Chapter 10: Early Hominin Origins and Evolution: The Roots of Humanity

Question 1

Mary and Louis Leakey

Answer 1

Started a dynasty of fossil hunting

Question 2

Australopithecus Boisei

Answer 2

A male skull, has sagittal crest, 1.5 million years ago

Question 3

What makes us humans?

Answer 3

Bipedalism
Use of language
Ability to speak
Hunting/use of tools
Non-honing canines
Domestication of plants and animals

Question 4

Steps to bipedality

Answer 4

Foramen magnum position
S-shape of spine
Shortened pelvis
Leg length extended
Valgus knee with bicondylar angle
Longitudinal foot arch, not on hands
Opposability of hallux or big toe

Question 5

Difference between masseter muscles in humans and apes

Answer 5

Human: Connects in temporal region
Apes: Connects to sagittal crest

Question 6

T.H. Huxley

Answer 6

Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature, using comparitive anatomy

Question 7

Taung Child

Answer 7

showed that large brains appeared early

Question 8

Hunting Hypothesis

Answer 8

Charles Darwin suggest bipedality
Hominins evolved in Africa
Hunting meat=tool use
Tool use and language=large brain
Tool use=small canine
Free hands=bipedalism
*Overthrown by data* but good hypothesis because it could be tested

Question 9

Patchy Forest Hypothesis

Answer 9

Rodman and McHenry
Forests becoming fragmented in patches
African Savanna was spreading and interspersed with retreating forest patches
Bipedalism favored over quadrupedalism in mixed landscape
Two legs are more efficient

Question 10

Habitual Provisioning Hypothesis

Answer 10

Owen Lovejoy
Given that females are receptive only after infants are self sufficient
More food support from a monogamous male feeds more infants, which can lower Interbirth Interval
Suite of anatomies and behaviors coevolve
Habitual food provisioning
Pair bonding = reduced canine size
Cooperation
Bipedalism
Predicts reduced sexual dimorphism

Question 11

Benefits of Bipedality

Answer 11

See greater distances
greater ease of transportation of young/food
freeing of hands
run long distances easier

Question 12

Costs of Bipedality

Answer 12

Standing = increased predator exposure
lifting/carrying = increased back injury
circulatory burden on cardiovascular system like varicose veins
foot injury

Question 13

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Answer 13

Chad Africa
2500 km from Rift Valley = Rich fauna of a forest near a lake
small brain
bipedal? suggested by foramen magmum
non honing chewing, small canines like human
Massive brow ridge

Question 14

Orrorin tugenensis

Answer 14

Tugen Hills, Kenya, Africa forest region
Bipedal, based on femur
Tree climber, based on long curved hand bones, longer fingers
Perihoning Complex, intermediacy of honing and non-honing

Question 15

Ardipithecus Kadabba

Answer 15

Tim White
Lived in forested environment, Middle Awash Valley
Bipedal, based on toe bone and hallux, shows how it pushed off like humans
Comfortable in trees
Perihoning Complex

Question 16

Ardipithecus Ramidus

Answer 16

Tim White and Y. Haile-Selassie
Cool, wet forest, Middle Awash Valley
Small brains
Bipedal on ground, quad in trees
Tree climbing, based on hand and foot bones
Non honing canines
lots of c3 plant eating
grasping toe

Question 17

Australopithecus is represented by

Answer 17

hundreds of fossils but without DNA evidence

Question 18

Australopithecus Anamensis

Answer 18

Maeve Leakey and Alan Walker
Known for jaw bone
Woodland Living
Bipedal, shin bone/tibia
Non-honing canines, apically worn
May be early descendent from Ardipithecus genus 
Parallel rows of teeth, like apes
larger canines, like apes

Question 19

Australopithecus Afrarensis

Answer 19

Don Johanson "Lucy"
Woodland, grassland mix
Bipedal phalanges of intermediate curvature
longer arms
evidence in shoulders of suspensory locomotion
small nonhoning canines
large molars and premolars
short and stout biped
bicondylar angle to femur
tibia and ankle, human like
Footprints in Laetoli

Question 20

Australopithecus Deyiremeda

Answer 20

possible new spp with more grasping apelike foot

Question 21

Australopithecus Platypos

Answer 21

Maeve Leakey
woodland environment, Lomekwi, West of Lake Turkana
Flat faced
small molar teeth
first makes, curators and users of stone tools
evidence of cutting with sharp tools, butchery

Question 22

Australopithecus Garhi

Answer 22

suggests stone tools
oldowan complex
flake sharp tools

Question 23

Robus paranthropines

Answer 23

Aethiopicus:
Woodland and grassland
Cranial
Sagittal crest and massive molar and premolars
Flaring zygomatic (cheek) bone
Boisei:
Grassland
Cranial
Sagittal Crest and massive molars and premolars
Flaring zygomatic (cheek) bone

Question 24

Australopithecus Africanus

Answer 24

Small, nonhoning canines, large premolar and molar
Forest and grassland
Missing mid Sagittal crest
Bipedal

Question 25

Australopithecus Robustus

Answer 25

Small, nonhoning canines; very large premolars and molars
Wider, flared zygomatic and face
adapted to grassland
Mid-Sagittal crest
Bipedal

Question 26

Australopithecus Sebida

Answer 26

Malapa Cave
Forest and grassland, eating c3 diet 
Small brain, small teeth
human like hand and pelvis
Mosaic foot, apelike heel