Final answer:
Homo erectus was an early human species that emerged around 1.8 million years ago with physical features and brain size closely paralleling modern humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Morphological and Cultural Aspects of Homo erectus
Homo erectus was an early species of the genus Homo that appeared around 1.8 million years ago. Morphologically, they were similar in stature to modern humans, with males reaching heights up to 1.85 meters and weighing up to 65 kilograms. Their brains were larger than earlier species, ranging from 775 to 1,100 cubic centimeters, which approaches the size of modern human brains. Culturally, Homo erectus made significant advancements, being the first hominin species to use fire and hunt, suggesting they had some capacity for vocal communication and the ability to cooperate in complex tasks. They also cared for the sick and elderly, as evidenced by archaeological finds.
Homo erectus not only developed important tools but also showed adaptations to different climates, such as having a nose with downward-facing nostrils, which was beneficial for warming cold air before it entered the lungs. In terms of their dental morphology, they had small jaws and teeth, with some primitive features like a sagittal keel, a small raised ridge on top of the skull. Their postcranial anatomy was nearly as efficient for bipedal locomotion as modern humans. This species eventually gave rise to more evolved humans, such as Homo heidelbergensis, and probably survived in varying parts of the world until about 50,000 years ago.