Hominid studies

Question 1

List three scientific fields that provide evidence for hominid studies

Answer 1

in fossilised remains,
genetic evidence (especially mitochondrial DNA passed only
through mother’s line) and archaeology

Question 2

Why is the classification of
hominids remain a matter of scientific debate

Answer 2

because of recent genetic evidence some believe that that homo eructs evovled into homo sapien and homo Neanderthals but after the mapping of the genome of Neanderthals they realized that homo sapiens and homo neanderthals havent evolved from the same group but might aswell be the same but due to the Neanderthal Dna used wasn’t complete therefore the classification remains a debate

Question 3

What are the features that are used to identify whether an organism is bipedal or not

Answer 3

1- The position of the foramen magnum (towards the centre of skull)
2- Shape of the spine (s shaped)- greater flexibilty and support of body above legs
3- pelvis (short wide, support abdomen above legs)
4- parallel toes
5- Larger, more developed brains
6-Change in the shape of the jaw and teeth( becoming omnivorous)

Question 4

How does the Position of the foramen magnum show changes in that characterize humans

Answer 4

The foramen magnum of humans is situated ventrally under the skull with the vertebral column underneath the skull- allows skeleton to move upright
Apes- have the FM- at the back of the skull and the articulation with the neck vertebrae is at the back of the head

Question 5

what are the difference in the motion of apes and humans

Answer 5

Humans walk upright on two limbs so that their hands are free while walking- they are fully bipedal, humans have shorter arms and longer legs and their feet are very different from their hands, they do not have an opposable big toe and all toes lie parallel to each other to support the weight of the body in an upright position
Apes- walk on all four limbs, they move above ground using well developed forelimbs which are longer their hind limbs

Question 6

How does the Shape of the spine charcterize humans and apess

Answer 6

Apes- Spine of apes is C shaped allows it to support the weight of the abdomen hanging below it
Humans- S shaped which provides grater flexibility and support of the body above the legs

Question 7

Shape of the pelvis

Answer 7

Humans- shorter, wider allows for weight distribution
Apes- longer and narrower

Question 8

Big toe

Answer 8

humans- non divergent bug toes is present when walking upright
Apes- Divergent big toe allows climbing

Question 9

Brain development

Answer 9

Humans- larger more developed brains allowed species to develop language as a form of communication and for distinct culture. Since the organism is walking upright the hands become more skilled to make tools and manipulate fire

Question 10

Change in the shape of the jaw and teeth

Answer 10

enabled hominids to survive in variety of habitats

Question 11

How is the sequence of evolution is proposed

Answer 11

the fossil evidence of various of humans ancestors (the anatomical similarities and differences)

Question 11

How is the sequence of evolution is proposed

Answer 11

the fossil evidence of various of humans ancestors (the anatomical similarities and differences)

Question 12

How are hominids classified

Answer 12

bipedal animals in the fossil record that show a mixture of apelike and human like features ape=man

Question 13

Anatomical similarities of humans and African Apes

Answer 13

Brain- large brain compared to body size
Eyes- stereoscopic vision, eyes are protected by bony sockets
Nose- reduced
Teeth- Variety of teeth for omnivorous diet
Shoulders- collar bone allows arms to rotate freely
Hands- fingerprints, fingers have fingernails not claws, opposable thumb allow for precision grip

Question 14

Anatomical difference between humans and African apes

Answer 14

brain h- large cranium A- small
brow ridge h- not well developed A- well developed
spine H- s shaped A- C shaped
pelvic gridle H- short with wide pelvis A- long and narrow
palate shape H- small and circular A- long rectangular
jaw H- small less protruding A- large more protruding
cranial ridge H- No cranial ridge A- Cranial ridge
foramen magnum H- forward position A- towards the back end of the skull

Question 15

What is the genetic evidence for evolution

Answer 15

Mitochondrial DNA- all humans are closely related all humans are linked to a common ancestor. A mutation in the mitochondrial DNA of a female hominid that lived 150 000 years ago

Question 16

Cultural evidence for evolution (Archeologist)

Answer 16

archaeological evidence ✓ oldest evidence of symbolic thought
found in Africa✓/ e.g. Art (Blombos Cave); ✓
• burial of dead✓ (Klasies Cave, Border Cave); ✓
• tools/artefacts✓ (Pinnacle Cave, Blombos) ✓
(line of evidence ✓ explained ✓) × 2

Question 17

Which is the oldest Extant people and what is the scientific claim to this

Answer 17

The San People of Southern Africa- lived as hunter gathers
DNAs analysis show they have the most diverse genetic variation this shows that they are oldest population humans on earth
Direct descendants of early Humans and gave rise to all other groups of Africans and all other people who left the continent

Question 18

Explain How bipedalism, fire making, tool making, Language and culture can be seen as interdependent

Answer 18

Bipedalism frees hands to use tools- free hands allow more development of more complex tools which enabled hominids to hunt larger prey which would increase protein and fate intake which improves brain development an increased brain development improved hunting techniques involving co- operative hunting and gathering around fire which would encourage communication and language development- language and social interaction would encourage culture

Question 19

What is the multiregional model

Answer 19

Homo erectus migrated from Africa and arrived at various destinations in various places, various populations of homo erectus evolved into homo sapiens

Question 20

Out of Africa hypothesis

Answer 20

1- humans originated in Africa (all australopithecine and homo habilis/ bipedal organisms fossils have been found only in Africa , oldest h. erectus fossil found in Africa and mtDNA shows oldest female ancestor of humans are from Africa) Homo erectus moved out of Africa Climate change was the driving force
3- Homo erectus spread into the rest of the world and each species of homo adapted to different environment they inhabited
4- In Africa some Homo erectus evolved further into homo sapiens in Eastern Africa and SA a second migration out of Africa occurred by homo sapiens and they dominated all homo species that were in europe

Question 21

how is bipedalism an advantage

Answer 21

free hands, carry tools whilst walking
see further distances
larger surface area for air current which causes body to cool down, leaving body less dependent of water

Question 22

How do you measure cranial capacity

Answer 22

measure volume of the brain cast
use cranium to determine the volume