Hominin Evolution Flashcards
What are some ways of distinguishing mammals
mammary glands, hair, three middle ear bonees, teeth
What are some features of a primate
Large brain for body size
five fingers with opposable thumb
flat nails
forward facing eyes
What are the living primate groups
Posimians
New world monkeys
old world monkeys
apes
Hominoids
Include all apes, both the great apes and the lesser apes
Hominids
Include all great apes
Hominins
Coollective term for all human species
Which is the most advanced and least advanced group of today?
Least-Prosimians
Most-hominins humans
What is the kinggdoms for humans
animalia
Class for humans
Mammalia
Order for humans
Primates
Genus for humans
Homo
Species for humans
H.sapiens
Unique features that humans have
- Communciate complex behavioural patterns
- S-shaped spine for movement and balance
- Spine is attached at the base of the skull
- Arched feet for striding
- Less pronounced neck muscles
- Ability to walk in a straight line
How have skulls evolved
- Larger more rounder shape
- more veritcal forehead
- less protruding jaw
- chin
- reduced size in teeth
Why are primate fossils so rare
They usually live in climates in which are not ideal for fossilaisation as they live in tropical climates
-Which decay of dead organisms is common
What are the only living members of the primate group
Humans
Features of hominin evolution
bipedal consequences
- fully bipedal
- reduced forehead
- reduced cainines
- less body hair
three geological periods of time
archean
proterozoic
phanerozoic
what is the phanerozoic eon divded into
palaeozoic
mesozioc
cenozoic
Why are humans in the phylum group?
because they have a backbone
What characteristics do mammals have?
mammary glands
teeth : incisors, canines, molars
hair or fur on surface
three bones in the ear
what is the order humans belong to
primates
what are the characteristics of primates
five digits and opposable thumb nails instead of claws eyes facing forward large head long time pregnant
how is known that we are derived from chimps
examining amino acid sequences for particular proteins
6million years ago
Where are the oldest hominin fossils?
Africa
What are the different types of homin fossils
Ardipithecus
Australopithecus
Paranthropus
homo (only homo genus found outside of Africa )
What are the main features on fossil evidence that shows that the animal walked upright
Hole for spinal cord is directly at the bottom
- shinbone angle to femur
- pelvis is shorter and wider
- fossilised footprints
Evolution to Homo sapiens
Enlargement of cranial and brain size
Flattening of the face less prominence of the jaw
Smaller teeth
Became bipedal
What outcome is there that hominins became bipedal
Spent more time on the ground hence exposed to different selective pressures than there
How to differentiate between Australopithecus and Paranthropus
a- smaller brain size no Sagittal crest in forehead large molars p-slightly larger brain size sigittal crest in forehead HUGE molars
why is a reason humans are descendants from Aus
jaw like structure
What do fossils show about the way Australopithecus and Paranthropus lived?
- Males were bigger than females; could be due to polyamorous coupling
- Size of the muscles for chewing were very large in Paranthropus this is due to haves a hard fibrous plant matter diet, the Australopithecus msucles were smaller indicating less fibrours diet
- Ribcage and pelvic wideness oh Australopithecus are rather wide due to needing a large gastrointestinal tract.
Distinguishing features of homo as a genus are
- Significantly higher cranial capacity
- Smaller teeth
- Shortening of the face
Which were the first species to use primitive stone tools
homo habilis and homorudolfenis
Explain homo erectus
Oldest found outside of Africa Migrated outside of Africa crafted more elabroate stone tools hunted systematically controlled the use of fire
H.neanderthalenis
Found worldwide
- crafed fine stone tools
- made clothing
Homo sapiens
Evolved 130,000 years ago in Africa
- made a wide variety of stone tools
- buried their dead
Why can it be believed that homo sapiens orignated from Afirca
- transitional ancestral fossils
- mtDNA in modern African population show the greatest variablity
Define Cultral Evolution
The persistent change across a lengthy timespan within a human species
How is cultural evolution transmitted
Comminicatioin
Written and Spoken language
Via upbringing in home environment
Define technological evolution
Refers to the persistent change in the use of technology
How does technological evolution aid cultural
Enhance the rate of globalisation and the transmission of messages worldwide.
