ANHB 1101: Becoming Human 1

Australopithecus afarensis location

East Africa

Australopithecus afarensis date range

3.8 - 3.0 mya

Australopithecus afarensis cranial capacity

400-450cc

Australopithecus afarensis common name

Southern Ape

"Lucy"

Australopithecus afarensis
Adult female; small brain case; prognathism; reduced canines; small diastema; sexual dimorphism in dentition

Australopithecus afarensis Build (Limbs)

Broad and narrow pelvis; long femoral neck; arms were somewhat longer than my legs compared to modern homo sapiens

Australopithecus afarensis dentition

Thick enamel on teeth; large molars; intermediate premolars; intermediate dental arcade (parallel to parabolic); diastema in males not females

Australopithecus afarensis locomotion/skull

Early bipedal; prognathic; intermediate foramen magnum;

Laetoli footprints (Date; location; hominin; locomotion/features)

3.6 mya
Northern Tanzania
Australopithecus afarensis
no opposable big toe; bipedal locomotion; longitudinal and transverse arches

Australopithecus africanus location

South Africa

Australopithecus africanus common name

Southern Ape of Africa

Australopithecus africanus Skull

small brain case; slight prognathism;

Australopithecus africanus dentition

Large teeth with similar proportions to modern humans; reduced canines

"Taung Child"

Australopithecus africanus

Australopithecus africanus date range

3 - 2.2 mya

Paranthropus boisei Location

South and East Africa

Paranthropus boisei date range

2.6 - 1.2 mya

Paranthropus boisei cranial capacity

500cc

Paranthropus boisei dentition

Massive cheek teeth relative to incisors for eating tough fibrous material; no diastema

Paranthropus boisei skull features

Sagittal crest and large muscle attachment sites on mandible; less prognathic

Paranthropus boisei build

Robust; not sexually dimorphic

Paranthropus boisei common name

Nutcracker man

Homo habilis date range

2.8 - 1.5 mya

Homo habilis location

South and East Africa

Homo habilis cranial capacity

700cc

Homo habilis skull

Orthognathic; central foramen magnum; advancement of the Broca's area linked to speech production

Homo habilis dentition

Molars and canines were the same size; no diastema; premolars were like molars; parabolic dental arcade; smaller teeth and thinner enamel than contemporaneous bipedal species

Homo habilis locomotion

Fully bipedal

Homo habilis common name

Handy man

Homo habilis tool culture

Oldowan Stone Tools; choppers

Homo habilis social structure

Lived in family groups; home base but no shelter

Homo rudolfensis difference to Homo habilis

Slightly larger brain and molars

Homo habilis build

Sexually dimorphic; ~130cm; 35kg

Reduced progathism reasons

Reduction in jaw size and facial flattening due to invention of cooking (reduction in tooth sizes)

Parabolic dental arcade reasons

Reduced prognathism; reduced teeth sizes

Oldowan Stone Tools

Homo habilis
Choppers; Simple flake tools struck from a core using a hammer stone or anvil
Flakes removed from one side of the core for cutting through muscle and plants

Selection of Homo erectus and ergaster by environment

Changes to vegetation and food availability; cooling of the environment selected for increased body size and smaller SA:Vol ratios; longer shaft of femurs

Homo ergaster location

Africa and Europe

Homo ergaster significance

First wave of migration out of Africa into Europe (developed into Homo erectus)

Homo ergaster date range

1.8 - 0.5 mya

Homo ergaster build (height; weight; limbs)

160-200cm; 60 kg; Long legs; narrow hips and shoulders; short bowl shaped pelvis

Homo ergaster cranial capacity

850-1000cc

Homo ergaster locomotion

Fully committed terrestrial biped

Homo ergaster developmental period

Hypothesised longer developmental period compared to earlier species; evident in later molar eruption and later enamel development

Homo ergaster tool culture

Adapted Oldowan tool culture into Acheulian tool culture

Homo ergaster lifestyle

Hunted large animals; controlled fire

Homo ergaster dentition

No diastema; premolars like molars; same sized canines and molars; parabolic dental arcade

Homo ergaster common name

Working man

Nariokotome boy

Homo ergaster (12 years old)
Discovered in Tanzania

Peking Man

Homo erectus
Dated 600 - 300 kya

Homo erectus date range

1.6 - 0.2 mya

Homo erectus location

Asia (China and Java)

Homo erectus significance

Dead end group; adapted from Homo ergaster

Homo erectus cranial capacity

840 - 1000cc

Homo erectus build

150cm; 60kg

Homo erectus tool culture

Oldowan tool culture (Acheulian tool culture was present but did not use)

Homo erectus lifestyle

Controlled fire

Homo erectus common name

Upright man

Acheulian tool culture

Homo ergaster/Homo heidelbergensis
Hand axes; bifacial standard forms with numerous purposes e.g butchering

Homo heidelbergensis location

Africa; Asia; Europe

Erectines

Homo ergaster and Homo erectus

Erectine environment

Engaged in niche construction; changed the environment to suit needs

Erectine lifestyle and food consumption

Controlled fire; ate meat through hunting or scavenging

Homo floresiensis

Discovered in Indonesia
AKA Hobbit; very short 1m tall
Probably descendant of Homo erectus

Encephalisation (and tool use)

An evolutionary increase in the complexity or relative size of the brain; tool use preceded period of greatest encephalisation

Homo heidelbergensis date range

0.8 - 0.2 mya

Homo heidelbergensis build

150-180cm; 60-100kg

Homo heidelbergensis cranial capacity

1200 - 1300cc

Homo heidelbergensis tool culture and usage

Acheulian tool culture; wooden spears/javelins

Homo heidelbergensis lifestyle

Controlled fire; hunted large animals

Homo heidelbergensis significance

Second wave of migration out of Africa into Europe and Asia

Period of encephalisation

1.8 mya onwards showed a gradual increase; 0.5mya onwards showed a greater increase

Pattern of evolution in hominins

Mosaic pattern not progressive

Homo heidelbergensis skull

Distinct supraorbital torus but was slightly reduced
Higher cranial vault compared to Homo ergaster
Lemon Shaped skull
Smooth mandible with no chin

Homo heidelbergensis social structure

Beach huts were found

Homo neanderthalensis location

Europe and Middle East

Homo neanderthalensis date range

400 - 35kya

Homo neanderthalensis build

160cm; 80kg; very robust muscular bodies

Homo neanderthalensis cranial capacity

1200-1600cc

Homo neanderthalensis skull

Occipital bun for vision in the dark; large and elongated skull; supraorbital torus
Sloped cranial vault compared to modern humans
No chin
Large bony nose

Homo neanderthalensis lifestyle and climatisation

Adaptations for living in cold climate e.g large bony nose for more tissue attachment heating cold air
Hunting of large game; possible cannibalism

Homo neanderthalensis extinction possible cause

Not able to adapt well enough; displaced by modern humans; possible conflict

Homo neanderthalensis social interactions

Little admixture with Homo sapiens (Homo neanderthalensis genes found e.g disease resistance; blood clots; depression)
Possibly lived in caves

Homo neanderthalensis culture

Mousterian tool culture; flake tools (Levallois technique)
Fashioning of beads for jewellery
Self medication by plants
Art work

Denisovans

Genetically related to Homo neanderthalensis
Some humans have Denisovan genes

Origins of Agriculture

~12kya

Homo sapiens origin

Africa

Homo sapiens date range

300kya to present

Homo sapiens significance

Third wave out of Africa

Homo sapiens cranial capacity

1250-1400cc

Homo sapiens skull

Chin is present; loss of prominant supraorbital torus; no occipital bun

Homo sapiens build

160cm; 60kg

Homo sapiens migration to Australia

~65kya; built sea worth boast from New Guinea to Australia/Tasmania (Sahul)

Homo sapiens Tool Culture

Upper Palaeolithic tool culture; use of ivory

Homo sapiens culture

Ritual burials; built shelters; cave paintings

Homo sapiens evolutionary significance

Post reproductive lifespan; relatively short inter-birth period due to possible help; short to normal gestation for size; prolonged juvenile development

Obstetrical Dilemma

Difficulty in child birth for modern humans requiring assistance
Biological constraints of the pelvis; adapted for bipedal locomotion but constriction of the birth canal
Sexual dimorphism of the pelvis due to neonatal cranium

Obstetrical Dilemma evolutionary adaptations Maternal

Longer superior pelvic ramus
Wider greater sciatic notch
Wider true pelvis
Wider sub pubic angles
Softening of the pubic symphasis after pregnancy

Obstetrical Dilemma evolutionary adaptations Neonatal

Bones of the cranium are not fused allowing for slight compression
Space for rapid natal brain development
Inferior non-ossified fontanelles

Mitochondria structure

Double membrane bound organelle with a highly folded inner membrane called cristae