ANTHR101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Paranthropus Robustus, Australopithecus Garhi, Australopithecus Afarensis
14 Mar 2014
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The first hominids and the emergence of homo. Genus: australopithecus - undisputed bipedal hominids lived in east africa 4 mya. Hominoids to hominids important physical changes did not occur until: bipedalism. *further changes occured 2 million years after bipedalism: expansion of brain, modification of female pelvis to allow for bigger brained babies. 4: extended period of infant and child dependency. 6. reduction of the face, teeth, and jaws increased meat eating. We don"t know if bipedalism developed quickly or gradually. Climate changes 11-16 mya turned the tropical landscape into a savanna (grasslands) and scattered deciduous woodlands became common. these conditions probably favoured bipedal creatures. Other theories stress importance of freeing the hands to perform other activities. Hewes says for carrying hunted/scavanged meat, or any food really to somewhere safe from predators. Lovejoy proposed that if males carried food back to females and offspring, females could focus more energy on child rearing/reproduction.
