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Alternate Phylogenies
Early Homo Below are two alternate phylogenies proposed for the genus Homo. The question concerns the ancestor of Homo ergaster, an early human species thought to be directly ancestral to all modern humans. In the first phylogeny, the ancestor of Homo ergaster is Homo habilis, with Homo rudolfensis disappearing from the fossil record around 2 million years ago without leaving a descendant species.
The second phylogeny supposes that Homo rudolfensis is the ancestor of the later Homo ergaster. Likewise, Homo habilis disappears in this scheme without a descendent species.
In body size and shape there is a big difference between Homo ergaster
and H. habilis. But we do not know enough yet about the body of H.
rudolfensis to judge whether it is a more likely ancestor of H. ergaster.
Stay tuned for more fossil discoveries that may help to resolve this debate. Return to the Human Family Tree 
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