Which of the following species are included in the hominins?

• A. Pongo pygmaeus (orangutan)
• B. Gorilla gorilla (gorilla)
• C. Homo sapiens
• D. Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee)

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the term 'hominins': Hominins refer to the group of species that are more closely related to humans than to chimpanzees and bonobos. This includes all species on the human side of the evolutionary tree after the split from the common ancestor with chimpanzees.
2. Identify the species listed: The problem provides four species: Pongo pygmaeus (orangutan), Gorilla gorilla (gorilla), Homo sapiens (humans), and Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee).
3. Determine the evolutionary relationship: Homo sapiens are part of the hominins, as they are directly on the human evolutionary line. The other species listed are not considered hominins because they are on different branches of the evolutionary tree.
4. Consider the evolutionary tree: Hominins include species like Homo habilis, Homo erectus, and Homo neanderthalensis, which are all part of the human lineage. The species listed, except Homo sapiens, belong to different branches of the primate family tree.
5. Conclude which species are hominins: Based on the definition and evolutionary relationships, Homo sapiens is the only species among the ones listed that is included in the hominins.