Biogeographic and climatic basis for a narrative of early hominid evolution

We provide the basis for a scenario of hominid evolution that complies with both the Habitat Theory of Vrba (1992) and early hominid biogeography. It expresses the association between faunal turnover and climate change with significant developments during human evolution (cf. Howell, 1959). This scenario suggests a single origin for the Paranthropus lineage but separate origins for Homo rudolfensis and Homo habilis from Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus africanus ancestors respectively. The scenario we propose is bold and as yet unsubstantiated by analyses of character states and polarities. We hope that this flagrancy will incite focused research on its assumptions and result in new hypotheses based on a more holistic accounting of morphology, biogeography, and ecology.