Human Evolution Final Exam

According to binomial nomenclature, what is the genus and species name of modern humans?

A. Homo Sapien

B. Homo Sapiens

C. Homo Sapiens

D. Sapiens homo

Homo Sapiens

The observation that fossil animal assemblages follow each other in time and in a predictable time manner. We generally know when they disappeared

• Hint: examples in class were Suids (pigs), which are well represented in the fossil record, horses, and the great Irish Elk

A. Law of Superposition

B. Faunal Succession dating

C. Argon-Argon dating

D. carbon dating

Faunal Succession Dating

This form of non-radiometric dating can be used on organic materials (bone, shell, etc) and has a typical time range accuracy of 40-200 KYA

• Hint: it compares the ratio of “organic molecules” that have a levorotary (left) conformation in life but a dextrotary (right) conformation in death

A. Radiocarbon

B. Uranium-lead

C. Potassium - Argon

D. Amino Acid Racemization

Amino Acid Racemization

When dating geological formations, we utilize a set of basic and fundamental properties that hold true across the world

• one is the general idea that the lower you dig, the old the age of the strata. The closer to the surface, the younger. This is called what?

A. Bergmann’s rule

B. Law of Superposition

C. Law of Faunal Succession

D. Law of gravity

Law of Superposition

This form of fossilization is when skeletal materials are subjected to high temp. And pressure (from being buried) and eventually convert chemically and structurally to a more thermodynamically stable form. Name this fossil type

A. Freezing

B. Replacement

C. Amber

D. Recrytalization

Replacement

We discussed three major eras for life on Earth. The era which began roughly 66 MYA (post KT event) and continues to present day, brought about the great proliferation and radiation of mammals, including primates. Name this era

A. Cenozoic

B. Mammalzoic

C. Miocene

d. Paleozoic

Cenozoic

Which of the following things are typically bad for fossils? Which variable makes the specimen least likely to transition to a fossil form

A. Acidic soils

B. Anoxic/Low Oxygen environments

C. Immediate Burial

D. a lack of microorganism

Acidic Soils

Mammals (thus primates, including humans) have single temporal “fenestra” in our skulls. All animals that have this single temporal fenestra are collectively called:

• hint: recall that many reptiles have two fenestra‘s, mammals have a single fenestra And turtles have none

A. Diapsids

B. Synapsids

C. Anapsids

D. Antacids

Synapsids

(Diapsids have 2, anapsids have 0)

This taxonomic group of apes is known as “dental apes” because they have dentition similar to that of extant apes but still retain a rather monkey-like body. (Unlike apes today)

• hint: their name was derived from a famous circus chimpanzee from the 1900s

A. Proconsul

B. Sivapithecus

C. Dryopithecus

D. Nakalipithecus

Proconsul

These apes represent a European expansion of the ape radiation from Africa during the middle Miocene.

• remains of these ape genera have been found in Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, and Turkey. Name these apes

A. Dryopithecines

B. Proconsulids

C. Sivapithecines

D. Australopithecines

Dryopithecine’s

these Miocene apes found in India are thought to be the most likely candidates for being the ancestral group from which modern-day orangutanes came

A. Dryopithecus

B. Choropithecus

C. Sivapithecus

D. Nakalipithecus

Sivapithecus (Sivapithcids)

The hypothesis that currently ranks as the most likely explanation for the presence of monkeys in the Americas (so called “New World Monkeys”) is…

A. Hypothesis I: NWM originated in North America and evolved into NWM that migrated to South America

B. Hypothesis II: NWM originated in Africa then migrated/floated across the Atlantic Ocean to South America via vegetative rafts because the two continents were much closer together than they are today and we have evidence that other animals have migrated in this fashion

C. Hypothesis III: NMW originated in Africa reached South America by land bridges from the southern tip of Africa into Antarctica (which had a warmer climate than it does today) and into South Africa

D. Hypothesis IV: NWM and Catarrhines originated independently (NWM in S. America and Catarrhines in Africa)

Hypothesis II: NWM originated in Africa then migrated/floated across the Atlantic Ocean to South America via vegetative rafts because the two continents were much closer together than they are today

This hominin, considered the earliest fossil evidence of our lineage, was found in Chad, Africa and dated to around 7 MYA

• no post-cranial remains have yet been found but the partial cranium that was discovered tells us a lot, including the anteriorly placed forarm magnum. Name this hominin

A. Ardipithecus ramidus

B. Australopithecus Afarensis

C. Orrorin Tugenensis

D. Sahelanthropus Tchadensis

Sahelanthropus Tchadenis

We discovered a couple hypotheses regarding the reason why we evolved into upright walking. One of the most compelling hypotheses was the “provisioning hypothesis”

• this hypothesis was put forth by:

A. Peter Rodman

B. Henry McHenry

C. Jane Goodall

D. Owen Lovejoy

Owen Lovejoy

This fossil hominin, dated to around 4.4 MYA and found in the Afar Depression of Ethiopia, Africa, was an animal that had a broad pelvis (like ours) that allowed for lumbar lordosis

• We also know that this hominin did not knuckle-walk because it lacked grooves on the finger bones that knuckle-walking produces in extant apes

• This hominin walked upright at least part of the time but still displayed a very unique opposable big toe that was uniquely used in upright locomotion. Name this hominin

A. Ardipithecus Ramidus

B. Sahelanthropus tchadensis

C. Australopithecus Afarensis

D. Homo erectus

Ardipithecus ramidus

This fossil hominin, dated roughly 6 MYA and found in the Tugen Hills of Kenya, Africa, is notable not just for its ancient age but for its femur which shows a groove for the obituary or external muscle

• this groove is seen in upright walkers and not in apes. Name this hominin

A. Australopithecus afarensis

B. Australopithecus africanus

C. Kenyanthropus Platyopus

D. Orrorin tugenensis

Orrorin Tugenensis

The first Australopithecine fossil ever discovered was found in 1924 by Raymond Dart in South America and turned out to belong to a group that came to be known as Australopithecus africanus. What was the name of the 1st Australopithecus Specimen?

A. Kadanuumuu

B. Lucy’s Baba aka Dikika Child aka Selam

C. Black Skull

D. Taung child

Taung child

The famous and small “Lucy” fossil, “Dikika Baby” and the larger “Kadanuumu” fossils belong to which hominin taxa?

A. Australopithecus Anamensis

B. Australopithecus Sediba

C. Australopithecus africanus

D. Australopithecus afarensis

Australopithecus afarensis

This fossil hominin found in Kenya, Africa and dated to around 3.5 MYA lived in a woodland environment and was most noted for having a particularly human-like “flat face” and small molar teeth, similar to our own. Name this hominin

A. Australopithecus afarensis

B. Kenyanthropus Platyops

C. Orrorin tugenensis

D. Orrorin Tugenensis

Kenyanthropus platypus

This fossil hominin found in Ethiopia, Africa and dated to around 2.5 MYA and lived in a woodland environment.

• It was discovered by T. White and Y. Halie-Selassie.

• It’s notable for its long legs, possible stone tool use, and some think this taxa could have led directly to genus homo. Name this hominin

A. Australopithecus garhi

B. Kenyanthropus platyops

C. Orrorin tugenensis

D. Homo erectus

Australopithecus Garhi

The famous fossil “Taung Child” was approx. 3 years old at death and has been approx. dated with a range of 3-2.3 MYA

• not only is this fossil a child, it shows evidence for bipedality and has “forensic” evidence of an eagle attack, which likely took its life.

  • Name the taxonomic group this fossil belongs to

A. Australopithecus garhi

B. Australopithecus Sediba

C. Paranthropus robustus

D. Australopithecus africanus

Australopithecus Africanus

This hominin is arguably the longest lived (in terms of overall duration of species ~1.8 MYA - 300 KYA), was first to migrate/radiate out of Africa, had longer legs than fossil taxa before it

• utilized a tool industry called Acheulean that turned out to be the longest lasting tool tradition ever used by humans and human ancestors. Name this Taxonomic group:

A. Homo Habilis

B. Homo naledi

C. Homo Neanderthalensis

D. Homo erectus

Homo erectus

This fossil hominin remains named “Dragon Bone Hill” (for where they were located) represent a human relative that existed about 700 KYA in China

• these fossils disappeared during the chaos of WWII and have never been recovered. Name this fossil hominin taxa

A. Homo Naledi

B. Homo Sapiens

C. Homo Habilis

D. Homo Erectus

Homo erectus

We discussed the oldest human ancestor footprints in Tanzania at around 3.6 MYA. There were younger fossil footprints left in Illeret, Kenya, and these dated to around 1.5 MYA, long after the species that left footprints in Tanzania

• these prints display a hominin that walked like us, had an adducted big toe like us, and arched feet. Name the upright walker most likely to have made these particular tracts in Illeret, Kenya

A. Homo Erectus

B. Australopithecus afarensis

C. Ardipithecus Ramidus

D. Homo Naledit

Homo Erectus

These fossil human remains were found in Southwest China and have been dated to around 14.5 - 11 KYA. They lacked a bony chin, had large molar teeth, and thick skull bones.

• it has been proposed that perhaps this taxa could represent a hybrid between modern humans and the Denisove hominin.

• Naming of this group hints at the predominance of a particular food item found at their fossil location. Name this hominin group

A. Homo Luzonensis

B. Denisove Hominids

C. Red Deer Cave People

D. Dire Wolf Cave People

Red Deer Cave People

This hominin taxa was nicknamed “The Hobbit” for its short stature that resembled the character of Tolkien Lore (the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings) and was found in Liang Bua cave on an island in Indonesia

• their ancestry is unresolved and they may have emerged from Homo Erectus or another known or unknown hominin that migrated into Southeast Asia. Name this hominin

A. Homo Habilis

B. Homo Naledi

C. Homo Neanderthalensis

D. Homo Floresiensis

Homo Floresiensis

This hominin group has been found in Africa, Europe, and in Asia. Dated to roughly 700-200 KYA, it is likely the first hominin to have built shealte’s of wood and rock.

• It is also considered by many to be a likely candidate for the last common ancestor of modern humans and Homo Neanderthalensis.

• Name this hominin who takes its name from a fossil location in Germany

A. Homo Naledi

B. Homo Heidelbergensis

C. Homo Luzonensis

D. Homo Floresiensis

Homo Heidelbergensis

This famous fossil found in Shanidar, Iraq and dated to around 45 KYA represents an old male individual with heavy wear on his teeth, an eye injury, arm amputation, and arthritis.

• it has been proposed as a great example of the first fossil evidence of communal care in hominins because no single individual would have been likely to not only survive those injuries but continue to heal and live long beyond them alone.

• Name this hominin group

A. Homo Floresiensis

B. Homo Neanderthalensis

C. Homo Naledi

D. Homo Luzonensis

Homo Neanderthalensis

These fossil hominins were first found in a Siberian cave in 2008 in the Altai Mountians of Russia. We’ve even been able to extract some viable DNA from these bones which tells us that they interbred with modern humans and Neanderthals. We now know they have some genetic mutations that we see in high altitude humans of Tibet today.

• Today, modern indigenous peoples of Melanesia, Australia, etc. harbor the highest percentage of their DNA, up to 5%. We also know that 4% of this groups DNA come from a currently unknown archaic human species.

• Name this fossil taxa’’

A. Homo Erectus

B. Homo Habilis

C. Homo Neanderthalensis

D. Denisova Hominins

Denisova Homininds

These fossil remains represent the oldest evidence for Early Homo Sapiens in Africa approximately 300 KYA. These remains were found in Morocco, Africa.

• Name the exact location where these caves were found

A. Jebel Irhoud

B. Rising Star

C. Chad

D. Shanidar

Jebel Irhoud

The best evidence we have of modern Homo Sapiens in east Asia are a little over 40 KYA and include fossils from China and Laos. Even younger fossils at around 30 KYA have been found in a China cave system.

• these fossils still have large brow ridges but show small, flat faces indicative of modern peoples. Name the cave where these were found

A. Shanidar

B. Rising Star

C. Zhoukoudian

D. Jebel Irhoud

Zhoukoudian

These fossils represent some of the earliest conclusive evidence of early modern Homo Sapiens in Africa. Dated to around 200 KYA and found in Ethiopia, these remains display a human-like trait, a bony chin

• they also show a gracile skeleton, high forehead and relatively flat, reduced face. Name these fossils.

A. Lucy

B. Ardi

C. Omo and Herto

D. Taung and Dikika

Omo and Herto

In addition to skeletal traits, DNA evidence tells us that peoples that became known as the Native Americans (aka indigenous people of the America’s) were “Paleoindians” that show similarities with this region of the world, thus helping to explain their origin and migration.

A. South America

B. Southeast Asia

C. Europe

D. Northeast Asia

Northeast Asia

Both fossil and DNA evidence confirm that modern Homo Sapiens first evolved in ________

Africa

This food product (a result of the agricultural revolution) makes up 50% of the caloric intake of nearly 2 billion people

Rice

With the move from hunter-gatherer cultures to agriculturalists, we see the following traits emerge

• bones with lower robusticity and size

• Smaller less robust bones

• Little tooth wear

• Reduced child growth and development

• High in iron deficiency

Given the known costs that come along with an agricultural lifestyle (verses hunter-gather), it does come with some benefits. What is likely the main reason it has been so successful in a evolutionary sense?

The increase in female fertility

• It has allowed women to be sedentary, have a stable food supply (even if it is nutritionally wanting), to wean earlier, and, ultimately, have more offspirng

• Evolution is about survival and reproduction

the shift of agriculture and eating softer foods resulted in biological changes to the face, jaws, and teeth of modern people. Which trait trends occurred in the transition from hunter-gatherer to agriculture

Short skill, small gracile mandible, small teeth, many malocclusions (teeth are not aligned properly), little tooth wear but more cavities

The domestication of plants and animals began independently in many places around the world. The earliest evidence we have so far shows that this area is where it may have occurred first

The Fertile Crescent in the Middle East

What is the approximate time range for the so-called “Agricultural Revolution”?

Between the mid-17th and late 19th centuries

The bones of Hunter-gatherer peoples were ________ (thicker/thinner) from _______________ (increased/equal/decreased) when compared to the bone of later Agriculturists

Thicker, decreased

What is zoonosis and how does it apply to our past and current life?

diseases that were transferable between non-human animals to humans

• most human infections with zoonoses came from livestock, including pigs, chickens, cattle, goats, sheep, and camels.

• (Many of which were the first animals kept for food when we became agriculture based)

Define evolution

“Aka descent with modification”, a change in the allele frequency’s of a population over time

• (alleles are gene variants)