Humans as Bipedal Primates

Apes

Any of various Old World Primates

Arboreal

Living in Trees

Brachiating

Primates swing through branches using their arms

Broca’s Region

A section of the brain that coordinates the muscular movements required to produce speech

Brow Ridge

Bony Ridges above and around the eyes to protect

Cranium

The part of the skull that encloses the brain

Foramen magnum

The opening in the base of the skull through which the spinal cord connects to the brain

Habitual Biped

Usually walks upright on two legs

Knuckle Walking

A form of quadrupedal walking which involves flexing the tips of the fingers and carrying body weight on the middle segments of the fingers

Mandible

The lower jaw or jaw bone

Nuchal Crest

A bony ridge at the back of the skull where the neck muscles and ligaments attach in order to support the head

Obligate Biped

Adapted for walking only on two legs with no ability to walk on four

Opposable

A thumb that can be placed opposite the fingers of the same hand

Prehensile

An animals limb or tail that is capable of grasping

Out of Africa dispersal model

Modern humans evolved from a Homo group that left Africa around 120 kya. Spreading throughout Europe and Asia replacing previous hominids

Prognathic

Forward jaw which describes the degree to which the maxilla and mandible extend forward of the face

Sagittal crest

A bony ridge on the top of the skull to which the jaw muscles are attached

Sexually dimorphic

The differences in appearance between males and females of the same species

Terrestrial

animals that live on the ground

Valgus Angle

The angle the femur or upper leg bone makes relative to the knee

Wernicke’s Area

Receives sensory inputs and is the region of the brain responsible for language comprehension

Zygomatic Arch

The bony arch at the outer border of the eye socket

Hominid

All extinct and living great apes which includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans and their ancestral species

Hominin

Modern humans and our extinct ancestral relatives which includes every species since the divergence from our common ancestor

Oldowan Tool culture

First tools made by Homo Habilis which are typically a chopper for striking bones to extract the marrow

Acheulean took culture

Tools made and used by Homo Erectus which are tear drop shaped hand axes that were worked on all surfaces

Mousterian tool culture

Tools made and used by Homo Neanderthalensis which include hand axes, scrapers and fine points

Upper Paleolithic tool culture

Stone Age culture of Homo sapiens which includes stone, bone, antlers, hides and ropes to produce useful objects

Multi regional Model

Modern humans evolved separately in Europe, Asia and Africa following the dispersal of early homo around 1 mya