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Early Hominidshominids

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Early Hominidshominids EarlyEarly HominidsHominids TheThe FossilFossil RecordRecord TwoTwo StoriesStories toto Tell:Tell: 1.1. HowHow hominidshominids evolvedevolved 2.2. HowHow interpretationsinterpretations changechange InsightInsight intointo processprocess PastPast && futurefuture changeschanges InteractingInteracting elements...elements... InterplayInterplay ofof ThreeThree ElementsElements “Hard” evidence Fossils Archeological associations Explanation Dates Reconstructions Anatomy Behavior Phylogeny Reconstruction Evidence Explanatory Frames Why did it happen? What does it mean? MutualMutual InfluenceInfluence WhereWhere toto start?start? SouthSouth Africa,Africa, 19241924 TaungTaung ChildChild Raymond Dart, 1924 Taung, South Africa Why did Dart call it a Hominid? TaungTaung ChildChild Raymond Dart, 1924 Taung, South Africa Australopithecus africanus 2.5 mya Four-year old with an ape-sized brain, humanlike small canines, and foramen magnum shifted forward NeanderthalNeanderthal HomoHomo sapienssapiens neanderthalensis neanderthalensis NeanderNeander Valley,Valley, Germany, Germany, 18561856 Age: 40-50,000 Significance: First human fossil acknowledged as such, and first specimen of Neanderthal. First dismissed as a freak, but Doctor J. C. Fuhlrott speculated that it was an ancient human. TrinilTrinil 1:1: “Java“Java Man”Man” HomoHomo erectuserectus Eugene Dubois, 1891 Trinil, Java, Indonesia Age: 500,000 yrs Significance: The Java hominid, originally classified as Pithecanthropus erectus, was the controversial “missing link” of its day. Since then, many other specimens of erectus have been found, including several in Java (e.g., Sangiran 4, shown). OppositionOpposition toto TaungTaung PrejudicePrejudice againstagainst AfricaAfrica PiltdownPiltdown ManMan JavaJava findsfinds English Big brain ““BrainBrain FirstFirst”” theorytheory ScientificScientific ObjectionObjection TaungTaung specimenspecimen waswas youngyoung YoungYoung hominoidshominoids moremore similarsimilar thanthan adultsadults IsIs itit aa mattermatter ofof age?age? HowHow toto resolve?resolve? SouthSouth Africa,Africa, 1940’s:1940’s: AustralopithecusAustralopithecus comescomes ofof ageage AdultAdult specimensspecimens similarsimilar toto TaungTaung AdultsAdults skullsskulls showshow hominidhominid traitstraits Small canines Anterior placement of foramen magnum PostcranialPostcranial bonesbones confirmconfirm hominidhominid statusstatus Pelvis, spine, and long Chimp Australopithecus Human bones STSSTS 5,5, “Mrs.“Mrs. Ples” Ples” AustralopithecusAustralopithecus africanus africanus Robert Broom and John Robinson, 1947 Sterkfontein, S. Africa Age, 2.3-2.8 million years Cranial capacity, 450 cc An adult A. africanus; may actually be a male. TwoTwo KindsKinds ofof AustralopithecusAustralopithecus HowHow areare theythey different?different? GracileGracile vsvs.. robustrobust TeethTeeth andand JawsJaws SagittalSagittal crestcrest ZygomaticZygomatic archarch Why??Why?? SwartkransSwartkrans 4848 AustralopithecusAustralopithecus robustusrobustus (With Swartkrans 23 mandible) Robert Broom, 1950 Swartkrans, S. Africa Age: 1.5-2 my Cranial capacity: 500 cc.? Significance: Classic South African robustus 1950’s:1950’s: AustralopithecusAustralopithecus acceptedaccepted TwoTwo kinds:kinds: GracileGracile HumanHuman AncestorAncestor RobustRobust VegetarianVegetarian deaddead endend SouthSouth AfricanAfrican cavecave deposits:deposits: ConfusingConfusing stratigraphy,stratigraphy, poorpoor datesdates NextNext…… TheThe LeakeysLeakeys.
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