Final answer:
The split between hominids and other great apes occurred between six to seven million years ago, with significant evolutionary changes like bipedalism and increased brain size emerging in the subsequent Pliocene epoch.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Split Between Hominids and Apes
The evolutionary split between hominids and the other great apes is a significant event in the history of human evolution. Fossil records indicate that this divergence occurred approximately six to seven million years ago (MYA). During the late Miocene, between 10 to 5 MYA, the earliest fossils of hominids were discovered. It is suggested that by seven MYA, certain hominids like Sahelanthropus tchadensis had already appeared, living around the time when the split from our common ancestor with apes presumably occurred.
In the Pliocene epoch, between 5 MYA and 1.8 MYA, hominins such as Australopithecus emerged and exhibited clear bipedal locomotion, although some, like Australopithecus, retained traits similar to their ape ancestors. The genus Homo, which humans are part of, evolved around 2.8 MYA, with early species like Homo habilis and Homo rudolfensis demonstrating advancements such as larger brain sizes and stone tool manufacture.
Anatomical evidence and genetic studies both contribute to our understanding of this split, with notable features distinguishing hominins from other hominoids, such as bipedalism, increased brain size, and opposable thumbs. The continuous discovery of fossils like the cranium of Sahelanthropus tchadensis contribute to the ongoing refinement of our knowledge regarding the timing and nature of our evolutionary divergence from other apes.