| Adapidae | (ah-da9pih-day)A group of early primates from the previously connected landmass of North America and Europe, dating to more than 50 mya and thought to be ancestral to prosimians such as lemurs and lorises.
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| Aegyptopithecus | (ee-gyp9tow-pith9ah-cuss)An extinct monkey genus with several apelike traits. Discovered in Egypt and dating to more than 25 mya, it may represent a form of primate ancestral to Old World monkeys and apes.
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| Ankarapithecus | (ahn-ka-ra-pith9ah-cuss)A fossil ape genus from Turkey dated at 9.8 mya, which shows similarities to Sivapithecus.
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| Anthropoidea | (an-throw-poy9dee-ah)According to the traditional taxonomic system, one of the two suborders of order Primates (the other is Prosimii). Means "humanlike" and includes monkeys, apes, and humans.
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| Ardipithecus ramidus | (ar-di-pith9ah-cuss rah9mi-dus)A recently identified hominid genus from Ethiopia and dated at about 4.4 mya, based on skeletal fragments and teeth. Not yet fully documented or accepted, it is thought by its discoverers to represent the earliest species in the hominid line. Thus, the species name, which means "root" in the local language.
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| Australopithecus afarensis | (os-trail-oh-pith9ah-cuss ah-far-en9sis)A fossil species from East Africa, the oldest well-established species in the hominid line. Dated from 4 to 3 mya, afarensis had a small, chimp-sized brain but walked fully upright.
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| Australopithecus africanus | (os-trail-oh-pith9ah-cuss ah-frih-cane9us)A fossil hominid species from South Africa dated from about 3 to 2.3 mya. It is similar to A. afarensis and may well be a direct evolutionary descendant of the earlier species. It retained the chimp-sized brain and was fully bipedal.
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| Australopithecus anamensis | (os-trail-oh-pith9ah-cuss ana-men9sis)The earliest well-documented fully bipedal hominid, found in Kenya and dating from 4.2 to 3.8 mya.
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| Australopithecus bahrelghazalia | (os-trail-oh-pith9ah-cuss bar-el-gah-zahl9ya)A new species of this genus, based on a jaw and several teeth found in Chad and dated at 3.5 to 3 mya. The species name is based on an Arab name for a nearby riverbed. It is noteworthy as the only early hominid found outside of East Africa or southern Africa.
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| Australopithecus garhi | (os-trail-oh-pith9ah-cuss gar9hee)Recently discovered fossils from Ethiopia, dated to 2.5 mya, that display resemblances to both Australopithecus afarensis and early Homo, leading some authorities to consider them a new species and a direct ancestor of Homo.
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| Catarrhini | (cat-ah-rhine9eye)One of two infraorders of suborder Anthropoidea (the other is infraorder Platyrrhini, the New World monkeys). Catarrhini is the infraorder of the Old World monkeys, apes, and hominids. Along with the geographical distinction, catarrhines can be distinguished from platyrrhines by their narrow nose shape, fewer premolar teeth, and lack of a prehensile tail.
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| Cercopithecoidea | (sir-co-pith-ah-coy9dee-ah)The superfamily of all monkeys of Europe, Africa, and Asia.
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| Eosimiidae | (ee-oh-sim-ee9ih-day)A group of early primates from Asia, dated at around 45 mya, that may represent direct ancestors of monkeys, apes, and hominids.
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| Equatorius | (ee-kwa-tor9ee-us)A fossil genus from East Africa dated at 15 mya and showing similarities in arm and ankle structure to the modern chimpanzee. Lumped by some authorities into Kenyapithecus.
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| Gigantopithecus | (ji-gan-tow-pith9ah-cuss)A genus of fossil apes, dated at 12 to perhaps 1 mya, found in China, India, and Vietnam. It may have reached a height of 12 feet when standing erect and may have weighed 1,200 pounds, making it the largest primate known.
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| Gorilla gorilla | (go-rill9a go-rill9a)The gorilla (well, duh!), one of the three great ape species from Africa and the largest living primate.
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| Haplorhini | (hap-low-rhine9eye)According to the cladistic taxonomic system, one of two suborders of order Primates (the other is Strepsirhini). Haplorhini are primates lacking a moist nose and other primitive features. Includes the tarsier and all primates traditionally included in suborder Anthropoidea.
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| Hominidae | (ho-mih9nih-day)In a traditional taxonomy, the family of modern and extinct human species, defined as the primates that are habitually bipedal. Members of this group are called hominids.
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| Hominoidea | (ho-min-oy9dee-ah)The superfamily that includes the large, tailless primates: apes and hominids, living and extinct.
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| Homo antecessor | (ho9mow an-tee-sess9or)A recently proposed species from Spain and dated at 780,000 ya or more. The fossils show a mix of primitive and modern human features and are interpreted by their discoverers as possibly ancestral to H. heidelbergensis and H. neanderthalensis. This species is not widely recognized at present.
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| Homo erectus | (ho9mow ee-wreck9tuss)A fossil hominid species dating from at least 1.8 mya to 100,000 ya or so. First appearing in Africa, H. erectus was the first hominid species to expand beyond that continent. Fossils are found throughout Africa and Asia, and there is possible evidence from Europe. Members of this species had a brain size average about two-thirds that of modern humans, made advances in stone tool technology, and were able to control fire late in their existence.
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| Homo ergaster | (ho9mow er-gas9ter)The earliest H. erectus fossils from Kenya, said by some researchers to be sufficiently different that they represent a separate species that was ancestral to both H. erectus and, later, H. sapiens.
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| Homo habilis | (ho9mow ha9bill-us)Fossil hominid species dating from about 2.2 to 1.5 mya and found in East Africa. Fully bipedal and with an average brain size of 680 ml, H. habilis was the first confirmed hominid stone toolmaker. Because this was the first hominid with a brain larger than that of a chimpanzee, and because of the association with stone tools, H. habilis is thought to be the earliest member of our genus, Homo.
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| Homo heidelbergensis | (how9mow high-del-berg-en9sis)A proposed species from Africa, Asia, and Europe, dated at between 475,000 and 200,000 ya. They had a modern human brain size but retained primitive features such as brow ridges, prognathism, and postorbital constriction.
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| Homo neanderthalensis | (ho9mow knee-an-dir-tall-en9sis)A proposed species from Europe and Southwest Asia, dated at between 225,000 and 36,000 ya. They had more pronounced versions of some of the cranial features of H. heidelbergensis, such as brow ridges and prognathism. The postcranial skeletons were robust and heavy, with short arms and legs, possibly adaptations to cold climates.
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| Homo rudolfensis | (ho9mow rue-dolf-en9sis)Thought by some authorities to be a separate species made up of the East Turkana, Kenya, specimens traditionally placed in H. habilis.
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| Homo sapiens | (ho9mow say9pee-ens)The taxonomic name for modern humans. There is debate as to whether or not this name covers certain other species, including H. erectus, ergaster, antecessor, heidelbergensis, and neanderthalensis.
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| Hylobatidae | (high-low-bat9ah-day)The family that includes the gibbons and siamangs, the arboreal, so-called lesser apes of Southeast Asia. They are highly efficient brachiators.
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| Kenyanthropus platyops | (ken-yan9throw-pus plat9ee-ops)A new fossil genus from Kenya, dated at 3.5 mya and suggested by some authorities, because of its flat face and other features, to represent a better human ancestor than Australopithecus afarensis. Thus far, it is based on only two specimens.
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| Kenyapithecus | (ken-ya-pith9ah-cuss)A fossil genus from East Africa dated at 14 mya. A possible candidate for the first hominoid.
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| Morotopithecus | (more-row-tow-pith9ah-cuss)A fossil genus from Uganda dated at 20 mya. A possible candidate for the first hominoid, it may have been capable of occasional upright walking.
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| Omomyidae | (oh-mow-me9ah-day)A group of early primates that lived in the previously connected landmass of North America and Europe. Dating to more than 50 mya, they are thought to be ancestral to tarsiers and may have been ancestral to Anthropoidea as well.
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| Orrorin tugenensis | (oar-oar9in two-gen-en9sis)A new fossil genus from Kenya, based on thirteen specimens and dated at 6 mya. Its purported bipedal features have led some to suggest it represents the ancestor of all later hominids. The identity and features of this form are still a matter of much debate.
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| Ouranopithecus | (oo-ran-oh-pith9ah-cuss)An ape from Greece dated at 9 or 10 mya. Based on some hominidlike features, it is thought by some to be a member of the ape line that led to the hominids.
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| Pan paniscus | (pan pan-iss9cuss)The bonobo, sometimes called the pygmy chimpanzee. One of the three great ape species from Africa.
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| Pan troglodytes | (pan trog-low-dye9tees)The chimpanzee. One of the three great ape species from Africa.
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| Papio | (pah9pee-oh)A genus within superfamily Cercopithecoidea (the Old World monkeys) other comprises several species of baboons, large monkeys living in social groups on the African savannas.
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| Paranthropus aethiopicus | (par-an9throw-pus ee-thee-oh9pih-cuss)A species from East Africa dating from 2.8 to 2.2 mya. They were the first members of the so-called robust early hominids, having large, rugged features associated with chewing, although their other features, including brain size, were very similar to those of members of genus Australopithecus. Many authorities still include it in that genus. It is thought they were adapted to tough, gritty, hard vegetable foods. The most famous, and first, specimen of this species was the "Black Skull."
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| Paranthropus boisei | (par-an9throw-pus boys9ee-eye)The East African robust hominid, dated from 2.2 to 1 mya. It had large features associated with chewing, although less pronounced than in P. aethiopicus. The first specimen was "Zinjanthropus." Sometimes included in genus Australopithecus.
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| Paranthropus robustus | (par-an9throw-pus row-bus9tus)The southern African robust hominid, dated from 2.2 to 1.5 mya. It was marked by robust chewing features, although they were less robust than in either P. aethiopicus or P. boisei. The postcranial skeleton and the brain size remained similar to those of Australopithecus. It is sometimes included in that genus.
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| Platyrrhini | (plat-ee-rhine9eye)One of two infraorders of suborder Anthropoidea (the other is infraorder Catarrhini, the Old World monkeys, apes, and hominids). Platyrrhines comprise the New World monkeys. Members of this group can be told apart from the catarrhines by their broad nose shape, greater number of premolar teeth, and the fact that several species have prehensile tails.
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| Pongidae | (pon9jih-day)The family of the so-called great apes, the orangutans of Southeast Asia and the gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos of Africa.
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| Pongo pygmaeus | (pon9go pig-may9us)The orangutan. The only great ape from Southeast Asia.
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| Primates | (pry-mate9ees)An order within class Mammalia. Large-brained arboreal mammals with stereoscopic color vision and grasping hands (and sometimes feet). Includes prosimians, monkeys, apes, and hominids.
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| Prosimii | (pro-sim9ee-eye)According to the traditional taxonomic system, one of two suborders of order Primates (the other suborder is Anthropoidea). Prosimians are the more primitive of the two suborders in that they retain features of some of the oldest primate fossils. Many lack color vision, are nocturnal, and have limited opposability of the thumb.
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| Sivapithecus | (she-vah-pith9ah-cuss)Genus of fossil ape from India and Pakistan, dated from 15 to 12 mya. Thought to be ancestral to the orangutan.
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| Strepsirhini | (strep-sir-rhine9eye)According to the cladistic taxonomic system, one of two suborders of order Primates (the other is Haplorhini). Primates with a moist nose and other primitive features. Includes all primates traditionally in suborder Prosimii except the tarsier.
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2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education