HUMAN EVOLUTION

SC.912.L.15.1 (Identify basic trends in hominid evolution from early ancestors six million years ago

to modern humans, including brain size, jaw size, language, and manufactured tools.)

A. A CLOSER LOOK AT PRIMATES • Mammals called primates include Lemurs, monkeys,

apes, humans.• 300 species of primates living today • Evolved from a small tree dwelling, insect eating ancestor

65 million years ago. • CHARACTERISTICS: although primates live on the ground,

they retain adaptations for living on trees. Example-a) Flexible shoulder joints (swinging).b) Sensitive fingers/nails instead of claws.c) Hands can hang and manipulate food.d) Binocular vision: Eyes in front of the face and the field

of vision overlap enhancing depth perception.

PRIMTES ARE DIVIDED INTO 2 MAJOR GROUPS1ST group: • Includes lorises, galagos, and lemurs. • Lemurs (Madagascar) • Lorises (Africa and South Asia) • They are mostly nocturnal, tree dwellers and have claws. 2nd group: • Includes tarsiers, new world monkeys, old world

monkeys, apes and humans. • Tarsiers (South East Asia)• New Word Monkeys: (Americas) Tree dwellers,

prehensile (grasping) tails for swinging.• Old World Monkey: Tree dwellers but tails are not

prehensile, include baboons, macaques, and mandrills.

• Chimpanzees are biologically the closest relatives of humans; differing in about 5% of their DNA sequence.

B. EARLY HOMINIDS • Mammals that are more closely related to humans than to any

other species family are called hominids (family Hominidae, Order Primates).

• Today, only 1 species of hominids exist: Homo sapiens (modern humans).

• Earliest man may have lived 6 to 7 million years ago.

2 Important Developments:1. WALKING UPRIGHT: Australepithecus aferensis provides the

oldest evidence of upright posture and BIPEDALISM; walking on 2 feet.

• Lucy, female, 3.5 feet tall, head the size of a softball was the first to walk on 2 feet.

2. ENLARGED BRAINS: First appeared in East Asia 2.5 million years ago.• Large brains found with tools; Homo habilis. • Increase in intelligence gave them success in Africa.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=441rRHOHx5c

• EVOLUTION: THE EVOLUTION OF HUMANS DOCUMENTARY 2014..45min

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv3I22jsUEw NEANDERTHALS..50 min

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rohhwn11xeI DECODING NEANDERTHALS..50 min