There are a number of stages in the development of man but the major ones that draw our attention in this post are five.
Stages in the Development of Man: Proconsul Africanus
As one of the stages in the development of man, Proconsul Africanus are known as dental apes because their teeth and jaw look like those of apes. Their skeleton however, has monkey-like features. The most complete Proconsul Africanus skull found to date was discovered by Mary Leakey in 1948 Rusinga Island in Kenya. This hominoid species lived more than 20 million years ago
Kenyapithecus
Kenyapithecus means Kenyan Ape. Kenyapithecus lived 13 to 20 million years ago and he was named by Dr Louis Leakey in 1961. Kenyapithecus had powerful chewing muscles along with large molars and small incisors. He was an herbivore. Fossils of Kenyapithecus were discovered in Kenya. Kenyapithecus spent most of his time in trees and cracked hard seeds and nuts with his teeth and chewed tough stems and bark.
Australopithecus
Australopithecus means “Southern Ape” was discovered by Louis Leakey at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania in 1959. Fossil remains of this species were discovered at sites in South Africa in 1896, north of the Vaal River by Prof. Raymond A. Dart. Australopithecus lived about 3 million years ago. His characteristics included:
- small canine teeth,
- bipedalism, that is walking on two legs,
- a low cranium behind a projecting face,
- a brain size of an ape’s brain,
- body weight ranging from 27 to 49kg,
- curved fingers and long thumbs,
- Protruding faces like those of apes and little body hair. Australopithecus lived in different environments like woodlands, forests, grasslands and savannah.
Zinjanthropus
Zinjanthropus was discovered in 1959 by Dr. Louis Leakey and his wife Mary in East Africa at Olduvai Gorge. Zinjanthropus was also called Nutcracker man because of his huge teeth which he used to crack nuts. Its brain was like that of an ape, but it walked upright like a human. That is why it also sometimes called “ Ape Man”
Homo- habilis
Homo- habilis existed in the early Stone Age period between 50,000 – 40,000 years ago. Homo is a Latin word meaning human or man and habilis means handy or skillful. This species is also known as ‘handy man’ because he used stone tools. Homo habilis fossils were discovered at Olduvai Gorge.
Physical characteristics of Homo habilis include having a larger brain than earlier ancestors, face was smaller, walked on two legs, and was the first of human ancestors to make stone tools. Homo habilis lived in grassland environment. Homo-habilis was much shorter and hairier than Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens refer to thinking or intelligent man.
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