Figure 2.

Early hominid phylogenies. (a–c) Cladogram and phyletic trees of Strait et al. (30). (d and e) Cladogram and phyletic tree of Wood (29). (f and g) Cladogram and phyletic tree of Skelton and McHenry (24). (h and i) Phyletic trees consistent with Walker et al. (14). (j) Phyletic tree of Delson (25) and Grine (26). For each taxon in the phyletic trees, a map of Africa is shown indicating the regions in which its fossils are found. Dashed line in d represents an implied relationship. Black vertical bars indicate the known time ranges of hominid species. White vertical bars in b and c indicate inferred time ranges. Time scale in millions of years (Myr) is given to the left of each phyletic tree. All phylogenies are depicted by using the alpha taxonomy of Strait et al. (30). Note that the Pliocene hominids traditionally attributed to Australopithecus afarensis are here referred to Praeanthropus africanus because the inclusion of this hypodigm within Australopithecus has the effect of making that genus paraphyletic [see Strait et al. (30) for a more complete review].