L12

Question 1

1960-1963 discovery

Answer 1

• Less robust
  
  • Smaller teeth
  • Larger brain

640cc Brain size

Name it Homo Habilis

Question 2

Why did the naming of homo habilis cause controversy? (3)

Answer 2

1/ It demonstrated that various genera and species of hominin co-existed

2/ It was previously considered that there was a neat evolutionary transition from A. africanus to H. erectus to H. neanderthalensis to H. sapiens. There seemed to be insufficient morphological space between A. africanus (ancestor) and H. habilis (descendent).

3/ It meant we had to redefine the genus Homo (accept that it could have reduced brain size).

Question 3

Human evolution process

Answer 3

• Not a gradual progression with only once species existing at any given time
  • Gap in morphological evolution is irrelevant
  • We don’t always expect progression

Question 4

What does it mean to be Homo? (4)

Answer 4

• Upright posture and bipedal gait
  
  • Brain size
  • Dexterity to fashion primitive tools
  • Speech?

Question 5

1972 Discovery

Answer 5

Homo rudolfensis

Lake Turkana, Kenya 1.9Ma

Question 6

Homo discoveries post 1972

Answer 6

Since then more specimens of H. rudolphensis and H. habilis have been discovered.

There is much morphological variation within both species—causing problems with taxonomic ‘lumpers’ and ‘splitters’.

However, it is now generally accepted that there are indeed two species.

Question 7

Lumpers

Answer 7

Group things together within a range of variation

Question 8

Splitters

Answer 8

Highlight differences and create new species

Question 9

Variation across humans

Answer 9

There is significant variation in skull and other skeletal morphology among living humans eg Inuit vs aborigine

- Massive variation

- Look at natural expected variation prior to 'splitters'

Question 10

H Rudolfensis v H habilis

Answer 10

Large vs small brain case

Flat vs not flat face

Broad vs small face

Slight brow ridge vs large brow ridge

Postcanine teeth vs occipital bone

Question 11

1986 Lucy’s child

Answer 11

H habilis

Interestingly:

- It is more ape like than lucy (presumed australopithecine ancestor)

- H. Erectus is only 200,000 years younger but is much larger and more human like

Question 12

Subjectivity in examining skeletons

Answer 12

• Skulls are not often fully put together
  • 3D scanning on computer can put shape together
  • Dimensions of cranial shapes is very large, therefore there is bias in mind when recreating skulls
  -Some artistic influence
  • Similarities and face morphologies suggest common ancestry
  • Hypotheses were then developed
  • Better of evidence being put in a cladogram than physical similarities

Question 13

What were H. rudolfensis and H. habilis like and where and how did they live?

Answer 13

Compared to Australopithecines early Homo has a larger brain, a smaller face, smaller teeth.

Early Homo had a similar diet to Australopithecines (predominantly vegetarian), but most similar to gracile forms (general soft fruit eater). Small amounts of meat probably scavenged.

Not all Homo were more committed bipeds than Australopithecus (cf. H. habilis).

Capable of very basic tool making (What about Australopithecus?).

Question 14

Tool use

Answer 14

• Artefacts about 2.5ma
• • Tools obviously manufactured
  • Made in vast quantities
  • Oldowan artefacts
  • Require intelligence to create

Question 15

Site dynamics

Answer 15

• Were tools made where home bases were?
  • Scavengers remove bones
  • Floods was material in and out
  • Site understanding is important
  • Were whole carcasses moved to a safe place?
  • Eg eating meat up trees to avoid competition
    Many hypotheses

Question 16

Hypotheses of societal existence

Answer 16

• Complex human like socioeconomics to animal/ simple humanlike subsistence

Question 17

How large brain did H. habilis have?

Answer 17

640cc