Hominid

There are 2 genera of hominids: the genus Australopithecus and the genus Homo.

Australopiths (etymologically "apes from the south", because they are only found in Africa) are divided into several groups:

- "ancestral" australopiths (over 3 million years) such as Lucy, who belongs to the species Australopithecus afarensis;

- gracile australopiths, which belong to the species Australopithecus africanus and lived between 3 and 1.2 million years ago. They were larger than their predecessors (an average of 1.25 m) with brains that measured 500 cm³. They lived alongside other australopiths and the first humans;

- robust australopiths (Australopithecus robustus) lived between 2.5 and 1 million years ago. They were rather large (about 1.40 m).

The genus Homo, or the first humans

Definition of human: a bipedal primate capable of expressing conceptual thought (notably capable of producing tools).

Homo habilis

Homo sapiens sapiens.