[Campbell Biology P.797] Based on Figure 34.47, 'A timeline for selected hominin species', w... | Practice Question

Based on Figure 34.47, 'A timeline for selected hominin species', which of the following pairs of hominin species are known to have coexisted at some point in time?

  • A: Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis
  • B: Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus boisei
  • C: Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens
  • D: All of the above

Explanation

Figure 34.47 clearly shows overlapping timelines for all listed pairs of hominin species: Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis around 2.0-2.5 million years ago ; Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus boisei around 1.5-2.0 million years ago ; and Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens from about 0.2 million years ago to roughly 0.03 million years ago for Neanderthals . The caption also explicitly states: 'Note that at most times in hominin history, two or more hominin species were contemporaries.'