Importance of South African Fossils (Topic 17)

Question 1

What is a fossil record?

Answer 1

Fossil record the fossils have been discovered in a place and the information about them, such as their age

Question 2

What is a fossil site?

Answer 2

Fossil site is a place where fossils are found

Question 3

What is the name for human fossils?

Answer 3

Hominid

Question 4

How many fossil sites are there in South Africa?

Answer 4

There are over 30 fossil sites in south africa

Question 5

Where in South Africa do we find lots of fossil plants?

Answer 5

Fossil plants grow in wet places Kwazulu Natal & Karoo

Question 6

What important fossil animals have been found in South Africa?

Answer 6

Dinosaurs and the Coelacanth

Question 7

What insect has not changed in almost 200 million years?

Answer 7

The cockroach

Question 8

Name 3 kinds of fossil insects that have been found in the Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Lesotho

Answer 8

Dragonflies, Cockroaches, Crickets

Question 9

The AFRICAN DINOSAURS related to what modern day animal?

Answer 9

The african dinosaur is related to the modern day animals lizard, crocodile and birds

Question 10

Tell me about the LESOTHOSARAURUS

Answer 10

He was discovered in Lesotho. Was the smallest dinasoaur, size of a chicken.

Question 11

Tell me about the EUSKELOSAURUS

Answer 11

Lived in the Karoo220 million years ago4 - 9meters tallWeighed 1800kilograms

Question 12

Tell me about the AULACEPHALODON

Answer 12

Was a mammal fossilCovered in furLived 250million years agoSize of a young hippopotamusFound in the Eastern Cape & Lesotho

Question 13

What fossils were found near Cape Town. ( Lagebaanweg) about 5 million years ago.?

Answer 13

Carnivorous bearsSabre tooth catsShort nek giraffe

Question 14

What kind of animal was the COELACANTH

Answer 14

Fish

Question 15

Describe a COELACANTH

Answer 15

LARGE Fish, with 4 leg like fins.

Question 16

What happened on December 1938

Answer 16

We thought the Coelacanth was extinct about a hundred million years ago.A fisherman caught a very strange fish in a net off East London on that date. It was a Coelacanth

Question 17

Are there still Coelacanths living today?

Answer 17

Yes they are, living in the very deep waters off the coast of Kwazulu Natal

Question 18

What is the area near Sterkfontein caves in Johannesburg called?

Answer 18

Cradle of humankind

Question 19

Is the “Cradle of human kind” a world heritage site?

Answer 19

Yes

Question 20

How old are some of the early Human bones found at Cradle of humankind?

Answer 20

5 million years

Question 21

What did early human kind look like?

Answer 21

Ape-manSmaller brainsBigger teeth

Question 22

Who is Mrs Ples?

Answer 22

Skull found in the Cradle of mankind. Thought it was women but later discovered it was a young boy

Question 23

Who is Little Foot?

Answer 23

An almost complete ape-man skeleton.Found in Cradle of mankind. 3 - 4 million years old.