Lecture 22 Flashcards
(13 cards)
Homo floresiensis
A small-bodied hominin species found on the island of Flores, Indonesia. Nicknamed “the hobbit” for its short stature (~3 feet tall) and small brain (~420 cc).
Homo naledi
A small-bodied hominin species from South Africa (~4.9 feet tall), with a small brain (465–610 cc) and a mosaic of primitive and modern traits. Dated to ~300,000 years ago.
Liang Bua Cave
Archaeological site in Flores, Indonesia, where H. floresiensis fossils were found, dating to 100,000–60,000 years ago.
Foster’s Island Rule
Species change in size depending on availible resources in the environment
Bifurcated Hypotheses
Two main ideas for H. floresiensis’s small size: (1) they were pathological modern humans (e.g., microcephaly), or (2) they were a distinct species affected by island dwarfism.
Microcephaly Hypothesis
A rejected hypothesis suggesting H. floresiensis had abnormal small stature and brain size due to a developmental disorder.
Insular Gigantism
Some small animals get larger
Insular Dwarfism
Some large animals get smaller
Mata Menge & Wolo Sege
Fossil sites on Flores where stone tools dated to 1 million years ago were discovered, suggesting long-term hominin presence.
Dinaledi Chamber
The cave system in South Africa where H. naledi fossils were found deep underground in 2013, requiring tight squeezes to access.
Deliberate Burial Hypothesis
A debated claim that H. naledi intentionally deposited their dead, based on context and positioning of fossils in the Dinaledi cave.
Cranial Capacity
The volume of the braincase; used to estimate brain size. H. floresiensis had ~420 cc; H. naledi had 465–610 cc.
No DNA Evidence
Modern pygmy humans on Flores do not carry DNA from H. floresiensis, indicating their short stature evolved independently.
