Home erectus was around 1.8m in height and although they retained an ape-like face, the species was considerably more modern in appearance than homo habilis, with an 800-1200 cc brain.
They had longer legs and modern hips, suitable for travelling long distances and running, instead of tree climbing
They emerged about 1.8 mya and survived until about 300,000 BP.
Their role became more complicated when Homo ergaster was discovered, who coexisted in east Africa with several different early types of early homo and autralopithecines species between 1.8 and 1.3 mya.
There is a debate over whether Homo erectus developed from Homo ergaster or if they were parallel species.
Both species used sophisticated, standardised set of tools chipped on two sides which archaeologists call Acheulean.
They may also have been the first to use fire and develop a form of language.
Their large brain capacities meant that babies continued to develop after birth.
This meant that parents had to look after the children and rely on others to bring them food, meaning that pair-bonding, parental bonding and food sharing between adults must've developed.
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Homo erectus and contemporary species
The current view has Homo erectus leaving Africa around 1 mya and migrating as far as China and Europe.
This is marked by the spread of the bi-face hand axe.
Erectus and ergaster developed into a range of different species including Homo heidelbergensis in Europe, 'Java Man' in Asia and Homo rhodesiensis in Africa.
Movement from Africa may have been forced by climate change or because erectus was smart enough to adapt to new climates, which they did using land bridges revealed by low sea levels.
Two new species have been discovered which makes things even more complicated.
Fossils discovered in 2002 in Georgia were dated to 1.8 mya, and named Homo georgicus.
This species was smaller than erectus at 1.5m with a 600-800cc brain.
Their face and brain case were similar to Homo habilis but their legs were very modern.
In 2003 some even smaller fossils of a 1m Hominin were discovered on Flores and dated to 38,000-18,000 BP.
Their 400cc brains were just larger than a chimp and their feet were similar to Australopithecines.
However, they used fire, made stone tools and hunted a variety of species.
They were named Homo floresiensis.
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How early did hunting begin?
Dates for the first hunting vary widely between 2.5 mya to 400,000 years ago.
Smashed animal bones including some with cut marks have been found from up to 1.8 mya but these are probably found from scavenged carcasses.
The best case for big-game hunting came from c4000,000 BP with yew spear tips found at Lehringen, Germany, found in the ribcage of an elephant, and seven javelins from Germany, found alongside butchered horses.
At Boxgrove, evidence of hunting horse and rhinocerous was found, showing probably evidence of hunting large and dangerous prey.
This implies that humas were capable of scaring off other predators, securing a carcass and dissecting it at leisure.
This is likely to be Homo heidelbergensis, who lived in Europe from 600,000 to 250,000 years ago.
Taller and more muscular, their brain was only 50cc smaller than our own.
Some archaeologists believe that secure evidence for hunting isn't found until Neanderthals or Homo sapiens develop during the ice age.
This sees humans having to hunt because there is very little plant food available.
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