Homininae

Homininae is a subfamily within the family Hominidae, the great apes. It includes humans and their closest fossil relatives, as well as the African great apes. In many taxonomic schemes, Homininae is divided into two tribes: Gorillini, which comprises gorillas, and Hominini, which includes humans and their fossil relatives. The Homininae line diverged from the pongine lineage (orangutans) several million years ago, with the Hominini lineage arising in Africa.

Members of Homininae are characterized by traits associated with bipedal locomotion, a relatively large brain for body size, and changes in dentition and skull morphology compared with other great apes. These anatomical changes are linked to shifts in ecology, behavior, and cognitive capacity, including increased use of tools, more complex social structures, and longer periods of development and learning.

The fossil record of Homininae stretches from the late Miocene to the present. Early putative members dating to around 7–6 million years ago include taxa such as Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Orrorin tugenensis, with Ardipithecus species appearing in the mid-Pliocene. Australopithecines, dating roughly 4–2 million years ago, show a mix of apelike and human-like traits. The genus Homo, which includes modern humans, emerged about 2.8–2.4 million years ago. Homo sapiens arose in Africa about 300,000 years ago and later spread globally, intermixing with other archaic hominins in some regions.

In relation to other apes, Homininae forms one branch of the Hominidae, distinct from Ponginae (orangutans). The group is studied through fossil evidence and genetic data to illuminate the evolutionary history of the human lineage.