BIO A 201 - 11.17.25 Human Genetics & Variation; Behavior- Week 9 Slides 1

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to Hominin Evolution and Human Genetics as discussed in the lecture notes.

Mitochondrial Eve

The most recent common matrilineal ancestor of all current living humans, tracing through maternal lines via mtDNA.

Neanderthal admixture

The genetic contribution that Neanderthals made to modern human populations through interbreeding.

Australopithecus

A genus of hominins that lived from approximately 4 to 2 million years ago, known for being some of the earliest ancestors of modern humans.

Homo sapiens

The species name for modern humans, believed to have first appeared around 300,000 years ago.

Lower Paleolithic

The earliest subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age, characterized by the emergence of the first stone tools.

Oldowan tools

The earliest known stone tool industry, characterized by simple chipped stone tools.

Acheulean tools

A style of tool industry that emerged after Oldowan, which includes bifacial hand axes.

Hominin phylogenies

The evolutionary history and branching of the human lineage and related species.

Regulatory genes

Genes that control the activity of other genes, often playing a significant role in development and phenotypic expression.

Synonymous substitution

A genetic mutation that does not change the amino acid the gene encodes for.

Nonsynonymous substitution

A genetic mutation that results in a change to the amino acid sequence of a protein.

Neoteny

The retention of juvenile features in the adult organism; significant in human evolutionary development.

Human variation

Differences among human populations, influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

Genetic difference between species

The extent to which the DNA sequences of different species, such as humans and chimpanzees, vary from one another, which can be quantified as a percentage.