Re: hominid species

[jimf@vangelis.ncrmicro.ncr.com (Jim Foley)]

>>>>> On Tue, 30 May 1995 17:12:27 -0400, FEUKAC@PLU.edu said:

>>  Could someone please tell me when the evolution of the genus _Homo_ 
>> first began. A reference would be helpful..

I think there a few fossils attributed to Homo habilis/rudolfensis from
about 2.4 million years.  I don't yet have much info on them, all of the
well-known Homo fossils come from the 1.5-2.0 million year range.  The
oldest stone tools are 2.5 million years, last I heard, and I think most
people would attribute them to genus Homo.

Some people have also attributed some of the Hadar finds, over 3 million
years old, to Homo (Donald Johanson originally did so, before changing
his mind and putting them all in Australopithecus afarensis).  There's
also a strong suspicion among some scientists that the Laetoli
footprints, 3.7 million years old, may belong to an early Homo species,
rather than to A. afarensis.

References?  Most anthropology textbooks should have something on this.

Email me if you would like a FAQ on human evolution and creationist
arguments about it.

--
Jim (Chris) Foley,            Primitive hominids
Associate Professor           (Australopithecus creationistii)
of Omphalic Envy.
Department of Anthropology
jimf@symbios.com