Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Archaeology

Flashcards based on key concepts from the lecture notes on biological anthropology and archaeology.

Primate Evolution

The study of how primates have evolved over time, including adaptations and diversification.

Genetic Dating

A method used to estimate the divergence of species by comparing their DNA.

Arboreal Hypothesis

The idea that primates adapted to life in trees, affecting their physical characteristics.

Visual Predation Hypothesis

The theory that primates evolved features to hunt for insects and prey in trees.

Adaptive Radiation

The rapid diversification of a lineage into many species due to ecological opportunities.

Plesiadapiforms

An early group of primates from the Paleocene that are potential ancestors of modern primates.

Dental Formula

The arrangement of teeth in an organism, significant in determining dietary habits.

Australopiths

Early human ancestors, some of which had characteristics leading to bipedalism.

Hominis

Group that includes all species more closely related to humans than to any other living great ape.

Bipedalism

The ability to walk on two feet, a defining characteristic of the hominins.

Oldowan Tools

The earliest known stone tools, associated with early hominins like Homo habilis.

Homo Erectus

An early human species characterized by a more modern body structure and tool usage.

Neanderthals

An extinct species of human known for their robust build and adaptation to cold climates.

Homo Floresiensis

A small-statured prehistoric human species discovered in Indonesia, often referred to as 'the Hobbit'.

Levallois Technique

A method of stone tool production that allowed for more sophisticated and controlled flake shapes.

Angiosperm Hypothesis

The theory that fruit-eating behavior of primates was driven by the evolution of flowering plants.

Taphonomy

The study of the processes that affect the fossilization of organisms.

Morphological Data

Physical characteristics used to compare and understand the evolution and relationships among species.

Mosaic Evolution

The concept that different traits evolve at different rates and times throughout evolutionary history.