Tg. Bromage et F. Schrenk, BIOGEOGRAPHIC AND CLIMATIC BASIS FOR A NARRATIVE OF EARLY HOMINID EVOLUTION, Journal of Human Evolution, 28(1), 1995, pp. 109-114
We provide the basis for a scenario of hominid evolution that complies
with both the Habitat Theory of Vrba (1992) and early hominid biogeog
raphy. It expresses the association between faunal turnover and climat
e change with significant developments during human evolution (cf. How
ell, 1959). This scenario suggests a single origin for the Parathropus
lineage but separate origins for Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis fr
om Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus africanus ancestors
respectively. The scenario we propose is bold and as yet unsubstantia
ted by analyses of character states and polarities. We hope that this
flagrancy will incite focused research on its assumptions and result i
n new hypotheses based on a more holistic accounting of morphology, bi
ogeography, and ecology.