The Making of Man (Australopithecus and Homo) Flashcards
Walking (Human)
-Smooth motion
Walking (Ape)
- Knees bowed
- Sideways lurching
- Body rocking waddle
Pelvis (Human)
- Broad
- Short
- Flaring
- Made for walking and passing large headcases
Pelvis (Ape)
- Long
- Narrow
Legs (Human)
- Longer than an ape’s
- Longer than arms
- Inward slanted thighs
Legs (Ape)
- Shorter than human’s
- Outward angled bones
- Bow legged
Feet and Toes (Human)
- No grasping toes
- Big toe aligned with heel and others
- Platform foot (for bipedal walking)
Feet and Toes (Ape)
- Grasping toes
- Insufficient platform
Thumbs (Human)
- Longer than ape’s
- Capable of tip to tip concept
- Precision grip
Thumbs (Ape)
- Shorter than human’s
- Does not swing through well to other fingers
Head (Human)
- Larger brain case
- Shorter face, does not jut forward
- Balanced upright on spine
Head (Ape)
- Shock absorbing brow ridge
- Bony skull, anchors powerful jaw
- Thick neck muscles
Jaw (Human)
- Shorter (does not jut forward)
- Weaker (for the omnivorous diet)
Jaw (Ape)
- Longer, juts forward (massive)
- Stronger (to break down cellulose)
Teeth (Human)
- Thickly enameled
- Low crowned molars
- Parabolic tooth row
Teeth (Ape)
- Large canine teeth
- High crowned, thinly enameled
- U shaped tooth row
Tongue and Pharynx (Human)
- More sounds from pharynx
- More definition of sounds from tongue
Tongue and Pharynx (Ape)
-Smaller range of sounds from pharynx
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Brain (Human)
-Bigger frontal, parietal and temporal lobes (thinking, producing, understanding speech, social abilities)
Brain (Ape)
-Smaller frontal, parietal and temporal lobes
Hominization
The making of mankind, becoming human through adaptation to the environment developing certain uniquely human characteristics
How did glaciation encourage hominization?
Glaciation created the grassland environment (flat, dry, little rainfall due to frozen state of moisture) that ancestral apes would adapt to, causing self reinforcing changes in behavior (group cooperation, infant care, home base, hunting, etc)
List changes that had occured by 3.8 million years BP
- Freed hands for tool making
- Communal activities led to speech
- Brain developed (survival strategies)
- Lost hair and developed sweat glands
- Old taught and cared for young
- BEGINNING OF BRAIN OVER BRAWN
