Paleolithic period describes
Appearance of stone tools (stone age)
Lithic tool ages (oldest to youngest)
Olduwan
Achulean
Mousterian
Cerebral rubicon
Threshold established by Keith at 750cc designations what species can be placed into genus homo
Homo habilis
- Handy Man
- Appeared in E. Africa around 2 MYA
- Olduvai gorge & Turkana basin
- highly fragmentary materials
Oldowan tools (3 types)
Hammer stones- show percussion damage, smash into other rocks
Stone cores- sharp edge on one side
Stone flakes- flakes off stone cores for fine cutting
Oldowan appear before/after first known homo habilis remains
Before
Cranial dental differences different from austalopiths to Homo (OH 24 “twiggy”)
Similar incisors & canines Reduced molars & premolars M3 smaller than M2 No sagittal crests Slight post-orbital constriction
_____ first appears in H. Habilis
Modern shape to dental arcade (parabola)
AL 666-1
Post cranial traits of homo habilis
- Robust hand bones, BUT also fine gripping capability
- stout, adducted big toe
- some climbing
Leakey revised cerebral rubicon
Bipedality
Upper limb shorter than lower limb
Grasping thumb
600-1600 cc brain
Leakeys
- Olduvai discoveries- KNM-ER 1470 (1972)
- Established human evolutionary development in Africa
Homo rudolfensis (5) (as opposed to homo habilis)
- Larger flatter face
- larger brain (775 cc)
- larger molars + premolars
- trend toward modern human (except teeth)
- KNM-ER 1470
Homo rudolfensis (5)
- Larger flatter face
- larger brain (775 cc)
- larger molars & premolars
- trend toward modern human (except teeth)
- KNM-ER 1470
Single species hypothesis
- Brace & wolpoff
- super lumpers
- Human & close ancestors = comprehensive niche, only 1 species can exist at a time
- all variations in fossils from same period = intraspecific variation
Lumpers
Fewer species, intraspecific variation
Splitters
More species, interspecific variations
Evidence against single species hypothesis
More than 100cc difference in brain size
H rudolfensis = more gracile facial features
Interpretations of homo rudolfensis & homo habilis based on facts
KNM ER 1470 = homo rudolfensis, separate species
Homo habilis = ancestor of modern humans
What features distinguish the genus homo from other homini? (3)
- Encephalization
- Tool use
- Reduced dentition and facial features
Adaptability
Ontogenetic adaptation
Developmental change over lifetime/childhood
Acclimatization
Plastic physiological change over minutes/hrs/weeks in response to environment
adaptation
Microevolutionary adaptation
Genetic change over generations, evolution
Adaptability
Ontogenetic adaptation
Developmental change over lifetime/childhood
Acclimatization
Plastic physiological change over minutes/hrs/weeks
Behavioral/cultural adaptation
Decisions
Unconstrained
Bergmann’s rule
increase/decrease SA by changing volume
Smaller animals need more energy and diffuse more heat due to increase SA to volume ratio
Allen’s Rule
increase/decrease SA by changing proportions (ex: more elongated body)
Sickle cell anemia protects against
Malaria
Lactose intolerance
Lack lactase enzyme that allow us to digest lactose, lactase persistent allele= autosomal dominant
3 main types of evidence of change in early homo lineage
“Homo erectus”
Anatomical changes
Geographic distribution
Evidence of culture
Cranial traits of homo erectus
Thick cranial bones Large brow ridge Long low skull Cranium wider at base Sagittal keel 700-1250 cc brain
Post cranial traits of homo erectus
- Taller than early homo, height within modern human range
- > 100lb in weight
- sexual dimorphism
- robust heavily built frame
Homo erectus geographical location
Africa
Georgia
Asia
Western Europe
ER 3733
Oldest H erectus fossil from Africa
1.7mya old
Found at East Lake Turkana
WT 15000
Most complete H erectus specimen found
Nariokotome boy (Nariokotome, Kenya in E Africa)
Juvenile
Dmanisi
Earliest known Homo (homini) outside Africa
1.8-1.7mya
Used olduwan tools
Dmanisi cranial traits (similarities and differences from H erectus)
Similar to H erectus: low braincase, wide base, sagittal keeling
Different from H erectus: smaller cranial capacity, less robust & thinner browridge, projecting lower face, relatively large canine
Dmanisi post cranial traits
Not tall, 4’9” to 5’5”
Body proportions similar to H erectus and H sapiens
Zhoukoudian remains
Cave site in China Remains of >40 adults and children .7-.4 mya (recent) Site occupied for ~250,000 yrs Large browridges, sagittal keel, nuchal torus Thick skull bones Protruding face, broad near bottom
Atapuerca site
Large amount of material Earliest material resemble Dmanisi, later individuals = H heidelbergenesis? Sophisticated stone tools Cut marks on animal bones Long occupation
Earliest material from
Africa
Anatomical change of H erectus associated with behaviors related to emigration from Africa and appearance
Evidence of culture in H erectus
Tool use (olduwan --> achulean) Hunting? Controlled fire? Clothing? Social structure (groups, sexual dimorphism)
Acheulian technology
Developed ~1.4mya
Handaxe or biface
Raw materials transported long distances
Butchering meat evident (doesn’t necessarily mean hunting)
Significant part of diet = plant materials
Reconstructing of zhoukoudian cave site behavior is based on
Homo erectus bone = habitation
High density of animal bones = diet
Ash layer = controlled fire + cooking
Evidence of Zhoukoudian cave site as hyena den
Homo erectus bones = hyena prey
Animal bone in high density = other prey (including hyena) lived there
Ash layer = natural organic deposits
African vs Asian homo erectus
African = thinner skull bones –> homo ergaster
Too big for H habilis
Too derived for H rudolfensis
Too generalized for H erectus
pliocene vs pleistocene homini
pliocene = homo habilis/rudolfensis pleistocene = everything else (homo erectus --> neanderthals/modern human)
pliocene to pleistocene transition
pleistocene = high environmental diversity (ice age), leveled out in halocene (our time)
neanderthals = built for the cold
pliocene to pleistocene transition
pleistocene = high environmental diversity (ice age), leveled out in halocene (our time)
neanderthals = built for the cold
What other species existed at the same time as homo habilis and homo rudolfensis? Same geographic region?
Australopithecus africanus, Au sediba, paranthropus robustus, and paranthropus boisei
Expensive tissue hypothesis
Brains use a lot of energy, bigger brain and tool use allow human to have a higher quality diet, resulting in reduced digestive function (smaller gut + less time digesting)
Homo erectus vs homo ergaster
Homo erectus = tall species of homo with increase encephalization and more wide + robust frames
Ergaster = specifically African erectus, thinner = much more rounded skull bones
Asian homo erectus
more pronounced browridge
homo erectus represents the transition from ______ to _______ (what tool ages?)
Oldowan, Alcheulean
Did Dmanisi show evidence of caring for their elderly?
Yes, skeleton found of dmanisi with no teeth but lived to old age
Nariokotome boy age determination
- skeletal evidence = ~13
- teeth eruption (9p12 years old) = ~11
- electron microscope dentine (teeth ring) = 8
Homo heidelbergensis/rhodesiensis represent the lineage intermediate between ____ and _____/______
homo erectus, neanderthals/homo sapien
heidelbergenesis is ancestral to ___?
denisovan/neanderthals (european)
rhodesiensis is ancestral to ___?
homo sapien (african)
archic homo cranial traits
more globular brain case (1000-1400cc)
steeper forehead + more rounded back of skull
smaller faces, mandibles, and molars
archaic homo post-cranial traits
thinner bones, less muscles than erectus
archaic homo cultural/behavioral traits
hunted large game (the hunting techniques of erectus is disputed)
possible death rituals + cannibalism (eat the dead)
archaic homo cultural/behavioral traits
culturally more derived than erectus:
middle paleolithic stone tools
no known associated art
hunted large game (the hunting techniques of erectus is disputed)
possible death rituals + cannibalism (eat the dead)
Homo antecessor
not recognized by book
european variant of homo erectus
.8-1.1 mya
Atapuerca, spain
thought to be ancestral to us at one point, does not line up with molecular phylogeny dating
canine fossa = fixed AMH trait, rare polymorphism in archaic human
found in homo antecessor
archaic human geographic and time period
700-200kya
all over the world
when/where does first & oldest AMH appear in fossil record?
200-150kya, Omo Africa
when/where does homo neanderthals appear in fossil record?
200-30kya, European/Asia area
Neanderthal cranial traits (6)
large brow ridge big nodes puffy face retromolar gap occipital bun lack chin
neanderthal post-cranial trait
shorter legs
joint articulation
more robust limb bones
more limb shaft curvature
neanderthal cultural/behavioral similarities to human
buried dead
cared for elderly/vulnerable
had art (even before human arrived)
Mousterian stone technology
Archaic human comprised of
anything that’s not modern human
Archaic human comprised of
anything that’s not modern human
DNA extraction
organic fossil material
colder = better
unlikely to get genetic data from anything over 100kya (australoiths + early homo)
Are neanderthals and modern human genome phylogeneticallu distinct?
yes
Did interbeeding occur between neanderthals and modern human?
yes, shared DNA
modern human origins: 2 main views
Replacement (out of Africa), multiregionalism (regional continuity)
Replacement (out of Africa)
AMH evolved in Africa, dispersed out, replaced archaic Eurasian populations as they met, no/minimal admixture
Multiregionalism (regional continuity)
Homo erectus emigrated out of Africa –> Eurasia, evolved in concert in Africa + Eurasia into homo sapien
Large gene flow between archaic populations
Replacement (out of Africa) theory based on genetic evidence
higher genetic diversity within Africa, bottleneck effect during migration out of Africa –> founder effect
Replacement (out of Africa) theory based on genetic evidence
higher genetic diversity within Africa, bottleneck effect during migration out of Africa –> founder effect
clear separation of modern human + neanderthal mtDNA
When/where did homo floresiensis live?
Same time as early AMH, flores, indonesia
Sima de los huesos mtDNA more closely related to that of the
Denisovan
Are neanderthals and modern human genome phylogeneticallu distinct?
yes, based on both mtDNA and nuclear DNA
Denisovan
morphologically unknown, genome sequenced based on a molar and finger
found to be closely related to neanderthals, interbred with MH and Neanderthals
Homo floresiensis (4)
The “hobbit”, small brain + body
originally thought to be a human with dwarfism/ microcephalitis, found many species –> separate species
lived at same time as early AMH
flores, indonesia
paleolithic cultural innovations
stone age = tools
neolithic cultural innovations
agriculture, animal domestication,clothing, language
biocultural evolution
effect change in culture has on genetics (ex: expensive tissue)
Is there a scientific basis for race
no, all cultural
is there a lot of genetic variation in human
no, human more like each other genetically than all the other apes are with each other
How many races are there?
unlimited depending on different classifications
Is there more variation within human groups or amongst human groups
within
clinal effect
correlation between latitude and skin darkness.
higher latitude = more pale, less vitamin D present
Lighter skin = absorb more vitamin D, increases skin cancer rate + folate depletion
forensic anthropology
analysis of human skeleton for legal, criminal, and civil purposes (identification)
traits used to determine gender
pelvis (women = wider) brow ridge (men = more pronounced) chin (male = more square) mastoid process (male = more pronounced) jaw (men = more acute/sharp)
Estimate age of human remain
suture closure
unfused = child
lines = adolescent
fused = adult/elderly
Why are arctic people darker than predicted
marine diet high in vitamin D, don’t need to get it from sunlight
Estimate age of human remain
1) suture closure (skull)
2) epiphyseal union (femur head)
unfused = child
lines = adolescent
fused = adult/elderly
3) tooth eruption
How to determine ancestry/”race”?
FORDISC (computer program)
bioarchaeologist reconstruct past behavior based on: (3)
osteoarthritis, strong muscle attachment, bone geometry
more porous bones develop faster
Diet reconstruction based on
1) stable isotope analysis (C + N)
carbon ration determine if diet is primarily plants, animals, or marine
N more present in plants
2)Tooth enamel
Sickle cell anemia benefits?
convey heterozygote advantage, carriers do not have malaria
lactose tolerance
European population = more agriculture, most people drink milk –> developed lactase persistence allele
Most lactose tolerant population
European
Most lactose intolerant population
Asian
lactose tolerance
Derived trait
European population = more agriculture, most people drink milk –> developed lactase persistence allele –> allowed digestion of lactose
R selection
(Reproduce like rabbits)
many young, little parental care
K selection
few young, high parental care
Maturational constraints hypothesis
big brain = delayed maturation, need time to learn
Cognitive buffer hypothesis
big brain = smarter = lower mortality rates
can afford to go slow
Stochastic environment
we live in a chaotic environment
wait for the best time to have kids because raising offspring when resources are scarce is not ideal (high mortality rate)
cope by having few offspring, wait long periods in between, and invest lots of energy into offspring
Stable environment
our habitat is generally stable, allow us to go slow
life history milestone
gestational period, weaning age, skeletal maturity, sexual maturity, menopause, death
uniqueness of human life history
we live a long time past reproductive age
Why menopause? (2)
- Grandmother hypothesis
adaptation, elderly women stop reproducing and instead care for grandchildren - byproduct of increased lifespan
Do all primates grow at the same rate? homini?
No, no
How to determine life history
dental eruption patterns, barium (breast milk) + weaning –> look at enamel around development
neanderthal development timeline
homo habilis –> homo rudolfensis –> homo erectus –> homo heidelbergensis –> neanderthals (europe/asia)
human development timeline
homo habilis –> homo rudolfensis –> homo ergaster –> homo rhodensiensis –> homo sapien (Africa)