Summary
Summary Grade 12 IEB Human Evolution
- Course
- Grade 12 IEB Life Sciences
- Institution
- St Mary's School, Waverley, Johannesburg
Summary and definitions of human evolution. The document is made according to the IEB Sags.
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Hominid StudiesHominids: A group consisting of all modern and extinct Great Apes. The
fossils ancestors of humans.
Hominins: A lower, level taxonomic designation between the sub family and
genus, that is more in keeping up with genetic difference between
humans, these guys and chimps.
EVIDENCE OF HUMAN EVOLUTION:
1. Bipedalism
2. Associated changes in spine and pelvic girdle
3. Brain size
4. Dentation (teeth)
5. Cranial and Brow ridges
ORIGIN THEORIES:
1. Adam and Eve
2. Ancestor from chimps
3. African traditions (cattle and humans walked out a hole in the earth)
Multi-regional hypothesis: Homo erectus left Africa to go to other parts of
the world.
— some gene flow: no speciation.
— natural selection
— Homo sapiens arrived all over the show.
Out-of-Africa hypothesis:
Wave 1: Homo erectus left Africa to follow prey/predators. These groups
become reproductively isolated.
Wave 2: Homo sapiens arrived and migrated out of Africa to replace the
others without interbreeding.
According to Out-of-Africa theory, why did the Homo neanderthalensis die
out?
Homo sapiens moved out of Africa after Homo neanderthalensis. Homo
sapiens had bigger brains so they out competed Homo neanderthalensis as
they coped better in the changing environment.
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, Hominid Studies
BIPEDALISM:
Advantages: free hands to carry tools and walk
better view of surroundings
ability to makes tools
look for predators/prey
CHIMPS HUMANS
more rounded vertebral coloumn vertebral coloumn is an ’S’ shape
wide, flared pelvis narrow, long pelvis
slightly/no opposable thumbs opposable thumbs
SIMILARITIES BETWEEN APES AND HUMANS
FEATURE
Eyes Forward facing and binocular vision.
Limbs Arms with hands, legs with feet.
Hands Opposable thumbs.
Tail No tail.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN APE AND HUMAN
FEATURE APE HUMAN
Movement Quadrupedal Bipedal
Pelvic Girdle long, narrow wide, bowl shaped
Position of Skull foramen magnum opens foramen magnum opens
at the rear of the skull centrally under the skull
Face protruding jaw, sloping flat face, no protruding
forehead, heavy brow jaw, no/small brow ridges
ridges
Teeth large canine small canine
Cranium small cranium and small large cranium and large
brain brain.
— Enlarged cranial capacity: well developed brain, survive the changing
environment and make tools/shelter.
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, Hominid Studies
— Foot arch: shock absorber.
Australopithecus afarensis:
- Lucy (Awash valley)
features: protruding jaw
long arms and toes
small cranium and brain
high, narrow pelvis
bipedal - adaptions in hips/legs/feet
receding chin - no speech
hands - aboral
jaw - tough food
Australopithecus africanis:
- Tuang Child (Kimberly)
- Mrs Ples (Sterkfontein Caves)
features: protruding face and strong brow ridges
curved hands - aboral
small canines
long arms but short legs
foramen magnum indicates bipedalism
Australopithecus Sediba:
- long arms and powerful hands
- advanced pelvis
- shock-absorbing wrists
- human-like foot arch = bipedal
THE GENUS: HOMO
Homo habilis: (handy man)
- small skull
- small brain: able to make sounds and tools
- E.g. cradle of humankind
Homo erectus: (upright man)
- flat face
- culturally advanced
- receding forehead
- jaw without obvious chin
- E.g. Turkana Boy
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