Human Evolution

Question 1

Primates

Answer 1

A group of mammals that includes:lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, apes, monkeys and humans

Question 2

Prosimians

Answer 2

A primitive primate group that includes lemurs and the loris

Question 3

Old world monkeys

Answer 3

A highly arboreal primate group that includes: spider monkeys, marmoset, tamarin and capuchin

Question 4

Apes

Answer 4

A tailless primate group made up of: chimps, orangutans, gibbons, gorillas

Question 5

valgus angle

Answer 5

created by the inward positioning of the femur to bring the knee joint closer to the midline

Question 6

mandible

Answer 6

jaw bone

Question 7

zygomatic arch

Answer 7

jaw muscles pass through here in a skull. Generally large with a highly fibrous plant diet

Question 8

sagittal crest

Answer 8

a thickening of bone along the top of the skull for jaw muscle attachment

Question 9

nuchal creast

Answer 9

neck muscle attachment site for lifting the skull upward. Prominent in quadruped

Question 10

foramen magnum

Answer 10

the hole in the base of the skull in which the spinal cord enters

Question 11

opposable thumb/toe

Answer 11

a thumb that can contact the other digits on that hand/foot. Allows grasping and manipulation

Question 12

Prehensile

Answer 12

a tail that can grasp things. Common in arboreal primates for movement through the trees

Question 13

arboreal

Answer 13

life in the trees

Question 14

mitochondrial DNA

Answer 14

small piece of circular DNA found in mitochondria which is passed from mothers to their offspring

Question 15

brachiating

Answer 15

movement through the trees with a swinging action from branch to branch

Question 16

oldowan

Answer 16

a primitive tool culture used by H. habilis that was characterised by crude stones with minimal working

Question 17

acheulian

Answer 17

tool culture associated with H.erectus. Characterised by tear drop hand axes and required more time/blows

Question 18

mousterian

Answer 18

tool culture associated with H. Neaderthalensis. Characterised by use of flint and well-worked edges.

Question 19

upper palaeolithic

Answer 19

sophisticated tools associated with H.Sapiend which used a range of materials for tools with diverse purposes

Question 20

biological evolution

Answer 20

the passing down of traits from one generation to another via DNA

Question 21

cultural evolution

Answer 21

the passing down of knowledge/ideas from one generation to the next

Question 22

bipedal

Answer 22

walking on two legs in an upright body position

Question 23

quadrupedal

Answer 23

walking on four limbs. Also known as ‘knuckle-walking’

Question 24

broca’s area

Answer 24

region of the brain that allows comprehension of speech and language

Question 25

nomadic

Answer 25

temporary settlement in an area for resources before moving onto another location

Question 26

domestication

Answer 26

breeding/growing animals and plants for the sole purpose of food or resources

Question 27

adaptive advantage

Answer 27

the benefit that a feature/behaviour gives an organism in terms of its survival/reproductive success

Question 28

y chromosome

Answer 28

the sex chromosome which is passed from fathers down to their sons from one generation to the next