Human Origins Midterm

In which epoch do Hominoids dominate the order Primate?

Miocene (23-5.3 MBP)

Which of the following Homo species developed the first modern postcranial proportions?

Homo Erectus

The evolution of large sharp canines in primates is predominantly selected for by which activity?

Intraspecies (within one species) territorial defense

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of Neanderthals?

None of the above

(Neanderthals were all characteristic of burials, controlled fire, complex language, and rodeo clowns as a result of their types of bone fractures)

Which of the following features separate "Lucy" (Australopithecus afarensis) from Pan troglodytes?

All of the above

(Those features being: Femur length, Cranial capacity, curved phalanges (finger bones) and honing canines)

The origin of the Acheulean Tool Complex is associated with which of the following hominins?

Homo erectus

Which of the following characteristics can be used to differentiate between a Late Homo erectus and an Early Homo heidelbergensis?

Cranial Capacity

Which of the following best describes the following event? A small group of hominins migrated out of the tropical jungle into a wooded mosaic environment around 5 million years ago and evolved to fit various ecological niches.

Adaptive Radiation

Which of the following Bonobo traits distinguish it from common chimpanzees?

Conflict resolution through sex

Which of the following is NOT an Anthropoid?

Propithecus coquereli (Sifaka Lemur)

(lemurs are prosimians)

In what kind of environment do we find the remains of the earliest habitual bipedal hominins?

Patchy woods

Which of the following traits are diagnostic of Homo sapiens compared to all other organisms?

None of the above

(All of these are traits are found in other species too, both extinct and non-extinct: bipedalism, non-honing canines, social learning, toolmaking)

Which of the following belongs in the primate "Suite of Traits"?

K-Selected (have less children and take care of them for longer period of time)

Which of the following "Robust" australopithecines (paranthropines) were found in South Africa?

Robustus

AMHS seem to have sexual dimorphism most similar with which of the following Hominoids?

Pan paniscus (Bonobo)

Which of the following taxonomic family is a Strepsirrhine?

(Should technically be "none of the above" or Platyrrhines but for some reason is not listed in the answer choices)

Which of the following Neanderthal traits suggest that AMHS was more "domesticated"?

Either large eye orbits or all of the above

Which of the following regions are NOT associated with Homo erectus (or H. e. ergaster)?

Atapuerca, Spain

Which of the following haplorrhines are known to be the most carnivorous?

Tarsius tarsier

Which australopithecine is their evidence of being alive around 1.8 MBP?

A. (Paranthropus) boisei

Which of the following characteristics connects Scandentia to primates?

28 primate specific genes

Which model of the populating of the world by AMHS is most clearly supported by scientific data?

Out of Africa or Assimilation Model (on slides says Out-of-Africa but in class said assimilation model was now the most accurate today?)

What characteristic places Ardipithecus ramidus into the hominin clade?

Non-honing canines

Which of the following animals have culture?

All of the above

(Answers include: AMHS, Capuchin monkeys, Killer whales, Homo erectus georgius)

Which of the following traits can distinguish a Late Homo habilis from an Early Homo erectus?

Postcranial proportions

Which of the following was NOT a contributor to the disappearance of hominoids during the Pliocene Epoch?

Inability to eat unripe fruit

Which of the following hominoids has shown the greatest amount of sexual dimorphism?

Gorilla beringei

The Oldowan Tool Complex is associated in some way with which of the following hominins?

Homo habilis

Increased sexual dimorphism is most associated with which social system in primates?

Polygyny

Which of the following genera is NOT a hominoid (ape)?

Aegyptopithecus (is a cercopithecid/old world monkey)

AMHS belongs to which of the following taxonomic groups?

Hominoidea and Strepsirrhini

All human mitochondrial DNA can be traced back to which living group?

San Bushmen of the Kalahari

(Indigenous groups in Southern Africa, have some of the oldest and most genetically diverse human DNA; closer to South & East Africa = More genetic diversity)

Which Hominin type was the first to migrate out of Africa?

Homo erectus

Which of the following is genetic evidence supporting the AMHS Multi-Regional Continuity Model for the populating of the world?

Low levels of genetic differentiation between geographic regions

Which of the following ancient hominoids were NOT found in Southeast Asia?

Orrorin tugenensis (extinct genus of primate found in Kenya)

Which hominin was the first to use hafted/composite tools?

Homo heidelbergensis

Which of the following continents was last to be colonized by AMHS?

America(s)

Which of the following primates is/was facultatively bipedal?

Pan troglodytes

Which of the following hominin types were living side by side with Homo habilis?

All the above

(The Australopithecus and other homo species listed all overlapped w/ homo habilis)

Which of the following features separates an average Australopithecus afarensis from early Homo habilis?

Cranial capacity

From when do we find the earliest fossil true primates (Euprimates)?

Eocene (56-34 MBP)

Which of the following genera does NOT belong to the family hominidea?

Hylobates (is a type of gibbon)

Which of the following organisms is the closest LIVING relative of AMHS?

Pan paniscus is closest relative (Bonobo)

Which hominin type is associated with the first controlled use of fire?

Homo erectus

The Mousterian Tool Complex is associated with which of the following hominin?

Homo sapiens neanderthalensis

Which of the following modern populations carries the largest amount of Archaic Homo sapiens DNA?

Melanesians

Which of the following hypotheses did NOT contribute to the development of bipedalism in hominins?

Savannah

When comparing AMHS to the Kabwe skull (H. s. heidelbergensis) which of the following differences do we see?

Decrease in prognathism

Which is the earliest dated hominin site found out of Africa?

Dminisi, Republic of Georgia

You are called in to assist in capturing genetically spliced animal-people on an island run by an eccentric scientist called Doctor Moreau; you manage to tranquilize a monkey-human chimera with a prehensile tail, from which continent did the monkey genetics of this particular creature come?

Americas (new world monkeys like capuchins have prehensile trails, which are found in Americas. Old world monkeys found in Asia & Africa do not)

EXTRA CREDIT: Which of the following characteristics are associated with LB-1, Homo floresiensis?

Australopithecine postcranial proportions

EXTRA CREDIT: Which of the following domestic traits in AMHS is NOT directly due to a reduction of testosterone?

Improved language abilities

EXTRA CREDIT: Which of the following traits/attributes are thought to be associated with the Omomyid, Shoshonius cooperi?

All of the above

(Traits include lemur-like body, rhinarium, Smaller than a squirrel, and Tapetum lucidum)

EXTRA CREDIT: In which period do we have the speciation event that Vrba (1985) uses to describe her Turnover-Pulse Hypothesis?

Pliocene (5.3-1.8 MBP)

EXTRA CREDIT: Which of the following most likely did NOT contribute to the disappearance of all Archaic Homo sapiens types?

None of the above

(AHMS, disease, the LGM, and slower reproduction rates all contributed to their disappearance)

EXTRA CREDIT: Sahelanthropus tchadensis is often considered the earliest hominin, however, what are arguments as to why this is a problematic classification?

All the above

(Arguments: Dates to 7 MBP, Facultative bipedalism not diagnostic & Inconclusive evidence of non-honing canines)

EXTRA CREDIT: Which of the following populations have the largest average cranial capacity?

Native Americans

EXTRA CREDIT: The remains of Dminisi 4 and La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 prove that pre-AMHS Homo cared for their infirm ("elders") because of what characteristic?

Antemortem loss of molars

EXTRA CREDIT: Nariokotome Boy belongs to which hominin type?

Ergaster

EXTRA CREDIT: Average AMHS cranial capacity is ~1350cc, how large was Albert Einstein's brain?

1230cc

Which of the following suborders are both lorisiformes & tarsiiformes in? *

(* some of these I made up based on the test review classes)

Prosimians

What are the three Euprimate Origins Hypotheses? *

1. Arboreal Hypothesis 2. Visual Predation Hypothesis

3. Angiosperm Radiation Hypothesis

What traits make up the Euprimates? *

1. Nails (sometimes)

2.Binocular/Stereoscopic Vision

3. Tactile Pads

4. Opposable Digits

5. Larger crania

6. 67+ genera

Which of is from the Oligocene period? (34-22 MBP) *

Aegyptopithecus

Which of these is considered the earliest ape? *

Proconsul

What caused the decline of apes and the diversification of the monkeys in the Pliocene? *

Monkeys were more adaptable than apes due to their shorter lifespans and ability to reproduce quicker

What is tolerance for eye contact in primates related to? *

Hierarchal social groups (More dominant primate societies = less tolerance for eye contact; ex: gorillas hate eye contact)

What is the oldest Australopithecine to ever exist? *

Sahelanthropus tchadensis

Biggest difference between A. Afaranesis and and A. Africanus *

Location (Northeast Africa vs. South Africa)

What is the earliest stone tool site? *

Lomewki Tool Complex (3.9 - 2.8 MBP)

What is Lucy's scientific name? *

Australopithecus afarensis