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The Answer is Constructing a Plio-Pleistocene hominin phylogeny involves organizing the various hominin species that lived during this time period into a branching evolutionary tree. The phylogeny should reflect the relationships between these species and how they are believed to have evolved from common ancestors.

One possible Plio-Pleistocene hominin phylogeny could include the following species:

1. Ardipithecus ramidus
2. Australopithecus afarensis
3. Australopithecus africanus
4. Paranthropus robustus
5. Homo habilis
6. Homo erectus
7. Homo heidelbergensis
8. Homo neanderthalensis
9. Homo sapiens

This phylogeny is based on the fossil evidence and genetic studies that have been conducted on these hominin species. Ardipithecus ramidus is considered one of the earliest hominins, and Australopithecus afarensis is known for the famous "Lucy" fossil. The inclusion of Paranthropus robustus reflects the diversity of hominin species during this time period, and the emergence of Homo habilis as one of the earliest members of our own genus, Homo.

Homo erectus is believed to have been the first hominin to migrate out of Africa, and Homo heidelbergensis is thought to be a common ancestor of both Neanderthals and modern humans. The inclusion of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens reflects the evolutionary split between these two species, with Homo sapiens ultimately being the only surviving species.

This phylogeny is defended by the available fossil evidence, genetic studies, and the understanding of hominin evolution during the Plio-Pleistocene. It represents the current understanding of how these hominin species are related to each other and how they may have evolved over time. However, it's important to note that our understanding of hominin phylogeny is constantly evolving as new discoveries are made and new techniques are developed for studying ancient DNA.

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