Exam review, Prof. Bisson Lecture Flashcards
A single line with two branches that was a specialized vegetarian adapted to open grasslands and marshes. ALL members of this line share the genus name…
Paranthropus
A line with an undetermined number of branches that was more omnivorous…
This line includes late members of the genus Australopithecus, and the earliest members of the genus Homo
Since genus Homo made tools, anything found with (or geologically near) tools had to be “Homo”, even if it did not have the anatomical traits that previously defined genus Homo, what argument is this
This ambiguity reflects the debate between followers of the “biological species concept” and the “ecological species concept”
what is the Biological Species Concept
A species is any group of organisms that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring and is reproductively isolated from other such groups. (Emphasizes morphology, chronology and geography.) More likely to be “lumpers”.
what is the Ecological Species Concept:
A species is a group of organisms that is adapted to a particular set of resources (niche). In this concept, both form and BEHAVIOR help define a species. (Also emphasize evidence of behavior such as tools.) More likely to be “splitters”
IF you use the Biological Species Concept and require that a fossil species must have a skull shape, teeth and body proportions similar to the original definition of Homo erectus for it to be included in the genus Homo, then the earliest member of our genus is _____
Homo ergaster
Which model explains why we appear to have multiple hominin species, presumably with similar adaptations occupying the same environment for at least a half million years!
Like the Ecological Species Concept model, the Biological Species Concept model can’t explain why we appear to have multiple hominin species, presumably with similar adaptations occupying the same environment for at least a half million years!
