64. Evolution of oral cavity, teeth, tongue and salivary gland

Human evolution.

Primates first appeared in the fossil record during the late Cretaceous period, which was between 85 and 65 million years ago.
These early primates were small omnivorous mammals that likely lived during the time when dinosaurs still dominated Earth.
Like many other mammals of that time, they were probably active at night, making them nocturnal.
Humans and their extinct close relatives are collectively referred to as hominins, a group within the broader primate lineage.
Hominins split from the lineage that would become chimpanzees approximately 6 to 7 million years ago.
Since that divergence, many different hominin species have evolved.
Most of this evolutionary journey took place in Africa, which is often referred to as the cradle of humanity.

One of the earliest known hominins, Ardipithecus, emerged around 5.6 million years ago.
This genus represents an important stage in the early evolution of bipedalism and other humanlike traits.

Homo erectus was one of the most significant early human species due to several advanced traits:
The skull and teeth became smaller and more refined compared to earlier species.
The brain expanded significantly, reaching an average size of about 1000 cubic centimeters.
In females, the pelvis became wider, aiding childbirth as brain size increased.
Homo erectus lost most of its body hair, and the skin became dark. According to the sources, all humans remained dark-skinned for the next million years.
This species developed more advanced stone tools, known as the Acheulean tool industry.
Homo erectus was also the first to control fire.
This species was the first hominin to leave Africa, migrating to both Europe and Asia between approximately 2.4 and 0.9 million years ago.