Handwrite your answers (essays, outlines, bullet points, etc.) to each question
ID: 85099 • Letter: H
Question
Handwrite your answers (essays, outlines, bullet points, etc.) to each question on the sheet provided. Limit attachments to one extra page of drawings, illustrations, etc. per question. Refer to your class lecture notes, study guides, Dan Leiberman's The Story of the Human Body, the Your Inner Fish video series (video available online at HHMI), as well as legitimate internet sources like Wikipedia (watch out for Creationist sites). Describe, illustrate, and explain, and compare what scientists have discovered and/or inferred regarding the distinctive biological, ecological, and behavioral adaptations of Australopithecus afarensis (3.2-3.8 Mya, East Africa)with its predecessor Ardipithecus ramidus (4.4 Mya, East Africa). Compare what is known of the the brain size (cranial capacity), body size, stature, limb proportions, relative size, proportions and orientation of the hips limbs, hands and feet of Australopithecus afarensis with what is known of the brain size (cranial capacity), body size, stature, limb proportions, relative size, proportions and orientation of the hips, limbs, hands and feet of Ardipithecus ramidus. Also, compare the masticatory system and inferred diet of Australopithecus afarensis with the masticatory system and inferred diet found in Ardipithecus ramidus. For chewing systems, compare the relative size and orientation of jaw elements (ascending ramus, corpus, and symphysis, as well as the size and orientation of the jaw muscles for the two species. For the dentition, compare the size and orientation of the incisors, the relative size and homing pattern of canines, relative size and proportions of cheek teeth, thickness of molar enamel. Finally, summarize compare what scientists have discovered or inferred from anatomical, paleontological, and stable isotope studies regarding the probable adaptive patterns (habitat, paleodiet, group size, daily activity and foraging patterns, etc.) of Au. afarensis with the probable adaptive patterns (habitat, paleodiet, group size, daily activity and foraging patterns, etc.) of its predecessor, Ardipithecus ramidus.Explanation / Answer
Australopithecus afarensis is one of the longest-lived and best-known early human species paleoanthropologists have uncovered remains from more than 300 individuals! Found between 3.85 and 2.95 million years ago in Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania), this species survived for more than 900,000 years, which is over four times as long as our own species has been around.
Ardipithecus afarensis has locomotory organs with bipedal property. It possesses a grasping hallux along with big toe and these features are predominantly adaptations for locomotion in the trees. Their habitat is near to forest including lakes, swamps and springs associated woodlands and grasslands. Biological and ecological adaptations include a better reproductive ability to sustain their race. They possess archaic features to lead their life along with predation.
They possess hard skeleton and also possess reduced canine teeth. They usually communicated with Afar language. The brain size is smaller compared to apes and chimps and its size is about 300 and 350 cm3. The sexual dimorphism is mainly can be identified by the presence of upper canine teeth and males prominently possess larger and sharp upper teeth compared to females.
A. afarensis possess relatively canines and molars with low size, but they are larger than in modern humans. Thickness of molar enamel size is bigger compared to modern humans. These are belongs to hominids; robust hominids possess diet is different compared to gracile one. Dentition is absent in gracile hominids with larger cranial capacity and smaller jaws but robust hominids possess larger jaws, smaller cranial capacity with mandibles.
Homo habilis species is resembles A. afarensis and also possess distinctive feature in having fore-to-hindlimb joint size that is different to humans and Homo erectus.
Australopithecus and homo hominines are bipedal organisms and they are supported by abductor powerful gluteal muscles to allow weight balance along body midline.
Homo habilis has average nearly about 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) tall associated with lesser brain size compared to modern humans.
Stone tool culture is the initial and primitive tool choppers to process the collected meat and food by H. habilis etc.
1. Hammering and producing flakes and further these are used to process & chop off the meat from the bone. Finally they used to get marrow from the bone for additional proteinacious meat.
2. A variety of techniques used mainly instruments such as awls, and axes to cut the meat, knives to isolate and process the food, other accessory scrapers, cores are also widely used.
There is not a close correlation between hominid Ardipithecus afarensis evolution and climate. There is much impact of environment on human evolution but not climate change or climate as extinct Hominds and modern Homo sapiens have evolved according to the genetic changes pertaining to their ancestors. They developed structural adaptations as per their requirement with the habitat as they are socially communicative, cultural adaptations, behavioral adaptations and hunting adaptations. These adaptations are crucial to selection pressure by the environment. Habitat on the earth including land that is suitable for the growth and survival of the Hominid species as they were perfectly showed adaptations to their environment by producing stronger teeth that made them sustained ot the climate throughout the dry season. Once they are completely adapted, these teeth went extinct if climate change occurred.
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