19. Human ancestors

Question 1

why was upright locomotion first developed?

Answer 1

to travel between gaps in forest across open ground
5-6mill years ago temperatures fell and forests decreased in size, increasing open grassland
- natural selection favoured apes better at bipedal walking with more erect stance

Question 2

Advantages of bipedalism?

Answer 2

• increased range of vision to detect prey and predators at a greater distance
• increased size to deter predators
• hands free for carrying food and later for tool use
• higher reach when picking fruit from trees
• improved cooling of the body as it has less sun exposure and there is more wind to cool the body in high temps

Question 3

What was Australopithecus Afarensis’ name and date of living?

Answer 3

Lucy

2.5-4 million years ago

Question 4

What was Australopithecus Afarensis diet and environment like?

Answer 4

herbivorous diet of nuts, fruits and seed
tough food
East Africa, most likely woodland environment

Question 5

Height of Australopithecus Afarensis:

Answer 5

1.1 metres

Question 6

Skull of Australopithecus afarensis

Answer 6

400cm3 brain capacity, apelike features, low forehead, sagittal crest
Skull more rounded at the back

Question 7

Dentition/prognathism of Australopithecus afarensis

Answer 7

Prognathic jaw, small canines and diastema, large molars, thick enamel, no chin
parabolic shaped teeth

Question 8

body of Australopithecus afarensis

Answer 8

pelvis is short and broad
carrying angle for hip and knee joint
fully bipedal
large iliac-crest - not adapted to running
S-shaped vertebral column
enlarged big toe
curved toes and fingers for grasping
roust and strong muscles
foramen magnum halfway between ape and man
foot has non-opposable big toe
sexual dimorphism

Question 9

tools of australopithecus afarensis

Answer 9

no tool making, possibly use of unmodified stick and stones as weapons

Question 10

culture of australopithecus afarensis

Answer 10

no language, small family groups with a home base

Question 11

name and date of Australopithecus africanus

Answer 11

Mrs Ples or Taung Child

2-3 million years ago, not direct ancestor of man

Question 12

What was Australopithecus africanus diet and environment like?

Answer 12

omnivorous, scavanger of meat

southern/east africa and open savannah

Question 13

Height of Australopithecus africanus:

Answer 13

1.2m

Question 14

Skull of Australopithecus africanus

Answer 14

450cm3, smooth rounded cranium with reduced brow ridges

Question 15

Dentition/prognathism of Australopithecus africanus

Answer 15

large prognathic jaw, large molars, rare diastema

Large canines but smaller than afarensis

Question 16

body of Australopithecus africanus

Answer 16

pelvis is short and broad
angles at hip and knee joints
fully bipedal
long arms
foramen magnum not quite central

Question 17

tools of australopithecus africanus

Answer 17

no tool making

Question 18

culture of australopithecus africanus

Answer 18

females tended to settle further from region of birth than males
distinct family groups

Question 19

name and date of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 19

“nutcracker man” not direct ancestor of man

1-2.1mill years ago

Question 20

diet and environment of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 20

Omnivorous (insects, roots, tubers, fruit, leaves, scavanged meat)
Southern and east africa, open Savannah and grassland

Question 21

height of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 21

1.5 m

Question 22

skull of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 22

530cm3 heavy brow ridges, flat forehead, broad face

large zygomatic arch

Question 23

dentition/prognathism of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 23

large and robust jaw and teeth
large prognathic jaw with large molars and sagittal crest
large jaw muscles

Question 24

body of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 24

short and broad pelvis
angles at knee and hip joint
fully bipedal
small body
strongly built
foramen magnum centre of base of skull
arms long compared to legs

Question 25

tools used by Paranthropus robustus:

Answer 25

no tool making, use of bones to crush tuber or dig out termite mounds no modifications

Question 26

culture of Paranthropus robustus

Answer 26

lived in social groups with a dominant male and several females

Question 27

name and date of Homo habillis

Answer 27

"Handy Man" | 1.6-2.4 million years ago

Question 28

Diet and environment of Homo habillis

Answer 28

first scavengers of meat, gathering of vegetable matter | grasslnd habitat in East Africa

Question 29

height of Homo habillis

Answer 29

1.3m

Question 30

skull of Homo habillis

Answer 30

650cm3 more rounded cranium speech area of the brain enlarged small brow ridges

Question 31

dentition/prognathism of homo habillis

Answer 31

``` prognathic jaw small canines and a diastema large molars thick enamel no chin parabolic shaped teeth ```

Question 32

body of Homo habillis

Answer 32

``` stood more erect fully bipedal modern pelvis long arms long straight fingers mobile thumbs large fingertips ```

Question 33

tools used by Homo habillis

Answer 33

first evidence of tool making - Oldowan pebble tools for butchering (not hunting)

Question 34

culture of Homo habillis

Answer 34

- temporary living sites, scavenging, trees for sleep

Question 35

name and date of Homo erectus

Answer 35

"Java man" | 100 000- 1 million years ago

Question 36

Diet and environment of Homo erectus

Answer 36

small amounts of tough meat, root vegetables hunted first to move out of Africa - into Asia and Indonesia, possibly Europe

Question 37

height of Homo erectus

Answer 37

1.6 m

Question 38

skull of Homo erectus

Answer 38

1000cm3 (enlargement due to more meat and protein in diet) flat skull increased language areas and frontal lobe pronounced brow ridges

Question 39

dentition/prognathism of Homo erectus

Answer 39

``` less prognathic jaw hint of chin smaller teeth reduction in zygomatic arch protruding nasal bone large molars and rounded jaw ```

Question 40

body of Homo erectus

Answer 40

upright modern stance, stocky and strong | hands more robust

Question 41

tools used by Homo erectus

Answer 41

Acheulian (hand-axe) tools, percussion flaking, bifacial, flint, specialisation of tools

Question 42

culture of Homo erectus

Answer 42

language for communication and hunting cooperation migration out of Africa (gradual, following herds) use of fire for warmth/cooking/ protection/ hunting/ toolmaking, huts, caves, clothing

Question 43

name and date of Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 43

"Neanderthal man" ancestors of homo but went extinct | 28 000- 300 000 years ago

Question 44

Diet and environment of Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 44

lots of meat in diet hunted big game still omnivorous and had vegetation Colder climates of Southern Europe and Western Asia

Question 45

height of Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 45

1.7m

Question 46

skull of Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 46

1450cm3 brow ver large low flattened skull with an occipital (bun) frontal lobe very small different shape of brain, additional capacity required for additional muscles

Question 47

dentition/prognathism of Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 47

``` prominent nasal bone (wider and larger than modern human- adaptation for life in seasonally cold and dry climates) braod chin that lacked shape small teeth less prognathic jaw cheeks streamlines ```

Question 48

body of Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 48

``` wider pelvis barrel chested robust and stocky larger and more muscular than modern man limbs short and heavily jointed thick neck muscles ```

Question 49

tools used by Homo neanderthalnesis

Answer 49

Mousterian (used flakes) and traded tools

Question 50

culture of Homo neanderthalensis

Answer 50

clothes, burials, religious beliefs, lived in caves, used fire and ochre, painted, cared for sick, food preservation, belief in life after death, cannibals, hearths, built stone walls at cave entrances

Question 51

name and date of Homo sapien

Answer 51

"Cro-Magnon man" | 160 000 to present

Question 52

Diet and environment of Homo sapien

Answer 52

Southern Africa, middle east, asia | Hunter-gatherer

Question 53

height of Homo sapien

Answer 53

1.6-1.85m

Question 54

skull of homo sapien

Answer 54

1350cm3 | Vertical forehead, large frontal lobe

Question 55

dentition/prognathism of Homo sapien

Answer 55

no prognathism, small teeth, chin present, nasal bones protruding

Question 56

Body of Homo sapien

Answer 56

wide pelvis, birth of large brain infants (early birth so no longer parental care) deeper bowl shape

Question 57

Tools used by Homo sapiens

Answer 57

Aurignacian blade tools, more sophisticated, retouching of edges, use of bone/antler/burin/microliths

Question 58

culture of Homo sapiens

Answer 58

co-operative hunting, nomadic, domesticated plants and animals and relied on vegetation use of food pits, cave art, portable art, imagination, permenant dwellings