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Homo erectus and Homo habilis are two distinct species of early humans that lived in Africa during different periods of time. While there is some overlap between the two species, they differ in several important ways.
Homo habilis, which lived between 2.8 and 1.5 million years ago, is known for its smaller size and more primitive features compared to later hominins. This species had a cranial capacity of around 500-700 cubic centimeters and had a face and jaw that projected outwards. Homo habilis is also known for its use of stone tools, which were relatively simple compared to later tools.
Homo erectus, on the other hand, lived between 1.8 million and 100,000 years ago and was a larger and more advanced species than Homo habilis. Homo erectus had a cranial capacity of around 800-1100 cubic centimeters, which is more similar to modern humans than to Homo habilis. This species also had a flatter face and less pronounced jaw, which may indicate that they had a more diverse and omnivorous diet than earlier hominins.
One of the most significant differences between Homo erectus and Homo habilis is that Homo erectus was the first hominin to migrate out of Africa, whereas Homo habilis remained primarily in Africa. This suggests that Homo erectus had a greater ability to adapt to new environments and to make use of new resources than Homo habilis.
Overall, Homo erectus was a larger, more advanced, and more adaptable species than Homo habilis. While both species played important roles in the evolution of early humans, Homo erectus is often considered a key transitional species that paved the way for later hominins, including Homo sapiens.
