NCEA Level 3 Biology - Human Evolution

Broca's area

Brain area for speech development

Cerebellum

Part of brain for Balance and coordination

Teeth/Jaw shape in quadrupedes

U shape

Nuchal crest and it’s differences

Bony ridge across back of skull where muscles supporting head are attached. Well defined in quadrupeds. Reduces in bipeds

Sagittal crest and differences

Ridge running lengthwise along top of skull where jaw muscles are attached. Well defined in quadrupeds. Reduced in bipeds.

Spine shape in quadrupeds

C-shaped

Valgus angle in bipeds

Angle formed by the femur with pelvis allowing knees to be closer than hip joints. Allows to have knees under centre of gravity

Arched foot

Shock absorbing property

Non-divergent big toe purppose

Gives thrust in walking

A. afarensis

“Lucy”

1. 4-3.0 mya

2. Chimpanzee-like skull

3. more human-like teeth

4. human-like pelvis and thigh bones

5. stood 1.5m

6. 385-450cc brain size

Occipital bun

Bulge at lower rear of skull

Diastema

Gap between incisors and canines

Upper palaeolithic

Made by H. sapiens, finely worked stone, bone carved into needles and hooks, carved wood, used more than one material in a tool (composite)

Oldowan

Produced by H. habilis, small flakes knocked off stone cobbles, used for hammering, chopping, digging. Flakes used as knives

Acheulean

Made by H. ergaster and H. erectus, symmetrical teardrop shapes, bifacial (flakes detached from both surfaces) digging roots, chopping wood, butchering animals, hand-axes

Mousterian

1. Made by H. neanderthalensis,

2. finely-worked, sharp edged flakes.

3. Made using Levalloi method

4. Cooperative hunting

Levallois method

refers to a strategy of stone-tool production, specifically a means of taking a block of stone (core) and producing sharp - edged flake tools through percussive application of a stone hammer

Biological evolution

Passing down of genetic information

Multiregional theory

H. erectus migrated out of Africa, into Europe and Asia. Each population evolved in parallel with some interbreeding. Evidence: Fossils with transitional forms

Out of Africa theory (Replacement theory)

H. erectus migrated into Europe and Asia.H. sapiens who evolved in Africa migrated and replaced H. erectus. Evidence: analysis of mtDNA and y-chromosome, H. sapiens skull found in Africa

mtDNA

DNA passed from mother to child, mutations occur at a steady rate

Foramen magnum

The name for the hole in the base of the skull, through which the spinal cord passes

Hominin

Living and fossil species belonging to human and bipedal ancestors

Wernicke's area

The brain centre responsible for interpreting speech

Cultural evolution

1. The type of evolution where things are taught/learned between and within generations, and not passed on in the DNA

2. Tools better, use of shelter, abstract thought, imagination, domestication of plants/animals

3. Positive feedback between biological and cultural evolution

Shape of pelvis in bipedal organisms

Bowl shaped

1. larger for glute muscles to lift leg

2. Holds organs while upright

Lower Palaeolithic

The name for the culture that included the Oldowan and Acheulian together

Upper Palaeolithic

The later phase of the Old Stone Age

Brow ridge and differences

Heavy bone over the eye which reduces the stresses in the skull and lower jaw involved with chewing. Large in quadrupeds. Small in bipeds

Zygomatic arch and differences

Gap through which large jaw muscles pass through, also known as cheekbone. Large in quadrupeds. Reduced in bipeds.

Mitochondrial DNA

mtDNA passed on from mother to daughter only.

Effect of cooking

Kills bacteria, softens food, supports change in jaw structure.

Effect of H.erectus discovering fire

1. Cooks food

2. hardens tools

3. lengthens day

4. kept warm

5. keeps predators away

Sexual dimorphism

Name for the differences observed between male and female skeletons

Bipedal feet characteristics.

Forward facing big toe, arched, big toe attached

Power grip

Type of grip used by all primates

Precision grip

Type of grip used by humans only

Shorter pelvic advantages

Stronger, able to tilt and rotate during walking

Arboreal

Living in trees

Shape/dental arcade of jaw of bipedes

V- shaped Jaw

Middle Palaeolithic tools

Mousterian and scrapers axe heads

Domestication

Deliberately managing the reproduction of a species of plant or animal to make use of it for human benefit

Nomadic

A population with no fixed home.

Knuckle Walking

A form of quadrupedal locomotion in which the body weight of the individual pushed down on the ground with its knuckles

Brachiating

Locomotion accomplished by swinging by the arms from one hold to another

Cranium

The part of the skull the encompasses the brain

Mandible

The lower Jaw or jawbone

Hunter-gatherer

Populations who were nomadic who would forage wild plants foods and actively hunt animals

Early Farmer

Populations who would live in settled societies, these groups cultivated crops and domesticated animals

Effect of Art

1. Imagination

2. Other ways of communication

3. Better mental wellbeing

4. Showed some spirituality

Hominids

A group term referring humans and great apes

Spine shape in bipeds

S-shaped

Rib cage shape in quadrupeds

Flattened side to side, wide rib cage

Rib cage shape in bipeds

Flattened back to front, narrow rib cage

Shape of pelvis/ pelvic girdle in quadrupeds

long and narrow

Valgus angle in quadrupeds

No valgus angle, femur is straight under hip joint. “swagging” motion when walking bipedal

Femur size in quadrupeds

short and thick

Femur size in bipeds

Long

Arms in quadrupeds

longer for walking on all fours and swinging

Arms in bipeds

shorter - no tree swinging

Knee joint in quadrupeds

No buttress

Knee joint in bipeds

Buttresses that prevents sideways sliding of joint

Hands in quadrupeds

• Larger fingers

• Short thumbs

• Curved fingers

• Power grip

Hands in bipeds

• Shorter fingers

• Long thumb

• Straight fingers

• Precision grip

Feet in quadrupeds

• Opposable big toe - tree swinging

• Flat feet

Feet in bipeds

• Forward facing big toe

• Arched feet

What does larger cerebrum mean

memory and decision making

Neolithic tools

hunter-gatherer to domestication of plants and animals

Effect of making shelters

1. Safety, warmth, protection

2. Stay in one place, therefore allows farming

Effect of making clothes

Enables to live in different conditions

Effect of communication

1. learn from others

2. cooperation during hunting

Positive effects of domestication

1. Easy food source

2. Allows for trade

3. Allows permanent settlement

4. More time available as less time hunting/gathering

5. use animals for hard labour

negative effects of domestication

1. restricted to “what” available “when”

2. Attracts insects and rodents, therefore disease

3. Conflicts

4. weather dependent

OAMUPN mnemonic

For tool cultures

1. Olodowan

2. Achulean

3. Mousterian

4. Upper Paleolithic

5. Neolithic

HEENS mnemonic

for Homo groups

1. Habilis

2. Ergaster

3. Erectus

4. Neanderthalensis

5. Sapien