Freethought & Rationalism Archive

RufusAtticus · 01-30-2002, 02:29 PM

I'm reading a paper on human evolution for my evolution-modeling course. There is an interesting footnote:

Quote:

1. Although it will take getting used to, the term hominin is now preferred in place of hominid to indicate the group of bipedal apes to which humans belong (genera Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Ardipithicus) . . . . The systematics of apes, including humans, now recognizes the growing body of evidence that humans and chimpanzees are sister taxa. Within the superfamily Hominoidea (apes) is the family of great apes (Hominidae). The hominid family includes the subfamily of African apes (Homininae), or hominines. The tribe rank of Hominini, then, is reserved for humans and related bipeds since the split from the chimpanzee lineage. . . .

Potts, R. Environmental hypotheses of hominin evolution. Yearbook of Physical Anthropology 41:93-136 (1998).

-RvFvS

Edited: to change not to now. Thanx, DRF.

[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: RufusAtticus ]</p>

DRFseven · 01-30-2002, 02:56 PM

Quote:

RufusAtticus: 1. Although it will take getting used to, the term hominin is not preferred in place of hominid to indicate the group of bipedal apes to which humans belong (genera Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Ardipithicus) .

Did you mean "...term hominin is not preferred?", or now preferred?

BLoggins02 · 01-30-2002, 03:19 PM

In light of context, I think now preferred is correct. It doesn't make a lot of sense to say "..., the term hominin is not preferred in place of hominid..."

But, I may be wrong, I have been before

[ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: BLoggins02 ]</p>

Valentine Pontifex · 01-30-2002, 08:02 PM

Lets clear this up. :-)

The word hominid, going strictly by the rules of zoological nomenclature, means a member of the family of Hominidae. The "id" suffix refers to a family.

Traditionally the great apes have not been classified as being members of Hominidae. However with the discovery that humans and chimps are more closely related to each other than they are to apes and with the growing influence of cladistic classification that cares only about evolutionary relationships increasingly zoologists are including the the great apes as members of Hominidae.

Thus with the new classification of the great apes being members of Hominidae, the great apes by definition are hominids.

Generally when term "hominid" has been used it refers to humans, australopithicines, etc. But since its meaning has technically changed to include the apes, another word is needed.
Hense terms like hominin and hominine.

Vorkosigan · 01-30-2002, 10:14 PM

<a href="http://cogweb.ucla.edu/EP/Hominoids.html" target="_blank">http://cogweb.ucla.edu/EP/Hominoids.html</a>

This link lays it out clearly.

Suborder Hominoids (a primate superfamily)
...
Family Hominids
...
Subfamily Homininae (see images)
Tribe Gorillini (African apes)
Tribe Hominini (human linages)
(1) Genus Ardipithecus
(2) Genus Australopithecus
(3) Genus Paranthropus
(4) Genus Kenyanthropus
(5) Genus Homo

It explains:

"The term "hominins" almost always refers to the tribe Hominini, and not to the subfamily Homininae. It is important to note that in the older scheme (before about 1980), the Hominoids comprised the gibbons (Hylobatidae), the great apes (Pongidae), and the Hominidae, with the Hominidae (hominids) consisting only of the two genera Homo and Australopithecus. The new scheme is therefore considerably different. For example, under the old scheme, the statement "modern man is the only living hominid" is correct. Under the new scheme, that statement is incorrect."

BLoggins02 · 01-31-2002, 11:38 AM

Ok so I wasn't wrong. But that's OK I'm about 100% sure I'll make up for that somewhere else

Thanks for the clarifications LordValentine and turtonm

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

01-30-2002, 03:19 PM	#3
BLoggins02 Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 254	In light of context, I think now preferred is correct. It doesn't make a lot of sense to say "..., the term hominin is not preferred in place of hominid..." But, I may be wrong, I have been before [ January 30, 2002: Message edited by: BLoggins02 ]</p>

01-30-2002, 08:02 PM	#4
Valentine Pontifex Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy Posts: 3,092	Lets clear this up. :-) The word hominid, going strictly by the rules of zoological nomenclature, means a member of the family of Hominidae. The "id" suffix refers to a family. Traditionally the great apes have not been classified as being members of Hominidae. However with the discovery that humans and chimps are more closely related to each other than they are to apes and with the growing influence of cladistic classification that cares only about evolutionary relationships increasingly zoologists are including the the great apes as members of Hominidae. Thus with the new classification of the great apes being members of Hominidae, the great apes by definition are hominids. Generally when term "hominid" has been used it refers to humans, australopithicines, etc. But since its meaning has technically changed to include the apes, another word is needed. Hense terms like hominin and hominine.

01-30-2002, 10:14 PM	#5
Vorkosigan Contributor Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Barrayar Posts: 11,866	<a href="http://cogweb.ucla.edu/EP/Hominoids.html" target="_blank">http://cogweb.ucla.edu/EP/Hominoids.html</a> This link lays it out clearly. Suborder Hominoids (a primate superfamily) ... Family Hominids ... Subfamily Homininae (see images) Tribe Gorillini (African apes) Tribe Hominini (human linages) (1) Genus Ardipithecus (2) Genus Australopithecus (3) Genus Paranthropus (4) Genus Kenyanthropus (5) Genus Homo It explains: "The term "hominins" almost always refers to the tribe Hominini, and not to the subfamily Homininae. It is important to note that in the older scheme (before about 1980), the Hominoids comprised the gibbons (Hylobatidae), the great apes (Pongidae), and the Hominidae, with the Hominidae (hominids) consisting only of the two genera Homo and Australopithecus. The new scheme is therefore considerably different. For example, under the old scheme, the statement "modern man is the only living hominid" is correct. Under the new scheme, that statement is incorrect."

01-31-2002, 11:38 AM	#6
BLoggins02 Regular Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 254	Ok so I wasn't wrong. But that's OK I'm about 100% sure I'll make up for that somewhere else Thanks for the clarifications LordValentine and turtonm

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.