quiz 6

Question 1

Identifiable (derived) traits of the ape clade:

Answer 1

Even larger brain
Suspensory adaptations (long forelimbs, mobile shoulder/elbow/wrist, short and rigid lower back)
No tail
Broad nose
Long infant development and dependency period

Question 2

Great ape traits:

Answer 2

Broad palate
Large body size
Stout canines

Question 3

Closest living relatives of humans and timing of split between the lineages

Answer 3

Humans most closely related to chimpanzees + bonobos
Split estimated ~7 Ma
Earliest putative hominin fossils: 8-6 Ma

Question 4

Hominins

Answer 4

Clade including all members of human lineage after the split from chimpanzees.

Question 5

Evidence for tool use

Answer 5

Bones with cut marks, pounding marks

Question 6

Tool industries:

Answer 6

Lomekwian (3.3 Ma)
Oldowan (2.6 – 1.6 Ma)
Acheulean (1.75 Ma – 200 ka)

Question 7

Quality of tools and cognitive abilities of toolmakers

Answer 7

Oldowan vs. Acheulean toolmakers
Shape and symmetry

Question 8

Obligate

Answer 8

have to

Question 9

Carbon isotopes

Answer 9

Different photosynthetic pathways take up different proportions of carbon isotopes in the atmosphere
C3 plants: tropical and subtropical forest plants, bushes, shrubs, trees
C4 plants: grasses and sedges
Can examine carbon isotope proportions in teeth of fossilized animals and infer their diet and habitat as a savannah dweller (eating lots of grass) or a forest dweller (eating tree leaves and fruit)

Question 10

Facultative

Answer 10

can

Question 11

apelike biped Tools

Answer 11

no evidence of stone tools, no cut marks on animal fossils

Question 12

apelike biped Teeth:

Answer 12

indicate varied diet, possibly broadly similar to chimpanzees

Question 13

apelike biped Skull morphology:

Answer 13

agrees

Question 14

apelike biped Carbon isotopes:

Answer 14

diet heavily biased towards C3 plants, suggesting restricted to forested habitats

Question 15

Australopithecus diet Tools:

Answer 15

some may be early stone tool users, some evidence for cut marks on bones, increased meat in diet?

Question 16

Australopithecus diet Teeth:

Answer 16

indicate varied diet, probably less focused on ripe fruit than chimpanzees, more exploitation of hard/fibrous foods than apelike bipeds

Question 17

Australopithecus diet
Skull morphology:

Answer 17

agrees

Question 18

Australopithecus diet Carbon isotopes:

Answer 18

diet includes both C3 and C4plants, suggesting exploitation of both woodland and savanna habitats.

Question 19

Large Homo diet:
Tools

Answer 19

definitely stone tool users; advances in tool technologies; extensive evidence for cut marks on bones; meat probably important component of diet.

Question 20

Large Homo diet:
Skull morphology

Answer 20

reduced chewing musculature like small Homo; again consequence of tool use?

Question 21

Large Homo diet:
Carbon isotopes

Answer 21

includes both C3 and C4plants, suggesting exploitation of both woodland and savanna habitats.

Question 22

Large Homo diet:
Teeth

Answer 22

Teeth: indicate varied diet, some hard or fibrous foods; teeth are (relative to body size) smaller than small Homo – consequence of expanded tool use?

Question 23

Small Homo diet
Tools:

Answer 23

very likely stone tool users, extensive evidence for cut marks on bones, probable increase of meat in diet

Question 24

Small Homo diet
Teeth:

Answer 24

indicate varied diet, some hard or fibrous foods; teeth are smaller than Australopithecus – consequence of tool use?

Question 25

Small Homo diet Skull morphology:

Answer 25

indicates substantially smaller chewing musculature than Australopithecus; againpossible consequence of tool use?

Question 26

Small Homo diet Carbon isotopes:

Answer 26

diet includes both C3 and C4plants, suggesting exploitation of both woodland and savanna habitats.

Question 27

Paranthropus diet * Tools:

Answer 27

some may be stone tool users, some evidence for cut marks on bones, increased meat in diet? No direct association of stone tools with Paranthropus, but cannot be entirely ruled out.

Question 28

Paranthropus diet teeth:

Answer 28

indicate diet focused on hard or fibrous foods

Question 29

Paranthropus diet Skull morphology:

Answer 29

agrees

Question 30

Paranthropus diet Carbon isotopes:

Answer 30

variable; southern African form similar to Australopithecus; eastern African form heavily focused on C4 foods – possible savanna specialist?