ANTH 001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Laetoli, Orrorin, Foramen Magnum
Document Summary
The first hominins appear in the late miocene or early pliocene(10 to 5 million years ago) Hominins are bipedal hominoids, or apes that walk on two legs. Most early hominins are placed in the genus autralopitecus. Some hominins eventually develop: changes in their dentition(teeth, expanded brains. 1. all hominins, living or extinct, arer linked by habitual bipedalism: bipedalism allowed hominins to expand their range and increase their food options beyond the shrinking forests. 4. carry infants, food and tools in their hands: reduce the exposure of the skin to the sun. Evidence for habitual bipedalism: anatomical evidence for bipedalism. Trail of fossilized footprints in laetoli, tanzania, dating to 3. 6 mya. Significant early finds include: sahelanthropus tchadensis (6-7 mya) from chad in central africa, orrorin tugensis from kenya 6 mya in eastern africa, ardipithecus kadabba (5. 8-5. 2mya) and ardipithecus ramidus (5. 8- 4. 4 mya)from ethiopia in eastern africa. The most famous fossil is that of lucy .
