Final answer:
Early hominids differed from apes in sexual dimorphism, brain size, and certain physical characteristics, while also sharing some common features like bipedalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early hominids, such as Australopithecus, had several characteristics that differentiated them from apes. While they shared some similarities, hominids had smaller sexual dimorphism, with males being up to 50 percent larger than females compared to the 15 to 20 percent difference in modern humans. Additionally, the brain size of Australopithecus was smaller relative to body mass and more similar to that of great apes. Bipedalism was a notable feature common to both early hominids and modern humans. Hominin footprints discovered in Tanzania dated back 3.6 million years, providing evidence for upright walking.
Another early hominin species, Homo habilis, shared some characteristics with humans, such as a large brain and smaller teeth. However, they also exhibited ape-like traits like long arms, hairy bodies, and shorter adult heights.
The divergence between humans and apes occurred approximately six million years ago. Key adaptations in hominins include bipedalism, increased brain size, and the ability to touch the little finger with a fully opposable thumb. While early hominins, including Australopithecus and Homo habilis, were part of the modern human lineage, there were also non-ancestral hominin groups like Neanderthals and Denisovans.
Overall, early hominids differed from apes in terms of sexual dimorphism, brain size, bipedalism, and certain physical characteristics, while also sharing some common features.