LEC 21

Question 1

Humans belong to the Order __________

Answer 1

Primata (Primates)

Question 2

Order Primata (Primates)

Answer 2

1. Mammals with five digits on hands/feet
2. Fairly flat fingernails/toenails
3. Forward facing eyes
4. Hand has thumb that opposes four fingers

Question 3

Fossil record shows that all primates share a common ancestor that lived about __________ million years ago

Answer 3

60

Question 4

Hominoids

Answer 4

Subgroup of primates with larger body, bigger brains, lack tails, complex social behaviors

Question 5

Hominids

Answer 5

Includes living and extinct primate ancestors of modern humans

Question 6

Hominins

Answer 6

Living and extinct “human” ancestors

Question 7

Path to Homo sapiens Underlying trends:

Answer 7

Bipedal
Longer legs, increased height
Increased brain size
Flattened facial features
Reduced size and shape of teeth
Increased manual dexterity
Evidence of culture, language, technology (tool making), cooperation in groups and use of fire

Question 8

Sahelanthropus tchandensis

Answer 8

Divergence of chimpanzee and human lines approx. 6.5 - 7 million years ago in Chad

Question 9

Ardipithecus ramidus

Answer 9

Appeared in Africa about 4.4 million years ago
Could walk upright but not very well
Still had long opposable fingers & toes to grasp branches

Question 10

Australopithecus africanus and A. afarensis

Answer 10

Approx. 3.2 million years ago
Australopithecus africanus fossils found in S. Africa
Australopithecus afarensis fossil “Lucy” was found in 1974 in Ethiopia
Skeletal features & footprints found in volcanic ash indicates bipedal
Earliest Homo ancestor also appeared around this time

Question 11

Homo habilis

Answer 11

2.4 mya in Africa
Found primitive stone tools
Originally thought to be the first toolmaker
New evidence suggests toolmaking and use was earlier (approx. 3 million years ago)

Question 12

Homo erectus

Answer 12

1.9 million years ago
First hominin to migrate out of Africa into Eurasia & Indonesia
Persisted the longest
Died out in most locations about 200,000 years ago

Question 13

Homo erectus new developments

Answer 13

More sophisticated tool making (axes & cleavers)
Thought to use fire

Question 14

Homo erectus Social changes

Answer 14

Male-female pair bonds
Shared responsibility for offspring,
Formation of hunting & gathering groups
Ate a diverse diet including meat

Question 15

Homo heidelbergensis

Answer 15

Created highly specialized tools
Thought to have limited language skills
Inhabited sites across Europe, Asia and Indonesia
Descendants became Neanderthals
Others believe them to be a subspecies of modern humans
Neanderthals became extinct approx. 28,000 years ago

Question 16

Homo floresiensis

Answer 16

Recently discovered species in Indonesia
Existed as recently as 12,000 years ago
Unsure if there were interactions between H. floresiensis & H. sapiens

Question 17

Homo sapiens 160,000 – 300,000 years ago in Africa

Answer 17

Evolved from Homo erectus
Further brain development & spoken language
Physical structure changed to what we have today

Question 18

Homo sapiens 50,000 – 70,000 years ago

Answer 18

Migrated across the Red Sea to what is now Yemen
From there, they migrated to all points around the world
Reached South America approx. 10,000 years ago