compiled by Mrs M Pillay
Human Evolution
Where are HUMANS placed in the animal kingdom?
Humans are mammals.
Humans belong to the ORDER called PRIMATES
Primates include: humans, African apes, orang-utans, gorillas and chimpanzees.
Humans belong the FAMILY called Hominidae which include African apes, orang-utans,
gorillas and chimpanzees.
Hominids: is any member of the family Hominidae
ARBOREAL
Most of the primates live on trees. This is known as an ABOREAL LIFE:
A life spent on trees.
Humans scientific name is: Homo sapiens
genus name is: Homo and the species name is: sapiens
Genus name is always the first name of the scientific name and the second
name is the species name.
The genus name must have the first letter in a capital letter and the species
name is in all lowercase letters.
State ALL the characteristics humans share with African apes other primates?
[Link] thumbs: allows for power grip and precision grip.
[Link] upper arms
[Link] rotating arms
[Link] instead of claws
[Link] in the front - stereoscopic vision-3D vision
[Link] brain
[Link] fingers
Bipedalism
Humans are bipedal and Apes are quadrupeds
Bipedal: using two legs for walking - humans
Quadruped: using four limbs for walking - apes
What is the foreman magnum? The opening in skull through which the spinal cord passes.
What makes humans bipedal? The forward position of the foramen magnum which allows the spinal cord
to enter vertically. This allows for an upright posture so humans use two legs for walking.
In apes the foramen magnum is in the back of the skull - which does not support an upright posture and
therefore apes have to use for limbs for walking.
What is meant by bipedalism? Walking on two legs
State ALL the advantages of bipedalism?
1. The hands become free for carrying food, tools and babies
2. A better view of the surrounding in search of food and predators
3. Movement from place to place becomes easier
4. Faster cooling of the body
5. Display of male sex organs as part of courtship behaviour
Bipedalism: spine
spine
spine
C-shaped S- shaped
spine spine
Bipedalism: pelvic girdle
long and narrow
STATE THE FEATURES THAT SUPPORTS BIPEDALISM
How do we measure brain
size? measure the volume of
cranium
There are THREE MAIN LINES of evidence that indicate
that hominids shared a common ancestor: Remember
hominids include :
Hominids include all the apes and humans
- Fossil evidence: Evidence from fossils of different ages
show that the anatomical characteristics of organisms
changed gradually over time.
- Genetic evidence
- Cultural evidence
all our human ancestors were bipedal
Tracing Human Evolution: oldest to most recent fossils
Ardipithecus ramidus - Genus : Ardipithecus species: ramidus
Australopithecus afarensis - Lucy is the nickname
Australopithecus africanus - Taung child, Mrs Ples and Little Foot
Australopithecus sediba- Karabou
Transitional fossil : between Australopithecus and Homo
This fossil showed characteristics of both Australopithecus and Homo.
Homo habilis : handy man - used tools
Homo erectus: tall man
Homo sapiens: wise man
Questions:
1. How many different genera are there in the evolution of humans?____________
2. Name the genus for modern humans? _______________
3. Name the species to which Lucy belonged?__________________
4. To which genus did Mrs Ples belong to?____________________
All the fossils listed
Lucy
below were
bipedal:foramen
magnum was in a
more forward
position Mrs Ples: found by Robert Broom
Tuang child: found by Raymond Dart
Little foot : found by Ron Clarke
How to measure brain
size? measure the
volume of the cranium Karabou
Handy man
Tools
upright man
wise man
Lines of evidence that support the idea of common ancestors for living hominids
including humans:
Fossil evidence: Evidence from fossils of different ages show that the anatomical
characteristics of organisms changed gradually over time.
Emphasis on evolutionary trends provided by the anatomical features of fossils of the
following three genera:
• Ardipithecus
• Australopithecus
• Homo
Karabou
as well as:
• The age of each fossil found/time-line for the existence of the three genera
• The fossil sites where they were found: emphasis on the fossil sites that form a part of
the Cradle of Humankind
• The scientists who discovered them
Genetic evidence: mitochondrial DNA
Cultural evidence: tool-making showed advances in human development -Homo habilis
Fossil evidence : Evidence from fossils of different ages show that the anatomical
characteristics of organisms changed gradually over time.
From the 3 genera: how did the characteristics changed gradually over time?
• Ardipithecus
• Australopithecus
• Homo
Brain size increases over time
Protruding jaws to less protruding jaws
Heavy brow ridges to less pronounced brow ridges
Large canines to small canines
OUT OF AFRICA HYPOTHESIS
=
Which 2 species are more closely related: A and C or B and C?
Answer: B and C, they share a more recent common ancestor.
Little foot
Sexual dimorphism
Sexes of the same species show diff characteristics: size, weight colour
Diastema