ANTH 110 Final Exam

Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene are epochs belonging to what era?

Cenozoic

900,000-450,000 ya. Well preserved cranium, best evidence of full H. erectus morphology from any site in Europe

Ceprano Italy

Excavations in Zhoukoudian, Beijing revealed fossils from 780,000 ya. Skull discovered in 1929, juvenile, thick small, and low skull features, obviously belonging to an early hominin. Largest collection of H. erectus material found anywhere. Large brow ridge, nuchal torus, thick skull bones, sagittal keel, and protruding face near the bottom. "Dragon bones"

Chinese homo erectus

Follows order in which events occurred

Chronologically

The movement of continents from plates sliding on Earth's surface. As a result, position of large landmasses shifted drastically

Continental drift

Sagittal crest, facial prognathism, post orbital constriction, canine size, supraorbital torus, and diastema

Cranial comparison characteristics

Relates to ideas, customs, and social behaviors of different societies

Culturally

Associated with the Mousterian industry, developed specialized tools for skinning, preparing meat, hunting, and woodworking. Advanced tool making, exploiting food resources, and fashioning personal adornments. Successful hunter gatherers

Culture of homo neandertalensis

Epoch: 23-5 mya Characterized by being the epoch monkeys and apes emerged during, the "Golden Age of Apes", and fossils widespread geographically

Miocene

The divergence of time of two species = the number of molecular differences between the species DNA sequence and proteins

Molecular clock

Foramen magnum, hips, lower limbs, spine, and changes in the shoulder are all...

Morphological differences in bipedalism

Orders in terms of geography or social behavior

Geographically

First migration consisting of the small brained, short statured Dmanisi hominins. Second immediate migration that founded the well-recognized H. erectus populations of Java and China

2 migrations out of Africa

"Black Skull" species

A. aethiopicus

"Lucy" (AL 288-1) species

A. afarensis

"Mrs. Ples" species

A. africanus

"Taung Child" species

A. africanus

Process of determining age as precisely as possible and based on radioactive decay. Also known as chronometric dating

Absolute dating

The proposed ancestor of all OWM and hominoids. Small eyes, probably diurnal, sexual dimorphism, likely arboreal/terrestrial quadruped, and the largest of Fayum anthropoids (13-18 lbs)

Aegyptopithecus

Premodern humans of middle pleistocene by region

Africa, Europe, Asia

Also known as primitive traits

Ancestral traits

Traits the current generation retained from the ancestor, characteristics inherited by a group of organisms from a remote ancestor

Ancestral traits

Around 4.4 mya in east Africa. No large canines, opposable toes, giant hands, long fingers. Complete biped, mostly in trees. "Ardi"

Ardipithecus ramidus

Earliest find from 1.2 mya (oldest hominin yet found in western Europe). Two cases here have yielded hominin fossils contemporaneous with homo erectus. Found with tools and animal bones and flake tools similar to Oldowan. Fossils from here significantly extends the antiquity of hominins in western Europe

Atapuerca Spain

Tools from 28,000 ya, earliest modern humans of France used this, and belongs to the upper paleolithic industry

Aurignacian tool assemblage

Around 2.5 mya in northern Kenya. "Black Skull" nearly complete and smallest of hominin brains. Many derived traits that link it to other species

Australopithecus aethiopicus

Around 3.9-2.9 mya found in Ethiopia and Tanzania. Shares more ancestral features with late Miocene apes and with great apes than do later hominins (who display more derived traits). "Lucy"

Australopithecus afarensis

Around 3.3-2.1 mya in southern Africa. Small brained, big toothed, well adapted bipeds. "Mrs. Ples" and "Taung Child"

Australopithecus africanus

Around 4.2-3 mya in east Africa. Believed to be the ancestor for early homo. Small brained, big teeth, bipedal locomotion

Australopithecus anamensis

Around 2.4-1.4 mya in eastern Africa. Large teeth and jaw. Various bones show good amount of sexual dimorphism

Australopithecus bosei

Around 2.0-1.2 mya in southern Africa. Had a heavy chewing muscle complex which called for a large jaw and jaw muscle, creating a sagittal crest. Post canine teeth adapted to serve in dry environments they lived in

Australopithecus robustus

Around 2-1.8 mya in south Africa. Discovered in the last 10 years. Bipedal, teeth like homo sapiens, ate nuts berries, and grass, precision grip, human like

Australopithecus sediba

Ancient burials show permit of preservation. Deliberate "disposal of dead" in not-below ground burials. Grave goods - La Chapelle. Handling their dead 400,000 ya. Less complex than modern H. sapiens burials. Body usually in flexed position

Burials of homo neandertalensis

Compared to the size of posterior dentition

Canine size

This testing involves extracting mitochondrial DNA for sequencing. Evidence suggest Neandertal fossils are 3x different from contemporary H. sapiens and that they represent a different branch of recent human evolution

DNA evidence of homo neandertalensis

Traits that are modified from the ancestral condition and thus diagnostic of particular lineages

Derived traits

Space between teeth, a kind of room for large canines

Diastema

How did the Pleistocene environment affect hominins?

Dispersal and movement

1.75 mya. Oldest well dated hominins outside of Africa. Not like full H. erectus morphology but small bodied and small brained

Dmanisi Georgia

Middle Miocene (16-11 mya). Europe forms, diet of tough foods maybe leaves, no sagittal crest, arboreal brachiates, long arms, hands, and fingers. Genus of apes. Large brain and a delayed development

Dryopithecus

Earliest homo sapiens living here exited around 200,000-100,000 ya. The earliest was found in Omo Kibish from southern Ethiopia (dated around 195,000 ya - earliest found anywhere). Omo 1 = essentially modern Omo 2 = more robust, less modern. Herto from Ethiopia (cranium from 160,000-154,000, best preserved early modern H. sapiens cranium found yet)

Earliest homo sapiens from Africa

Fossils from here include Zhoukoudian, China (27,000 ya, 3 skulls found). Tianyuan (fragmentary skull, few teeth, several post cranial bones, dating 40,000 ya - oldest modern human find from this area, skull has mostly modern features). Niah Cave (partial skull, 35,000 ya - as old as 45,000-40,000 ya - older than Tianyuan, modern morphology, oldest modern human find from this area)

Earliest homo sapiens from Asia

Earliest homo sapiens living here existed around 50,000 ya as early as 55,000 ya. Earliest find from Lake Mungo (approx. 30,000-25,000 ya). Kow Swamp site (displays archaic cranial traits, receding forehead, heavy brow ridge, thick bones)

Earliest homo sapiens from Australia

Fossils from here include Qafzeh, Isreal (110,000 ya, large sample (20 individuals), for sure modern but some robust). Skhul, Isreal (150,000 ya, earliest modern humans known outside of Africa, 10 individuals, modern morphology)

Earliest homo sapiens from the near East

Fossils from here include Cro-Magnon (rock-shelter site in southern France, 8 individuals discovered in 1868, associated with Aurignacian tool assemblage, heavily developed technologies, and art seen through grave goods, bone/ivory/antler carvings, decoration

Earliest homo sapiens from western Europe

Epoch: 56-33 mya Characterized by having the first true primates, prosimians (primates including lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers), and having fossils that are widely distributed

Eocene

Measurement of maxillary region

Facial prognathism

These were extremely simple and involved small, sharp flakes removed from a rock nodule

First stone tools

Characterized by having pronounced facial prognathism, low lying brain case, mod. zygomatic arch, fruit based diet, frucavores, generalized diet, lacked heavy vegetation, less sexual dimorphism, small teeth, no sagittal crest, and adapting quickly

Gracile australopithecines

Includes A. anamensis (4.0 mya), A. afarensis (3.5 mya), A. africanus (3.0 mya), A. garhi (2.5 mya), A. sediba (2.3 mya)

Gracile species

KNM-ER 1813 species

H. habilis

Homo erectus consists of what species?

H. habilis and A. sediba

KNM-ER 1470 species

H. rudolfensis

Hominins, unlike any other primate, move bipedal as their standard and most efficient mode of locomotion. This proved bipedalism to be evolving through the Laetoli footprint found and shows morphological differences in bipedalism

Habitual bipedalism

Measures the radioactivity of a substance, measuring how long it takes it to become a stable element. Rate is constant, allowing you to tell how old something carbon-based is

Half life

Epoch: 11,700 ya - present Characterized by being the epoch that hominoids spread rapidly throughout the globe

Holocene

Around 1.9 mya - 35,000 ya. Originated from Africa and migrated throughout Eurasia. Brain size similar to modern humans, flat face, prominent brow ridges, angular occipital, sagittal keel, large teeth and mandible, and the first human species to have a wise, fleshy nose. "Upright Man"

Homo erectus

Turkana Boy/ Nariokatome Boy species

Homo erectus

Around 1.9-1.5 mya. Also known as "African homo erectus". Tall and slender with long legs, skull had human-like shape, domed cranium, moderate post orbital constriction, outward projecting face, distinct brow ridge, human-like nose, and small canine size/premolar/molar size

Homo ergaster

First homo species to leave Africa

Homo ergaster

Around 1.8 mya. Fossils found in Olduvai and Turkana basin. First genus of homo to be associated with tools, found with Oldowan tools, Larger teeth then ours and increase in cranial size. "Handy Man"

Homo habilis

Around 600,000-200,000 ya in Africa, Europe, and western Asia. Discovered in 1907 in Germany (found fossil jaw). Kabwe Skull found. Skull features similar to H. erectus and anatomically modern H. sapiens. Fossils are early but more primitive members of H. sapiens (archaic H. sapiens). This is a transitional species between H. erectus and H. sapiens

Homo heidelbergensis

Around 75,000-10,000 ya in Europe and western Asia for about 100,000 years (as late as 130,000 ya). Less robust, shorter limbs, larger brain size than modern H. sapiens, and projecting face

Homo neandertalensis

Around 1.9 mya. Found in the 1970s and by Louis Leakey's granddaughter. Thought to be a male habilis skull until 1986 when it was assigned it own species. Flatter face, lesser brow ridge, and slightly larger cranial capacity

Homo rudolfensis

Fossils from 1.6-1 mya. Found in Ngandong site and are the most recent group of H. erectus fossils from Java or anywhere else. Evidence suggest late survival of H. erectus in Java (70,000-40,000 ya), these individuals would be contemporary with H. erectus. Eugene Dubois

Indonesian homo erectus

How did Platyrrhines get to the New World?

Island hopping and rafting

Fossil ape discovered by Louis Leakey in 1961 Fort Ternan site in Kenya. Teeth dated to 14 mya. May be common ancestor to all great apes. One of species that started radiation of apes out of Africa

Kenyapithecus

1908 discovery in southwestern France of a nearly complete skeleton buried in a shallow grave. Body of an unusual robust male. Grave goods and grave ritualistic items (in flexed position, flake tools, broken animal bones, bison leg. Body did not walk completely upright

La Chapelle aux Saints

States that a lower stratum (layer) is older than a higher stratum (layer)

Law of superposition

Invented by premodern humans in Africa and Europe. This requires several complex and coordinated steps suggesting increased cognitive abilities in later premodern populations

Levallois technique

A pattern in evolution in which the rate of evolution in one functional system varied from that in another system. This shows evolution and how people are related (brain and locomotion)

Mosaic evolution

Characterized by a larger proportion of flake tools, pertaining to the stone tool industry associated with Neandertals and modern H. sapiens. Flint tools/flake tools

Mousterian tool industry

Came into existence 2.6-1.4 mya, this was slightly more complex than modern chimp tools. Including cobbles, flakes (used to remove meat), and choppers (used to break open bone marrow). The first genus of homo to be associated with these tools was homo habilis

Oldowan tool industry

Epoch: 33-23 mya Characterized by being cooler and drier than previous epoch, the epoch anthropoids emerged during, the America's shift farther away from Europe and Africa, Apidium (found in Fayum, most closely related to ancestor of all monkeys), Aegypthopithecus (ancestor of both OWM and Hominoids/apes)

Oligocene

Around 6 mya in east Africa. Remains indicate some bipedal locomotion, lots of time spent in trees, small teeth. First hominy with post cranial remains. "Millennium Man"

Orrorin tugenensis

Epoch: 65-56 mya Characterized by "primate-like" mammals - proto primates, being the LCA of all living primates, fossils found in North America (Montana/Wyoming), and plesiadapiforms

Paleocene

Concludes that some interbreeding took place between Neandertals and modern humans, arguing against complete replacement and supporting some form of partial replacement

Partial replacement models

A chart that shows evolutionary relationships as determined by evolutionary systematics. It contains a time component and implies ancestor/descendant relationships

Phylogenetic tree

Relates to real world activities

Physically

Epoch: 2.6 mya - 11,700 ya Characterized by the development of early homo and the evolution of homo sapiens

Pleistocene

Proto primates, this is either closely related to primates or a precursor to them. Very small and squirrel-like, ate leaves and fruit. Fossils found in Montana and Wyoming, evidence shows it lived in North America and likely colonized in Europe and Asia

Plesiadapiforms

Epoch: 5.3-2.6 mya Characterized by the evolution of australopithecines

Pliocene

Pinching behind the brow ridges

Post orbital constriction

Including S. Tchadensis, Orrorin Tugenensis, A. Kadabba, and A. Ramidus. 6.0 +/- 4.4 mya. Earlier, predates the genus Australopithecus

Pre australopiths

POMA stands for

Primates of modern aspect

Existed 25 - 23 mya, extinct primate. Y-5 dental pattern, adaptation to quadrupedal locomotion, no tail, post cranially like a monkey, ate fruits. Fossils found in eastern Africa. Shares a common ancestral lineage with gibbons, great apes, and humans.

Proconsul

Suggests that local populations in Europe, Asia, and Africa continued their indigenous evolutionary development from premodern middle Pleistocene forms to anatomically modern humans

Regional continuity - multi regional

Process the results in the ages of: not older than ___ but younger than ___. Based on stratigraphy

Relative dating

Emphasizes that modern humans first evolved in Africa and only later dispersed to other parts of the world, where they replaced those hominids already living in these other regions

Replacement models - out of Africa

Characterized by having post-orbital restriction, mod. prognathism, sagittal crest, low lying brain case, very large projecting brow ridge, projecting face, flared cheeks (zygomatic arch), large jaw, big molars, herbivores (heavy vegetation), heavy facial muscles, cant adapt quickly, and specialized diet

Robust australopithecines

Includes A. robustus (2.5 mya), A. bosei (2.5-1.4 mya), A. aethiopicus (2.5 mya)

Robust species

Chewing muscles attach to this. Forms a ridge bone on center of the skull

Sagittal crest

Around 7-6 mya in west Africa. Possible hominid. Small brain, small canines. "Toumai"

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Largest and most varied group of Miocene fossil hominoids. Highly derived, facial features similar to modern orangutans, and fossils found in Turkey and Pakistan. Fossils dated to 12.2 mya

Sivapithecus

Capable of articulate speech and possibly capable of producing the same range of sounds as modern humans

Speech of homo neandertalensis

Represented by: regional continuity - multi regional evolution, replacement models - out of Africa, partial replacement models

Spread of modern humans across the globe

This was the first technique used by scholars for determining age. Based on the law of superposition and involves the study of sequential layering of geological deposits

Stratigraphy

Brow ridge

Supraorbital torus

1 or 5 skulls discovered in Dmanisi, Georgia

The Dmanisi skull

Middle Miocene hominoid. 2:1:2:3 OWM dental formula and sexual dimorphism. Oldest OWM skull fossil. Discovered in Lake Victoria, Kenya.

Victoriapithecus