Which is correct interpretation of the scientific name Homo?

Answer 1

Homo sapiens is the species of bipedal primates to which modern humans belong. They are characterized by an average 85 cubic inch (1400 cc) brain capacity, dependence upon language, and creation and utilization of complex tools.

Answer 2

Homo is Latin for "man" (as in "human"; not as in "male", that would be vir) and sapiens means "wise". So, "wise man".

Many species in genus Homo are named after where their remains were found. The ones that have names meaning something other than "man from X" are

• Homo habilus, "skillful man" (not all scientists consider habilus to have actually been in genus Homo and place him in Australopithecus"southern ape" instead)
• Homo antecessor, "ancestral man"
• Homo ergaster, "working man"
• Homo erectus, "standing/upright man"

Most of the names refer to when the particular trait first appeared. Homo ergaster seems to have been the first to develop anything resembling industry, and Homo erectus is, as might be supposed, the first to have a skeleton adapted to standing fully upright for any length of time.

Answer 3

Homo sapiens is a highly successful species of Great Ape that evolved around 500,000 years ago. There have been two known subspecies, Homo sapiens sapiens, modern humans, and Homo sapiens idaltu, a subspecies native to Ethiopia that went extinct about 300,000 years ago. The closest evolutionary relative of Homo sapiens is Homo neanderthalensis, which is also extinct. The closest living relative of Homo sapiens is the genus Pan, which contains Chimpanzees and Bonobos.

Answer 4

The scientific name Homo refers to the genus to which modern humans belong. It is used to categorize species in the family Hominidae, including Homo sapiens, our species.

Answer 5

Homo is the Genus and Sapiens is the Species.