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ANTHRO > Test 2 Vocab > Flashcards

Test 2 Vocab Flashcards

(83 cards)

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1
Q

Natural Selection

A

Selection of favored biological forms through differential reproductive success

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2
Q

Uniformitarianism

A

The belief that natural forces shaping the world today also explain past events

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3
Q

Genotype

A

The genetic makeup or constitution of an organism - biological “building blocks”

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4
Q

Phenotype

A

The physical expression of biological characteristics - part genetic, part adaptation to environmental forces

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5
Q

Microevolution

A

Genetic changes in a population over several or many generations but without speciation (change in a species size or coloring, or as shown in a lab, or as a study through traits/alleles). does not result in a new species

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6
Q

Macroevolution

A

larger-scale or more significant changes that occur over a long time period which result in speciation (can’t be demonstrated, only inferred from fossil record)

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7
Q

Thomson’s Nose Rule

A

association between nose form and temperature for those who have lived for many generations in areas they now inhabit, the average nose tends to be longer in areas with lower mean annual temperatures.

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8
Q

Bergmann’s Rule

A

smaller of two bodies similar in shape has more surface area per unit of weight; Within warm-blooded animals, populations with smaller individuals in same species are more often found in warm climates

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9
Q

Allen’s Rule

A

relative sizes of protruding body parts increase with temperature

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10
Q

Primatology

A

the study of nonhuman primates, including their behavior and social life

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11
Q

Prosimians

A

more distant relatives of humans; includes tarsiers, lemurs, and lorises

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12
Q

Anthropoidea

A

monkeys, apes, and humans

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13
Q

Hominin

A

the human line after our split from chimpanzees; no other living ancestors except Homo sapiens

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14
Q

Hominid

A

the taxonomic family that includes humans, the African apes, and our immediate ancestors

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15
Q

Laetoli footprints

A

very informative, fossilized footprints. Forced a reinterpretation of the early hominin fossil record. confirmed bipedalism. Proof that a small biped lived in Tanzania 3.6 MYA. Upright bipedalism was Au. afrensis’s mode of transportation.

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16
Q

Foramen magnum

A

Hole in which spinal cord joins the brain. Farther forward in Australopithecus and homo than in the ape. Shows an adaptation in upright bipedalism.

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17
Q

Gracile Australopithecines

A

A. africanus members were smaller and slighter, less robust

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18
Q

Charles von Linné

A

developed the first complete taxonomy of plants and animals
viewed the differences between life forms as part of the Creator’s orderly plan; classified living things into species based on:
· Overall similarities and characteristics
· The ability of animals to interbreed
· Grouped animals into different classes

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19
Q

Robust Australopithecines

A

thick bones with a sagittal crest that made this group known as “chewing machines”(branch off and come to a dead end)

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20
Q

Sagittal crest

A

“bony mohawk”; indicates exceptionally strong jaw muscles (Temporalis muscle connects the mandible to the sagittal crest, (top of head))

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21
Q

Ardipithecus ramidus “Ardi”

A
  • Ethiopia
  • 4.4 - 4.2 m.y.a
  • Lived in arboreal (wooded) environment. This nullified the savanna hypothesis.
  • Ardi’s brain was approximately the size of a plum (about 1/4 of the size of current A.M.H brains).
  • Had long curved fingers like Lucy for climbing
  • Had an opposable big toes
  • Appeared more ape like
  • Was bipedal on the ground but also a good climber in the arboreal environment.
  • Pelvis and femur angle were not angled like those of A.M.H. It could not run or walk long distances.
  • Dentition was more ape-like
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22
Q

Australopithecines

A

Common term for all members of the genus Australopithecus

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23
Q

Robust Australopithecine

Species Characteristics:

A 
A. robustus
A. boisei
Traits of the two:
-Australopithecine is an extinct genus of hominids.
-They evolved in East Africa about 4.4 m.y.a
-Brains were much smaller
-Large degree of sexual dimorphism
-Have a sagittal crest
-Prominent brow ridge
-Palate is more parallel with large K9s
-Robust means large or big
-From the neck down looked similar to us
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24
Q

Gracile Australopithecine

Species Characteristics:

A 
A. anamensis
A. afarensis "Lucy"
A. africanus
Traits of all Three:
-Current A.M.H evolved from these.
-Gracile means slider or petite.
-Lucy is an example of A. afarensis
-Brain size was approximately the size of a grapefruit
-Lucy lived in a forrest/savanna matrix
-Evolved in South and East Africa
-Both Bipedal and arboreal
-Slightly less prognathic
-Slightly rounded dentition but still more parallel than our's today
-K9s still relatively large
-Long curved fingers
-No sagittal crest
-Angled femur and pelvis
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25
Charles Darwin
best known evolutionist, provided theoretical framework for understanding evolution through natural selection. Said natural selection could explain origin of species, biological diversity, and similarities among related life forms.
25
Kenyanthropus platyops,
1999 - 3.5 MYA, nearly complete skull and partial jawbone. Raised the possibility that two hominin lineages existed as back as 3.5 MYA
26
Australopithecus afarensis
3.8-3.0 MYA, ape-like crania and was bipedal, human-like postcranial skeleton; sexual dimorphism
27
Homo habilis
term coined by LSB and Mary Leaky, immediate ancestor of H. erectus; lived from about 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago(former "handy man")
28
Homo erectus
1.9 MYA - 300,000 BP. Hunted/gathered, used fire, could run fast, made systematically produced tools, developed seasonal central places, first to settle outside of africa.
29
Homo antecessor
1.2 - 800,000 YA, likely evolved from homo erectus may be an early form of h heidelbergensis, possible cannibalism
30
Homo heidelbergensis
300,000 BP, 33 individuals found in 'Sima de Los Huesos,' mix of morphological features between h. erectus and h. sapiens.
31
Homo neanderthalensis
middle paleolithic - 130,000 - 25,000 years ago in Europe and west Asia. First discovered in 1856 (Neander Valley, Germany) Lived in western Europe and the Near East, lived during the glacial period which peaked 70,000 YA, evidence of healed traumas
32
Homo Neanderthalensis
130,000-25,000 years ago Europe and West Asia Mousterian Tradition (first composite tools) Traits: -Very large brains (> or equal to current brains) -Robust skeleton, jaws, and teeth -Only cold-adapted (probably why extinct) -Large nasal passages to warm cold air -Closest relative to modern humans but still had a prominent brow ridge. -First to leave Africa -First to save flakes when making tools (obsidian). Obsidian made great blades because the edge was sharper than any razor blade today. -Composite Tools: Spears and Arrows -First to bury their dead; site Shanidar Cave, in Iraq (possible start of religion)
33
Paleocene
65 M.Y.A. first major mammal radiation
34
Eocene
54 M.Y.A. Warm tropical climates become widespread; modern orders of mammals appear; prosimian-like primates are abundant; anthropoids appear
35
Oligocene
34 M.Y.A. Cooler and drier in the North; anthropoids in Africa (Fayum); separation of catarrhines and platyrrhines; separation of hylobatids (gibbons) from pongids and hominids
36
Miocene
23 M.Y.A. Cooler and drier grasslands spread in the middle latitudes; Africa collides with Eurasia (16 M.Y.A.)
37
Mousterian Tradition
Characterized by Acheulean handaxes and flake tools made by new Levalloisian techniques, increase in complexity of tool kit for hunting and processing - associated with neanderthals.
38
Shanidar Cave
Iraq - Grave IV. Found a neanderthal buried in depression with animal bones & pollen - flowers were used as grave goods.
39
Acheulian tradition
involves chipping the core bilaterally and symmetrically. The core is converted into a relatively flat oval six-inch hand axe. Compared to the Oldowan tools, Acheulian tools had a much more effective cutting edge.
40
Oldowan traditon
stone tools that consist of flakes and cores. The "core" is the piece of rock from which flakes are struck. A "chopper" is a tool made by flaking the edge of such a core on one side and thus forming a cutting edge.
41
Levalloisian technique
Invented in southern Africa around 200,000 years ago. Uniform flakes were chipped off a specially prepared core of rock. Additional work on the flakes produced special purpose tools.
42
Race
Not biologically distinct, color based racial labels aren't accurate. Many populations dont fit neatly into any one of the three 'great races.' No single trait can be used for classification. 94% of human genes are the same, 6% vary from one group to another
43
Cro-Magnon
First find of anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens) comes from Cro-Magnon rock shelter, Dordogne Valley, France in 31,000 BP
44
Genes
Place on a chromosome that determines a particular trait
45
Mutation
Change in DNA molecules
46
Haplogroups
Branch of a genetic tree marked by one or more specific genetic mutations
47
Chromosome
Paired lengths of DNA, composed of multiple genes
48
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid. A large organic molecule that stores the genetic code for the synthesis of proteins. Each chromosome consists mostly of a DNA molecule. DNA is composed of sugars, phosphates and bases arranged in a double helix shaped molecular structure. Segments of DNA correspond to specific genes.
49
Melanin
Chemical substance produced by skin cells that determines the human skin color.
50
Vitamin D production
the human body can produce its own vitamin D when exposed to sufficient sunlight. People who live in cloudy environments can lack vitamin D and form rickets. Rickets softens and deforms the bones, may develop.
51
Geological timescale
is based on stratigraphy. Eras are subdivided into periods, and periods into epochs.
52
Sima de Los Huesos
- Early Archaic Site in Europe - In Atopuerca, Spain - Deep cave, difficult to reach - No evidence of occupation - 300,000BP - 2,000 fossils - 32 individuals - Some of the skulls were defleshed
53
Proconsul
tree-dwelling, fruit eating hominoid (the superfamily to which apes and humans belong)
54
Schönningen site
earliest wooden tools, 400,000 BP (lakeside camp, elephants, horse, bison). 9 Spears up to 2.5m long. Important for hunting and meat consumption.
55
Platyrrhines
Broad septum, flat-nosed. New World monkeys
56
Catarrhines
Narrow septum, sharp-nosed. Old World monkeys, apes, and humans
57
Sexual dimorphism
marked differences in female and male size, anatomy, and temperament
58
Punctuated equillibrium
long periods of stability with occasional evolutionary leaps.
59
Sahelanthropis tchadensis
Discovered in 2001 in Chad approximately 7 M.Y.A
60
Gigantopithecus
Late Miocene. | Two species in South Africa.
61
Orrorin tugenensis
- Discovered in 2001 in Kenya 6 M.Y.A. - 13 fossils, 5 individuals. - Shares characteristics with Miocene apes and later hominids.
62
Composite tools
- Oldowan - Acheulian - Levallois - Mousterian
63
Jane Goodall
- primatologist | - studied Orangutans in Africa.
64
Fayum Depression
Scarcity of fossils were mainly found here.
65
Catastrophism
Proposed that fires and floods, including the biblical deluge involving Noah's ark, destroyed certain species.
66
Biological variation
genetic characteristics
67
Evolutionary Tree
Phylogenetic tree for african apes, hominids, and hominins. Starting with the african ape line from nearly 8 m.y.a and ending with the modern human line (homo sapiens)
68
Chert
a type of stone that homo erectus used to make acheulian tools
69
Obsidian
volcanic rock that was used as a sharp tool
70
"Mitochondrial Eve"
refers to the fact that most humans share 99.9% of their DNA and every human shares the same common woman ancestor who gave birth to all of the human diversity in the world
71
Affiliative behavior
Behaviors which promote group cohesion (friendly/positive gestures) Ex: grooming, touching, and hugging.
72
Lower Paleolithic
H. erectus | 2.6 M.Y.A.-300,000 BP
73
Middle Paleolithic
Archaic H. sapiens including Neanderthals, H. sapiens | 300,000-30,000 BP
74
Upper Paleolithic
Neanderthals disappear, only H. sapiens remains by the end of this period 50,000-10,000 BP
76
Evolutionary tree
Phylogenetic tree for african apes, hominids, and hominins. Starting with the african ape line from nearly 8 m.y.a and ending with the modern human line (homo sapiens)
77
Carl von Linné
classified groups of similar organisms into species based on overall similarities and the ability of animals to interbreed
78
“Mitochondrial Eve”
The most recent common female ancestor of everyone alive today.
79
Genes
Portions of DNA molecules that do the actual directing of the synthesis of proteins
80
Evolutionary tree
Phylogenetic tree for african apes, hominids, and hominins. Starting with the african ape line from nearly 8 m.y.a and ending with the modern human line (homo sapiens)
81
Carl von Linné
classified groups of similar organisms into species based on overall similarities and the ability of animals to interbreed
82
“Mitochondrial Eve”
The most recent common female ancestor of everyone alive today.
83
Genes
Portions of DNA molecules that do the actual directing of the synthesis of proteins

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