ANT 2511 Exam 4 Final Sinelli Flashcards
Trend in hominid evolution
increasing brain size and decreasing dentition
Homo habilis
-Fossils range 2.4-1.4 mya
-Widely distributed, found in Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, and South Africa
H. Habilis at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
-Found by Lewis/Mary Leakey
-“Handy Man” because thought to be first tool user before A.Ghari was found
OH 7 (H. Habilis)
-Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
-Type specimen for H. Habilis
-1.75 myo
OH 24 “Twiggy” (H. Habilis)
-Discovered in Tanzania, 1968
-1.8 myo
-600cc brain, smaller chewing complex than australopithecus
OH 8 (H. Habilis)
-Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania
-Foot fossil discovered by Lewis Leakey
-Longer arms/shorted legs than humans, still climbed
Possibly killed by crocodile, perimortem croc tooth mark on foot
Oldowan stone tools
Oldest tools, 2.6 myo
-Simple choppers for pounding and flakes for cutting
-Indicate more meat in diet
H. Rudolfensis
-KNM-ER 1470 found in Koobi Fora, Kenya
-1.9 myo
-Larger brain than H. Habilis, 775cc
-Unique cranial/dental features
H. rudolfensis vs. H. habilis
-Both originated 2 mya
-H. Rudolfensis bigger brain
-Facial/Teeth measurements differ
Culture becomes increasingly IMPORTANT over time, how?
-Tool use becomes critical for survival
-Dietary plasticity improves chance of survival
H. erectus firsts:
-First species to leave Africa into Europe and Asia
-First hominid adapted to both tropical and temperate climates
-First to have an average brain size over 1000 cc
-First to control fire
-First to occupy caves
-First complex tools
H. Erectus - control fire (when and where is the oldest evidence for this?)
Zhoukoudian, China. Dragon Bone Hill; 1.2-1.7 mya, charred bits of wood and bone indicate controlled use of fire
H. Erectus - where across the globe is this species distributed?
China, Georgia, Europe, and throughout Africa
African H. Erectus (Ergaster) KNM-WT 15000 “Turkana boy” or “Nariokotome skeleton”
-80 percent complete skeleton of an 11-year-old boy
-more modern proportions: short arms, long legs
-cranial capacity over 900 cc
-6 feet tall as an adult
-most complete early human skeleton ever found
-tall and thin frame is an adaptation for a hot environment
KNM-ER 3733 (H. ergaster)
-H. ergaster (African H. erectus)
-Richard Leakey, 1975
-Koobi Fora, Kenya
-Cranium of mature female
Dminisi, Georgia Site
-H. erectus, 1.77 myo
-20 individuals, 2 complete, 2 partial skulls
Most ancient H. erectus fossils found outside Africa
Eugene Dubois and Java Man
-found in 1890s
-discovered skullcap and femur at Trinil, Java
-named it “Pithecanthropus erectus” meaning “upright ape man”
-1.3-1.7 myo
Zhoukoudian– Dragon Bone Hill
-China
-1899 fossil tooth located among dragon bones (medicines and aphrodisiacs)
- first skull found 1929
- Canadian Davidson Black first led study, died in field 1934. Franz Weidenreich (European) replaced him.