Homo Ergaster - Classification and Special Distinction

Classification and Special Distinction

Many paleoanthropologists still debate the definition of H. ergaster and H. erectus as separate species. Some call H. ergaster the direct African ancestor of H. erectus, proposing that H. ergaster emigrated out of Africa and into Asia, branching into a distinct species. Most dispense with the species-name ergaster, making no distinction between such fossils as the Turkana Boy and Peking Man. Though "Homo ergaster" has gained some acceptance as a valid taxon, H. ergaster and H. erectus are still usually defined as distinct African and Asian populations of the larger species H. erectus. (For the remainder of this article, the name "Homo ergaster" will be used to describe a distinct species for the convenience of continuity in reading.)

H. ergaster may be distinguished from H. erectus by its thinner skull-bones and lack of an obvious supraorbital foramen. It may be distinguished from Homo heidelbergensis by its thinner bones, more protrusive face, and lower forehead. Derived features separating it from earlier species include reduced sexual dimorphism, a smaller, more orthognathous (less protrusive) face, a smaller dental arcade, and a larger cranial capacity (700-900cm³ in earlier ergaster-specimens, and 900-1100 in later specimens). It is estimated that male H. ergaster stood 1.89 meters (6 ft 2 in) tall. Remains have been found in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa.