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U0 Anthropology 203 > For exam, lecture 1 > Flashcards

For exam, lecture 1 Flashcards

1
Q

when did hominids show up

A

Pliocene

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2
Q

why did hominids show up in the pliocene

A

is the start of the change in climate that resembles more modern climate… have a cooling and doing out of the vegetation… conditions that are favourable to the hominin line are showing up

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3
Q

what is significant about the East African Rift System

A

facilitated the fossilization of a number of known hominin specimens.

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4
Q

where is the East African Rift System

A

The rift runs from the Afar Depression in NE Ethiopia, south to Malawi, and is typified by rift valleys and both active and inactive volcanoes

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5
Q

how is a rift valley created

A

A rift valley is created by magma forcing tectonic plates apart, creating a collapsed area between the flanks of the plates
Over time, the walls of the rift valley continue to erode, encouraging fossilization through periodic inundation and collapse

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6
Q

what is believed to be our direct ancestral line

A

Australopithecines

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7
Q

where are Australopithecines fossil remains are found

A

Their fossil remains are found only in East and Southern Africa

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8
Q

is there evidence Australopithecines migrated into Eurasia

A

no

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9
Q

how many species are included in the genus Australopithecus

A

5

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10
Q

which species are included in the genus Australopithecus

A 
Au. anamensis (4.2–3.9 mya) 
Au. afarensis (3.6–3.0 mya) 
Au. garhi (2.5 mya)  
Au. africanus (3.0–2.2 mya) 
Au. sediba (1.98 mya)
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11
Q

what are the two areas Australopithecus are found

A

in east and southern africa

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12
Q

which species are found in east africa

A

Au. anamensis (4.2–3.9 mya)
Au. afarensis (3.6–3.0 mya)
Au. garhi (2.5 mya)

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13
Q

which species are found in south africa

A

Au. africanus (3.0–2.2 mya)

Au. sediba (1.98 mya)

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14
Q

when did Australopithecus anamensis exist

A

4.2-3.9 mya

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15
Q

wh first described Au. anamensis

A

Mary Leakey

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16
Q

where was Au. anamensis found

A

northern Kenya’s Great Rift Valley in 1994

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17
Q

what is the name Au. anamensis derived from

A

derived from “anem,” which means “lake” in Turkana.

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18
Q

what are the notable specimens of Au. anamensis

A
  1. part of an upper palate with canine teeth;
  2. part of a mandible with teeth;
  3. proximal and distal ends of a tibia (lower leg bone).
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19
Q

so far how man specimens and individuals have been recovered from the Lake Turkana area in Kenya and from Middle Awash, Ethiopia of Au. anamensis

A

than 80 specimens from around 20 individuals

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20
Q

what is the earliest known member of the genus Australopithecus

A

Au. anamensis

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21
Q

what is the Dentition of Au. anamensis

A

Dentition is generally primitive, and indicates a diet of fruits, nuts and roots. Molar rows are parallel, and the dental arcade is U‐shaped. Canine teeth are small, overall, but still show sexual dimorphism. Dental enamel is thick

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22
Q

what is the upper pallet like in Au. anamensis

A

The upper palate is shallow compared to later hominins and humans

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23
Q

what is the external auditory meatus (ear canal) like in Au. anamensis

A

is elliptical –- an ape-like trait.

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24
Q

what is important about ear canals in fossils

A

that you can see on the outside of the cranium… one of the traits that helps to put the species in the phylogeny with other hominis

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25
Q

how did Au. anamensis move and what proof Is there

A

Evidence for bipedalism is strong, but indirect. The proximal tibia shows signs of excess weight bearing. The distal tibia is wide and thick, acting as a shock absorber.
The arms are relatively long, indicating strong climbing ability.
The shape of the lower tibia suggests the femurs were angled, a feature of bipeds

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26
Q

what is Au. anamensis’ relationship to Ardipithecus

A

undetermined

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27
Q

Most researchers believe Au. anamensis is a direct ancestor of what

A

Au. afarensis

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28
Q

A minority of researchers believes the known Au. anamensis specimens should actually be re-‐ classified as what

A

Au. afarensis

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29
Q

when did Australopithecus afarensis exist

A

3.6-3.0 mya

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30
Q

what is is easily the best-documented australopithecine in the fossil record

A

Australopithecus afarensis

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31
Q

what is Australopithecus afarensis named for

A

The species is named for the “Afar” depression in which Hadar is situated

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32
Q

Notable specimens of Australopithecus afarensis include

A
  1. A significant portion of a 3.2-‐million-‐year-‐old female skeleton (nicknamed “Lucy”), found at Hadar in 1974 by Donald Johansen
  2. A 3.3-‐million-‐year-‐oldpartial skeleton of a child recovered from Dikika (near Hadar) by Zeresenay Alemseged in 2001
33
Q

does the cranial morphology of Australopithecus afarensis resemble apes or humans

A

Cranial specimens show a majority of ape-like features

34
Q

what is the cranial capacity of Australopithecus afarensis

A

Overall cranial capacity was relatively low (350– 500cc)

35
Q

what were the facial prognathism and zygomatic arches like on Australopithecus afarensis

A

There is significant facial prognathism. The zygomatic arches are large and flaring.

36
Q

what is the dentition of Australopithecus afarensis like

A

The dentition is similarly primitive. It had procumbent, relatively large incisors that were larger in males. The molar rows are parallel and the dental arcade is U- shaped. A diastema is present

37
Q

how did Australopithecus afarensis move and what is the evidence

A

The post-‐cranial elements indicate regular, obligate bipedalism. Like in humans, femoral neck is long and the pelvis is short.
Strangely for a biped, the ilia are flared outward—like an ape’s. This would have strongly affected its gait, and may force us to reevaluate our ideas about “universal” bipedal movement/motion

38
Q

what killed lucy

A 
Very recent (August 2016) research has used CT scans of Lucy’s skeleton to show a fracture pattern consistent with a long, hard fall—most likely from a tree. 
The fractures were “greenstick,” indicative of pressure breaks
39
Q

is the theory of lucy’s death accepted and why

A

Lucy’s discoverer (and many others) reject this otherwise plausible scenario, largely because it runs counter to the prevailing theory that by the time Au. afarensis was around, tree-‐climbing wasn’t a common part of the subsistence/settlement pattern

40
Q

what are the most direct evidence of early bipedalism

A

The Laetoli footprints

41
Q

when do The Laetoli footprints date to

A

date to around 3.7 mya

42
Q

what are the Laetoli footprints

A

They represent the tracks of at least three bipedal individuals made in once-‐soft volcanic ash and mud

43
Q

what species is responsible for the Laetoli footprints

A

While we aren’t certain which species is responsible for the footprints, it’s believed they were made by Au. afarensis

44
Q

Among all the australopithecines, what is the most controversial in its classification

A

Au. garhi

45
Q

what specimens do we have of Au. garhi and where did we find them

A

It is known from two partial crania and a partial post-‐cranial skeleton, all recovered at Bouri, Middle Awash, Ethiopia

46
Q

where did Au. garhi get the name

A

“Garhi” means “surprise” in the local Afar language

47
Q

what is the cc of Au. garhi

A

Its cranial capacity is relatively low— only slightly larger than that of Au. afarensis (~450cc)

48
Q

what is the facial prognathism and sagittal crest like in Au. garhi

A

has a high degree of facial prognathism and a weak sagittal crest

49
Q

what is the dentition of Au. garhi

A

Its dentition is notably odd. It has very wide canine teeth that are neither ape-‐nor human-‐like. Additionally, the molars are very robust

50
Q

what is the Post-‐Cranial Morphology of Au. garhi

A 
The femur (one of the few post‐cranial bones we have) is significantly longer than in either apes or other hominins. 
With or without the discovery of new Au. garhi specimens, the taxonomic status of the species may be reevaluated in the near future
51
Q

what was found at Gona, Afar

A

Stone tools

52
Q

when were the The earliest stone tools used

A

2.5 mya

53
Q

what was the diet of Au. garhi like? what evidence is there

A

The earliest stone tools (2.5 mya) occur in the same geological formation but not at the same place as the garhi skull. Animal bones with stone-tool cut-marks also occur. This suggests meat acquisition by scavenging

54
Q

is Au. garhi a tool maker

A

Because garhi is the closest hominin, it is assumed to be the tool-maker

55
Q

what is the closes homin

A

Au. garhi

56
Q

Hominin sites in Southern Africa are clustered closely around present-day what

A

Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa.

The majority of these are cave sites

57
Q

who discovered the nearly complete fossil cranium of a child at Taung

A

In 1924, Australian paleoanthropologist Raymond Dart

58
Q

where was Taung found

A

NW Province, South Africa

59
Q

what did Raymond Dart think Taung was and was he correct

A

He believed it to be a transitional form between fossil apes and humans. He was correct—in a sense. However, most researchers at the time disagreed, expecting hominins to have large brains; Dart’s specimen did not.

60
Q

what is The ‘Taung child’ was classified as

A

Au. africanus (“Southern African ape”);

61
Q

was the Taung child a usual specimen

A

no

62
Q

how old was Taung

A

3-4 years

63
Q

what was the cc and facial prognatism of The ‘Taung child’

A

cc was low, as was its degree of facial prognathism.

64
Q

what was the dentition of The ‘Taung child’ like

A

The dental arcade is parabolic, or V-‐ shaped (not U-‐shaped,as in earlier hominins). The canine teeth were small, and there was no diastema present

65
Q

what was the foramen magnum of the Taung child

A

The foramen magnum is positioned behind directly behind the mandible, like in humans

66
Q

how is the adult different than the Taung child

A

Subsequent analysis of multiple adult specimens of Au. africanus show similar cranial characteristics, such as low prognathism, in addition to lack of prominent supraorbital tori and a low degree of sexual dimorphism in the canine teeth

67
Q

what was the dentition and diet of Australopithecus africanus like

A

However, molars and premolars are oddly large—more similar in size and robustness to the teeth of Paranthropines. This was likely a local adaptation to a specialized diet

68
Q

when did Australopithecus sediba live

A

1.98 mya

69
Q

what is the most recent australopithecine

A

Au. sediba is the newest (and chronologically most recent) australopithecine discovered. It is currently known from two crania and a partial skeleton

70
Q

what are the Malapa hominins

A

Au. sediba – In the scientific literature, the two individuals are referred to as the “Malapa hominins,” after the shallow cave site in which they were discovered along with numerous other fossilized animals

71
Q

what is Au. sediba named after

A

The species name “sediba” means “fountain” in the Sotho language

72
Q

The two described individuals of Au. sediba are

A
  1. MH1—a juvenile male with a largely complete cranium and partial skeleton
  2. MH2—an adult female with a partial skeleton
73
Q

how big was the body and brain of Au. sediba

A

Au. sediba stood around four feet tall, and had a relatively small brain—slightly larger than that of a chimp

74
Q

what are the 2 hemispheres of the brain in Au. sediba like

A

endocranial casts show that the two hemispheres of the brain are not symmetrical: this is a trait associated with the genus Homo

75
Q

what was the facial structure of Au. sediba like

A

The facial structure is similar to that of Au. africanus; however, Au. sediba had much smaller zygomatic arches

76
Q

what are the pelvis and knee in Au. sediba like

A

Various features of the pelvis and knee are human-‐like, and indicate bipedalism

77
Q

Lee Berger and his team argue about Au. sediba

A

1) Au. sediba is descended from Au. africanus;
2) is a direct ancestor of the genus Homo. However, they conceded it is possible that Au. sediba represents an evolutionary dead-end line

78
Q

what has been suggested of MH1 and MH2

A

It’s been suggested that MH1 and MH2 represent a slightly more developed form of the same species—Au. africanus, and don’t warrant a new species classification

U0 Anthropology 203 (43 decks)

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