Human Ancestors

Question 1

Hominins

Answer 1

• Humans and our ancestors
• Split off from hominids (great apes)
• Split 6-8 million years ago
• Humans appeared about 600,000 years ago

Question 2

Two main pre-human genera

Answer 2

• Homo
• Australopithecus

Question 3

Australopithecus time period

Answer 3

2-4 million years ago

Question 4

Australopithecus Afarensis

Answer 4

• Lucy
• Mix of human and ape-like features
• Flat face, protruding jaw, small brain casing
  Fingers still adapted to climbing, but partially bipedal

Question 5

Australopithecus Africanus

Answer 5

• Taung Child
• Slightly rounder/larger skull
• Still only partially bipedal and climbed in trees

Question 6

Homo Habilis

Answer 6

• East and South Africa 1.65-2.64 ma
• Oldowan tradition tools
• Debate as to whether these are Homo or Australopithecus. Considered homo because of the molars
• Larger skull with smaller face and teeth
• Wide hands with large thumbs, still curved fingers
• Bipedal for short distances

Question 7

Homo Erectus

Answer 7

• 1.89 ma - 110 ka (uncharacteristically large timespan, lots of cultural development)
• Overlapped with Habilis
• Fully bipedal
• Same skull ratios as Habilis
• Flat fingers
• First hominins out of Africa
• Split into Erectus and Ergaster, but the differences are incredibly minor
• Some evidence of hearths
• Acheulean tradition tools

Question 8

Homo Heidelburgensis

Answer 8

• Europe 100-700 ka
• Large brow bone and brain case, flatter face
• Short and stocky
• Hunted large game
• Last common ancestor of Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals
• Human species began developing faster after this because of large calorie intake

Question 9

Homo Neanderthalensis

Answer 9

• Europe and Southwest/Central Asia 30-400 ka
• Short and stocky, wide noses
• Cousin species to Homo Sapiens, closely related enough to breed
• Brains the same size as modern humans
• omnivorous seasonal hunters
• Had fire, build shelters, and wore clothing, displayed culture
• Mousterian tradition tools, complex enough that they needed to be taught to children

Question 10

Denisovans

Answer 10

• 25-285 ka
• Only small bones have been found
• Not enough evidence to have a scientific name
• Up to 8% of Indigenous Australian and Papua New Guinean DNA is from this species

Question 11

Homo Sapiens

Answer 11

• 300 ka to present
• Larger brains, smaller jaws and jaw muscles
• Changes to lower limbs and pelvis leading to shorter gestation times so that the head could fit through the birth canal
• This leads to a longer period of reliance on parents and less abilities present from birth
• Ulnar opposition leading to both power and precision grip
• Increased reliance on sight rather than smell
• Loss of body hair and the introduction of sweat, leading to the development of persistence hunting
• Longer REM sleep but less sleep overall