Learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• describe features of apes, and features that distinguish Homo from apes

• explain an evolutionary tree for hominines that shows one interpretation of the evolution of Homo from ape-like ancestors, australopithecines

• use what is known about social group structure in living species of ape to suggest social group structure in extinct species

• interpret features of apes, australopithecines, and Homo species in terms of adaptations

• understand the roots of those features that make Homo sapiens different from other mammal species.