2009). These species date back to a time frame within 23 million years ago and have all evolved significantly due to physical changes in the environment and natural selection. Some factors of the hominid species evolution however, are determined by the increase of intelligence over time and therefore the use of tools caused them to evolve undue to nature. Through the use of skull reconstructions, brain and brawn statistics and canine evidence, various theories are circulating within the science community to suggest reasoning for the ancestry tree of the hominid species. Based on data collected within a Human Evolution Investigation conducted by Saint Stephens Students, an ultimate phylogeny was re-created that suggests the evolutionary path of Modern Day Humans, Homo Sapiens.

The science community is developing significantly in the theories that suggest the ancestors of our existence, with the production of highly-specialised technology every day. However, among the masses of evidence found over time, some biological features of the hominid species require a longer period of time to evolve (millions of years) and therefore are more reliable in investigations, as they show whether a change over the millions of years is evident.

The more valuable variable of the two investigated; teeth and skull structure, has been found to be skull structure as the time it takes for a facial structure to change, largely outweighs that of the canine and mandible as manmade objects e.g. tools, fire etc. can alter the way an organism eats particu...

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...ity of the hominid species. Before this period, the hominid species endured the evolution of bi-pedalism and multiple-region adaptation which allowed for

Figure 3 below indicates the changes in the climate over the millions of years that developed our understanding of weather patterns and seasons. As unpredictable change became apparent, a larger cranial capacity evolved to understand the change, and gain knowledge of how to survive among it. Unknowingly, the hominid species was evolving and adapting to the environmental change. This process of change occurs still today however takes millions of years to become a noticeable comparison. Both bi-pedalism and regional adaptation in

Figure 2 - Weather pattern influence on hominid cranial capacity

Figure 2 above is an indication of the largest climate fluctuation in history that caused in an increase