ANTH 2700 Lecture 9: LAB Miocene Hominoid Evolution
Document Summary
Hominins (bipeds) diverge from hominoid line in late miocene. Biomolecular data (i. e. dna sequencing) and human genome project. The more similar 2 organisms are biochemically , the more closely they are related. Dna hybridization an indirect way to evaluate dna similarity btwn 2 spp: evol diff/changes represented by differences in temperature required to denature they hybrids, double stranded dna denatures @ 100 degc. Assumption: changes in conservative areas of dna accumulate at a constant rate when averaged over geological time. Shared some dental similarities w/ apes (still primitive) Lacks many derived features observed in later apes. *cast of p. africanus on each table, p. major jaw at front table) Dental characteristics: thick molar enamel, molars wide w/low cusps, molars large relative to anterior teeth, mastication muscles have large bony origin sites. Large diastema: postcranial material does not look like a modern orang. Huge jaw large, flat molars for grinding: highly specialized extinction.
