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Early Attempts at Man

Early Attempts at Man. The Australopithecines. Other than bipedalism . . . Other trends in hominid evolution Expansion of the brain – see skulls Absolute and relative Link to tool production – nature favors the clever Reduction of teeth, face, jaws

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Early Attempts at Man

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  1. Early Attempts at Man The Australopithecines

  2. Other than bipedalism . . . • Other trends in hominid evolution • Expansion of the brain – see skulls • Absolute and relative • Link to tool production – nature favors the clever • Reduction of teeth, face, jaws • Changing food sources/processing make oversized jaws unnecessary • Extended period of infant dependency • Brain is larger, skull is unformed to accommodate birth of said brain • Eating large game • Hunted or scavenged, certainly butchered – marks on bones • Division of labor

  3. Australopithecus – “Southern Ape” • Predominantly found in Eastern Africa • 3.6 million year old fossilized footprints suggest bipedal movement • Spacing, arch, lack of knuckle marks, forward-facing first digit • Though bipedal, other fossils show ability to climb/swing

  4. Australopithecus Ramidus (in text) • After more research, commonly given genus “Ardipithecus” • 4.5 million years old • Pelvis suggests bipedalism, foot retains opposed first digit • Shares some skeletal traits with chimp ancestors, dentition with Australopithecus • Smaller relative brain size than australopithecines (similar to modern bonobos)

  5. A. afarensis • 4-3 million years old • Ape-like teeth • Larger incisors/canines • Tooth rows converge at back • Small brains - ~415 cc • 3.5-4.5’ tall • Lucy – very complete skeleton – 40% • Suggestive of bipedalism, but also climbing characteristics

  6. A. africanus • 3-2 million years old • Brain size – 428-485 cc • Broad incisors, short canines • Pelvis, spine, foramen magnum all suggest bipedal life • Taung Child – 3.5 year old at death – first pre-human found

  7. A. robustus and A. boisei • So-called “robust” species • More commonly now designated Paranthropus– “beside humans” • Robustus – Southern Africa • 1.8-1 million years old • Boisei – Eastern Africa • 2.2-1.3 million years old • Similar body size to other australopithecines • MUCH larger skull/jaw characteristics • Teeth, cheeks, muscle attachment points

  8. To Do: Place the following things on a timeline that runs from about 5 million years ago to the present. Plot the species and label the time period. Include some general detail about each node on your timeline. • Australopithecus afarensis • A. africanus • A. boisei • A. robustus • Ardipithecus ramidus • Dart’s Taung Child • “Lucy” • Homo habilis • H. erectus • H. sapiens • H. sapiens neanderthalensis • Cro Magnon man • Clovis • Identify the Middle and Upper Paleolithic

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