ANTHROP 1AA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Homininae, Sahelanthropus, Kenyapithecus

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTHROP 1AA3
• Professor: Tristan Carter

Document Summary

Debate on human origins begins c. 7 mya. C. 5 mya = first bipedal hominin. C. 3. 4 mya = first tool makers australopithecus afarensis e. g. lucy. Affected distribution, type and mix of plant/animal life. Hominids: group of all great apes (including all hominins) Hominins: group of modern/extinct humans and immediate ancestors. Miocene (c. 23 mya) apes (restricted to africa, varied) C. 14 mya climate warmer & forest environment. First hominid to descend from trees & practice simple knuckle-walking (like gorilla) Pre-savannah transition: start to move to ground dwelling - but still living in trees. Late miocene changes (8 - 5 mya) Basis of evolutionary model: a species must be in balance with environment. If things change species must adapt to survive. Large mammals: need to eat more to survive, but no longer in forested, food-rich environment. Bipedalism: allows longer-distance movement (wider food procurement range) Tolerate heat (sweating): advantage over other mammals (keep moving at lunchtime)