Physical and biological anthropology: hominid evolution, primatology, and human biological variation.
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- What hominin is known as 'Lucy' and when did it live?
- Australopithecus afarensis, approximately 3.2 million years ago
- Which australopithecine species is characterized by a sagittal crest and large molars?
- Paranthropus robustus
- What is the primary anatomical evidence that Australopithecus afarensis was bipedal?
- Structure of the pelvis and femur, position of the foramen magnum
- What stone tool technology is associated with Homo habilis?
- Oldowan tools - simple flaked stone implements
- Homo erectus is known for which significant anatomical feature compared to earlier hominins?
- Significantly larger brain size, approximately 900-1100 cubic centimeters
- What hand-held stone tool is characteristic of the Acheulean tool kit?
- Hand axe - a teardrop-shaped bifacial tool
- What evidence indicates that Homo erectus may have used fire?
- Archaeological sites show burnt bones and charred wood in association with tools and fossils
- Homo neanderthalensis is best known from fossil remains in which geographic region?
- Western Europe and parts of western Asia
- What distinguishes Homo neanderthalensis from Homo sapiens in skull morphology?
- Neanderthals have more robust bones, prominent brow ridge, larger teeth, and no prominent chin
- Approximately when did anatomically modern Homo sapiens first appear in the fossil record?
- Approximately 200,000 to 300,000 years ago
- What does mitochondrial DNA evidence suggest about human population origins?
- All modern humans share a common maternal ancestor from Africa, approximately 150,000 to 200,000 years ago
- What does the Y chromosome indicate about paternal lineages in human populations?
- All males share a common paternal ancestor from Africa, though the time is more recent than mitochondrial DNA
- What is the primary advantage of bipedalism in hominin evolution?
- Freed hands for tool use and food carrying while allowing efficient movement across open grasslands
- Which great ape shows the highest degree of social tolerance and frequency of affiliative behavior?
- Bonobo (Pan paniscus)
- What is a key behavioral difference between chimpanzees and bonobos?
- Chimpanzees are more hierarchical and aggressive; bonobos are more egalitarian and use affiliative behavior to reduce tension