ANT-1 Chapter 10

(Q002) In addition to bipedalism, what is the other major difference between apes and hominins?

Hominins have nonhoning chewing.

(Q001) How do humans differ from apes?

Humans use spoken language

(Q018) While studying with you for an exam, a classmate claims that the only difference between australopithecines and early Homo species is that the latter had a bigger brain. What example could you give to demonstrate that there are other differences?

In addition to a larger brain, early Homo species had a smaller face and smaller teeth.

(Q021) What is the nickname for this most famous Australopithecus afarensis fossil pictured here?

Lucy

(Q025) Based on these two charts, which of the following is true?

Many paleoanthropologists agree that australopithecines were descended from Ardipithecus.

(Q011) How did robust australopithecines differ from earlier australopithecines?

Robust australopithecines had smaller front teeth.

(Q007) What is the oldest pre-australopithecine, the fossil link between late Miocene apes and australopithecines, found to date?

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

(Q015) Which of the pre-australopithecines was found outside of East Africa?

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

(Q016) Your old roommate is in Australia on a one-year study abroad program. She excitedly Skypes you and says her friend mentioned an australopithecine skull he discovered while on a trip in the desert. The skull has a small brain and shows some wear on the tip of the canines. What correct information could you give in response?

There is no evidence that australopithecines ever left Africa.

(Q017) While you and your little cousin are walking through a natural history museum, she points out the skull of an australopithecine with a large crest on the top and asks you what its purpose was. How might you correctly sum up this complicated evolutionary trait for your little cousin?

These hominins had muscles to eat hard foods such as nuts.

(Q024) Your biological anthropology professor asks you to arrange a bag of foot bones in anatomical position. When you finish, she asks you what you can tell from this right foot. What would be a good response?

This hominin lived in the trees part of the time

(Q019) Your mom has started complaining to you about her varicose veins and is thinking about surgery. What true information could you tell about varicose veins?

Varicose veins are the direct consequence of bipedalism.

(Q005) What is an advantage of bipedalism over quadrupedalism?

increased ability to see greater distances

(Q006) Which of the following is a disadvantage of bipedalism?

more risk of developing arthritis and back injuries

(Q023) These footprints found in the ash at Laetoli show that hominins had which of the following characteristics of bipedalism?

nondivergent big toes

(Q003) Which hypothesis regarding the evolution of hominin bipedalism suggests that this energy-efficient trait arose so that hominins could search for food that was dispersed after climatic changes at the end of the Miocene?

patchy forest

(Q012) During which time period did hominins from the genus Australopithecus live?

4 to 1 mya

(Q022) What does the difference in anatomy of these bones illustrate?

Apes can grasp tree branches better than humans.

(Q010) Which of the following is a robust australopithecine species?

Au. aethiopicus

(Q009) What is the best-known australopithecine, represented by hundreds of fossils and dozens of individuals (two of which are shown here) found mostly at Laetoli and Hadar?

Au. afarensis

(Q014) Which of the following species arose around 3.5 mya and gave rise to at least two branches of hominins—the later australopithecines and the genus Homo?

Au. afarensis

(Q008) What is the oldest australopithecine species?

Au. anamensis

(Q013) Which hominin species is argued to have made the first stone tools, known as the Oldowan tool complex?

Au. garhi

(Q004) Which hypothesis about why hominins became bipedal argues that the advantages of males carrying food and bringing it to females and their young could have contributed to the rise of bipedalism?

provisioning

(Q020) Charles Darwin hypothesized that bipedalism arose so that hominins would have two free hands to create and carry weapons. What fossil evidence now refutes this hypothesis?

the small brain and large canines of Ardipithecus