Question

Short/Long answer type questions
Why are the apes of the past regarded remote ancestors of man? Comment upon two fossil apes which might have been representatives of the direct line of human evolution.

Answer 1

Apes of the past shared only a few characteristics with modern man. They rather showed more similarities with modern apes. For example, they had arms and legs of equal length, semi-erect posture and large canines. Following fossil apes might have been representative of the direct line of human evolution:-

1. Hominidae: The apes that would ultimately evolve into the humans of today split from the so-called lesser apes about 7 million years ago. These are the Hominidae or great apes. This is the approximate time frame given for the divergence of the human lineage from that of chimpanzees, humans' closest surviving relatives.
2. Ardipithecus Ramidus: The existence of this creature, which apparently blended walking with swinging in trees, was discovered in Ethiopia in 1994. Ardipithecus ramidus emerged about 4.5 million years ago. The best estimates of this creature's size place its height at no more than 4 feet with a weight of approximately 110 pounds.