Question

Under which category do the extinct humans with retreating foreheads, heavy eyebrows, large jaws with heavy teeth short stature, stocky bodies, stooped posture, and lumbering gait; who lived in Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa around 100,000 to 40,000 years ago?
(a)Homo habilis
(b)Neanderthal human
(c)Cro-Magnon humans
(d)Rampithecus

Answer 1

Hint: In Eurasian regions about 100,000 to 40,000 years ago lived a race of extinct humans and their first fossil was found in Germany in a valley named Neanderthal.

Complete answer:
The extinct human race that lived 100,000 to 40,000 years ago in regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa had short and sturdy build with projected faces, receded forehead, heavy eyebrows, large jaws, and lumbering gait. The study of their fossils concluded that these belong to the Neanderthal category and their first fossils were discovered in the Neander Valley in Germany and hence the name.

Additional Information: Let us know more about each human race mentioned in the question:
Neanderthal humans- They lived in Eurasian regions until about 40,000 years ago and probably went extinct due to competition or immigration. Their physical features differ from modern humans in aspects like a more robust build, shorter limbs, enlarged nose, wider rib cage, wider pelvis, and sloping forehead.
Homo habilis- They are believed to be about 2 million years old, lived in the east and south Africa, and had a flat face, large molars, large brain, small body with long arms structure. They were probably about 1.3 meters tall.
Cro- magnon human- These humans are between 35,000 to 45,000 years old and had a powerful and heavy body structure with strong muscles. They were characterized by their straight forehead (unlike Neanderthal), short face, large chin, and larger brains.
Ramapithecus- also known as Sivapithecus are a genus of extinct apes that were found in the Siwalik Hills of the Indian subcontinent and in Kutch. They were about 5 ft tall and resembled a chimpanzee with large canine teeth, heavy molars and had a diet of tough food like seeds and savannah grasses.
Therefore, the correct answer is option D.

Note: The characteristic difference of Neanderthal humans from modern humans is their shape of the cranium and their robust build. They were much stronger than humans but shorter in height- the males were 164-168cm whereas females were 152cm. Cranial features like sloped forehead, suprainiac fossa, occipital bun, projecting midface and jaws, low and elongated skull, and a flat basicranium are what make them distinguishable.