Human Evolution - Ch 56 - The Origin and Evolution of Hominina

Question 1

The taxon “Hominina” includes what?

Answer 1

humans and our extinct bipedal relatives

Question 2

Are there many chimpanzees in the fossil record?

Answer 2

no

Question 3

What is a foramen magnum?

Answer 3

an opening in the skull where spinal cord attaches to brain

Question 4

If the foramen magnum is central, what does it indicate?

Answer 4

bipedalism

Question 5

The earliest Hominina fossil was dated …

Answer 5

7-6 mya

Question 6

What are three other species of the genus Homo?

Answer 6

H. habilis, H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis

Question 7

What two things did the Out-of-Africa hypothesis state?

Answer 7

• Homo sapiens originated and evolved into our modern form within Africa, then migrated out
• we displaced or interacted with other Hominina species (sometimes mated too!)

Question 8

When was the oldest Homo sapiens fossil found?

Answer 8

315 ka, in Morocco

Question 9

What are some hypotheses for the evolution of bipedalism (i.e., benefits)?

Answer 9

• thermoregulation
• foraging
• tool use
• migration
• associated with skeleton modifications

Question 10

If the foramen magnum was found to be rear, what does this imply?

Answer 10

quadrapedalism

Question 11

Humans vs. chimps (pelvis)

Answer 11

chimps: flat
humans: bowl-shaped

Question 12

Humans vs. chimps (femur orientation–leg bones)

Answer 12

chimps: straight
humans: angled, frontal orientation

Question 13

Humans vs. chimps (feet)

Answer 13

chimps: reference
humans: heels large
foot arched
toes allow leveraging, rather than grasping

Question 14

The origin of language is inconclusive, but what is a clue?

Answer 14

-some genetic/structural clues, ex. FOXP “the language gene”