| Homo Ergaster |
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| name = ''Homo ergaster'' | fossil_range = Pleistocene | regnum = Animal ia | phylum = Chordata | classis = Mammal ia | ordo = Primates | familia = Hominidae | genus = '' Homo '' | species = ''H. ergaster'' | binomial = †''Homo ergaster'' | binomial_authority = Groves & Mazak , 1975 }} ''Homo ergaster'' ("working man") is an extinct Hominid Species (or subspecies, according to some authorities) which lived throughout eastern and southern Africa between 1.9 to 1.4 million years ago with the advent of the lower Pleistocene and the cooling of the global climate. ''H. ergaster'' is sometimes categorized as a Subspecies of '' Homo Erectus ''. It is currently in contention whether ''H. ergaster'' or the later, Asia n ''H. erectus'' was the direct ancestor of modern humans. ''H. ergaster'' may be distinguished from ''H. erectus'' by its thinner skull bones and lack of an obvious Sulcus . Derived features include reduced Sexual Dimorphism , a smaller more orthognathic face, a smaller dental arcade, and a larger (700 and 850 Cc ) Cranial Capacity . It is estimated that ''H. ergaster'' stood at 1.9m (6ft) tall with relatively less sexual dimorphism in comparison to earlier Hominin s. Remains have been found in Tanzania , Ethiopia , Kenya , South Africa . The most complete ''Homo ergaster'' skeleton ever discovered was made at Lake Turkana, Kenya in 1984 . Paleanthropologists' Richard Leakey , Kamoya Kimeu and Tim White dubbed the 1.6 million year old specimen as KNM-WT 15000 (nicknamed " Turkana Boy "). The Type Specimen of ''H. ergaster'' is KNM-ER 992 ; the species was named by Groves and Mazak in 1975 . The species name originates from the Greek ''ergaster'' meaning "Workman". This name was chosen due to the discovery of various tools such as Hand-axe s and Cleaver s near the skeletal remains of ''H. ergaster''. This is one of the reasons that it is sometimes set apart distinctly from other human ancestors. Its use of advanced (rather than simple) tools was unique to this species; ''H. ergaster'' tool use belongs to the Acheulean industry. ''H. ergaster'' first began using these tools 1.6 million years ago. Charred animal bones in fossil deposits and traces of camps suggest that the species made creative use of Fire . Reference
External link Footnote #Note|992}}KNM-ER 992 is short for: '''K'''enya '''N'''ational '''M'''useum (where it is housed); '''E'''ast '''R'''udolf (where it was found); and '''992''' (the museum acquisition number) |