What is Homo ergaster?
Q: What is Homo ergaster?
A: Homo ergaster, also called "African Homo erectus", is an extinct chronospecies of Homo which lived in eastern and southern Africa during the early Pleistocene, between 1.8 million and 1.3 million years ago.
Q: How long ago did Homo ergaster live?
A: Homo ergaster lived between 1.8 million and 1.3 million years ago during the early Pleistocene period.
Q: Is there disagreement on the classification of H.ergaster?
A: Yes, there is still disagreement on the subject of the classification and ancestry of H. ergaster.
Q: What species are believed to be descended from H.ergaster?
A: It is widely accepted that Asian Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, Homo heidelbergensis, and hence Homo sapiens are all descended from H.ergaster .
Q: Are there fossils of H.erectus in Asia?
A: Yes, there are Asian fossils of H. erectus which was the first human species to spread from Africa .
Q: What does 'ergaster' mean?
A: The name 'ergaster' means "workman" in reference to the Acheulean hand axe industry developed by this species .
Q: How did climate change affect Hom oergster's environment?
A: Climate change during this period would have shrunk rainforests in Africa while expanding savannahs and open forests which were well suited for Hom oergster's survival .