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Mammalian Diversity > Homnids > Flashcards

Homnids Flashcards

1
Q

Define Hominins.

A

Humans and extinct close relatives

species after separation of chimps and humans

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2
Q

Describe the fossil record of chimps ?

A

It is very poor.

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3
Q

How old is the Toumai (hope of life) skull ?

A

6 to 7 million years old

Found in Chad

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4
Q

Describe the key features of the Toumai.

A

Cranial capacity of 320-380
Foramen magnum oriented vertically- Bipedalism
Smaller canines, thicker tooth enamel than apes.

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5
Q

When did the separation of homnids and chimps occur ?

A

Molecular- 4-6 mya

Fossil- 6-7 mya

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6
Q

How old is Orroin tugenensis ?

A

6 million years old

Found in Kenya

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7
Q

What bipedal feature does Orroin tugenensis show ?

A

The femur is adapted to support an upright torso

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8
Q

What are the key features of the Ardipithecus ramidus fossils ?

A

Leg muscle attachments to the pelvis which are similar to humans
Short stiff toes for efficient walking!
Still opposable big toe

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9
Q

Give the name of the oldest fossil hominin

A

Ardipithecus ramidus

Found 4.4 mya, in Ethiopia

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10
Q

Describe the lifestyle of Ardipithecus ramidus

A

Due to retention of opposable big toe

Did spend some time walking but still tree climbers

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11
Q

What are the Australopithecines ?

A

A group of several species

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12
Q

Give the oldest specimen of the Australopithecines.

A

Australopithecus anamensis

4.1 mya, Kenya

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13
Q

Describe the key features of the Australopithecines.

A 
1.2 m tall 
25-50 Kg
400 cc 
Double curved spine!
Straighter legs! 
Stout heels! 
Arched soles!
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14
Q

What is the cranial capacity of modern humans ?

A

1350 cc

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15
Q

What discovery in Tanzania confirmed bipedalism ?

A

Fossilised footprints of 2 Australopithecus afarensis
(no opposable thumb)
3.6 million years ago.

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16
Q

How do we know that the Australopithecine africanus (2.5 mya) had a varied diet ?

A

Based on analysis of carbon isotopes in their teeth.

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17
Q

Why did bipedalism evolve ?

A

Reduction in temperatures
Less rainfall- Tropical forest becomes fragmented.

Grassland evolved

Seasons of rain & drought meant unreliable food sources
had to forage.

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18
Q

African apes remained in the….. Hominins evolved to exploit…..

A

…Forests

….Savannah habitats

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19
Q

Wheeler, 1991, believed that the evolutionary advantage of bipedalism was…

A

An ability to stay cool in the sun (less forest, less shade)

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20
Q

Hunt, 1994, believed that the evolutionary advantage of bipedalism was….

A

An ability to collect food from trees more efficiently.

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21
Q

Harcourt-smith, 2011, believed that the evolutionary advantage of bipedalism was….

A

Tree-tree movement was less possible.

Upright was more efficient.

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22
Q

Carvahlo, 2012, believed that the evolutionary advantage of bipedalism was

A

Enabled more efficient carrying of valuable items

Carry more, ^ food, ^ sex

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23
Q

Describe the dental adaptions of the hominins.

A

Smaller incisors and canines than chimpanzees (less tearing)

Bigger and flatter molars (more grinding)

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24
Q

Describe the diet of the early hominins.

A

Ate seeds, nuts, roots, tubers

25
Q

Give the adaptions of Paranthropus bosiei for powerful chewing.

A

Robust jaws

Pronounce sagittal crest.

26
Q

What were the Australopithecines replaced with 2 million year ago ?

A

Homo

27
Q

What are the oldest specimens of Homo ?

A

Homo habilis, 1.9 million years ago.

Found in Olduvai Gorge

28
Q

What is the difference between the early Homo and the Australopithecines ?

A

Homo have a cranial capacity of 700.

29
Q

Give the date of the oldest stone tools.

A

3.3 million years old

30
Q

What tools did the Homo Habilis (Handy) use ?

A

Oldowan Tools

Used to cut meat from animal carcases

31
Q

What was the benefit to the Homo of using tools ?

A

Enabled quicker and more efficient access to calories and proteins.
(bone marrow)

32
Q

How do we know that the early Homo may have possessed rudimentary language ?

A

Large Broca’s (output of lang.)

Large Wernicke’s (Processing)

33
Q

What do fossils of Homo Habilis from Kenya suggest ?

A

That Homo Habilis survived alongside homo erectus for 500,000 years. (till 1.4 mya)

34
Q

What is Turkana boy ?

A

The near complete skeleton of a 12 year Homo habilis

35
Q

How long have Homo erectus been around ?

A

1.5 million years

36
Q

Describe the relationship between erectus and ergaster.

A

Erectus is considered a distinct Asian species, descended from ergaster.

37
Q

Give the key features of Homo Erectus

A 
1.7 m tall 
730-1220 cc
Group living
Fire Use 
Extensive tool use (Acheulian)
38
Q

How many years ago did the first homo species leave Africa ?

A

2 million year ago

39
Q

Where were the Homo floresiensis found ?

A

On the Indonesian island of Flores

40
Q

Describe the key features of Homo floresiensis.

A

1 m high adults
Island dwarfism due to restricted foraging.
18,000 years old.

41
Q

How did the Homo floresiensis evolve ?

A

From normal sized Homo erectus who reached Flores 840,000 years ago
Over lap in time periods. (HE)

42
Q

When did the H. heidelbergensis diverge from the H. erectus ?

A

800,000 years ago

43
Q

Describe the key features of the H. heidelbergensis.

A

1200 cc
Spread out of Africa to Europe and Asia.
2-3 m long wooden spears.
Co-operative hunters.

44
Q

Give the time range of the Homo neanderthalensis.

A

400,000 to 40,000 years ago

45
Q

Give the key features of the neanderthalensis.

A

Brains bigger than humans
Jewellery
Buried dead- souls
Evolved in colder regions of Europe

46
Q

What does analysis of mtDNA reveal about modern humans ?

A

Evolved from a group living in Africa about 200,000 years ago.

47
Q

Neanderthals were a distinct species, why did they decline ?

A

Outcompeted by homo sapiens.

Sapiens spread over the continent largely replacing them but continuing their genes.

48
Q

Some modern humans are a result of hybridisations between Neanderthals and H. sapiens
True or False ?

A

True.

Occurred in the middle east, 50-60 thousand years ago.

49
Q

Which groups of humans are not a hybridised H.sapien and Neanderthals ?

A

Yoruba and San

50
Q

Give examples of groups of humans which are hybridised Neanderthals and H. sapiens

A

French, Han-Chinese, Papuan.

51
Q

Which was the last continent to be colonised by H. sapiens ?

A

The Americas, 6-8 TYA

52
Q

Neanderthals and H. Sapiens usually inhabited the same areas.
True or False

A

False, had largely distinct ranges till the middle east

53
Q

Why are we still here ?

A

1350 cc brain
Aptitude at social tasks
Figurative art, sculptures.
Language.

54
Q

What Is important physiologically for the development of language ?

A

Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas

FOXP2 (transcription factor)

55
Q

Why is FOXP2 important ?

A

Has a key role in sensorimotor control and orofacial communication.

56
Q

FOXP2 gene is highly conserved in vertebrates.

What does this mean ?

A

Common sequence in vertebrates

57
Q

How did the FOXP2 gene become so important after the split of chimpanzees and Hominids ?

A

It underwent accelerated positive selection in the coding region

58
Q

In which groups is the FOXP2 identical ?

A

Modern Humans
Neanderthals
Denisovans

59
Q

What is POU3F2 ?

A

Another language transcription factor, only in humans (not Neanderthals).

Selected for in humans after the split with other hominins.

Mammalian Diversity (19 decks)

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