Stages in Human Evolution

The following are the stages of human evolution:

1. Dryopithecus
i) Ancestors of both man and apes. 
ii) Lived in China, Africa, Europe and India. 
iii) Predominantly herbivores
2. Ramapithecus
i) First remains were discovered from the Shivalik range in Punjab and later in Africa and Saudi Arabia. 
ii) Lived in open grasslands. 
iii) Thickened tooth enamel, robust jaws and shorter canines
iv) Usage of hands for food and defence.
3. Australopithecus
i) Fossils first discovered in 1924 in South Africa. 
ii) Used stones as weapons and walked erect. 
iii) 4 feet tall and weighed 60-80 pounds.
4. Homo erectus
i) Large cranial capacities 
ii) Lived in communities. 
iii) Used tools comprising quartz, bones and wood. 
iv) Did collective huntings. 
v) Use fire and lived in caves.
5. Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
i) Cranial capacity of Neanderthal grew from 1200 to 1600 cc. 
ii) Some small hand axes had also been discovered. 
6. Homo sapiens sapiens
i) Remains of Homo sapiens were first discovered in Europe and were named Cro-Magnon.
ii) The jaws are quite reduced, the modern man’s chin appeared, and the skull was rounded. 
iii) Cranial capacity was about 1350 cc. 
iv) Gathered food through hunting. 
v) Cave art first appeared during this time.