Homo (genus)

Homo erectus †
Homo ergaster †
Homo habilis †
Homo heidelbergensis †
Homo neanderthalensis †
Homo rudolfensis †
Homo sapiens

</table> Homo is the genus that includes humans and their close relatives. All species and subspecies except Homo sapiens sapiens are extinct; the last surviving relative, Homo neanderthalensis, died out 30,000 years ago.

Species

• Homo rudolfensis
• Homo habilis
• Homo ergaster
• Homo erectus
• Homo heidelbergensis (Heidelberg Man)
• Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthal Man)
• Homo sapiens (including modern humans, Homo sapiens sapiens)

The last three have been considered to be subspecies of Homo sapiens, but analysis of mitochondrial DNA from H. neanderthalensis fossils suggests that the difference is great enough to count as a separate species.

See also

• Evolution of Homo sapiens

References

• Serre et al. No evidence of Neandertal mtDNA contribution to early modern humans. PLoS Biology 2:313–7 (2004).