ANTH 1105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Bipedalism, Omnivore
13 Jan 2017
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Document Summary
Humans are a certain kind of placental mammal, a primate. Structurally primates are not easily distinguished as a group because we are quite generalized. The following are some evolutionary trends that set primates apart from other mammals: Lack of specialization in diet (we are omnivorous) More efficient fetal nourishment (longer gestation/pregnancy periods than before) Greater dependency on highly flexible learned behaviours. Adult males often associate permanently in the group. A sound anthropological explanation of the term is based on 2 criteria. A dual emphasis on biology and culture (bio-cultural) A body structured for standing upright and walking on two legs (bipedalism), leaving arms and hands free for other functions aside from locomotion. A complex brain that provides the abilities for abstract thought, symbolic communication, and culture. Bipedal - walking upright on two feet. An upright posture and bipedal gait (heel to toe stride) is one of the most characteristic human features.
