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fandomhigh2006-01-30 06:41 pm
the-ascended.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2006-01-30 06:41 pm
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Anthropology 101, 6th Period
Daniel looks slightly messy today.
This could have something to do with the cast he's sporting on his left wrist.
"Good afternoon. I won't dare enquire as to how your weekend went, and instead, we're going straight into today's lesson on early hominids.
I'm afraid it's going to be another case of me lecturing, and you questioning if you need to.
The immediate ancestors of humans were members of the genus Australopithecus. The australopithecines were intermediate between apes and people. However, both australopithecines and humans are biologically similar enough to be classified as members of the same family - the Hominidae. All people, past and present, along with the australopithecines are hominids. We share in common not only the fact that we evolved from the same ape ancestors in Africa but that both genera are habitually bipedal, or two-footed, upright walkers. By comparison, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas are primarily quadrupedal, or four-footed.
Over the last decade, there have been a number of important fossil discoveries in Africa of what may be very early transitional hominids, or their direct ancestors. These creatures lived about the time of the divergence from our common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos, during the late Miocene and early Pliocene Epochs. The fossils have been tentatively classified as members of three distinct genera - Sahelanthropus, Orrorin, and Ardipithecus. Sahelanthropus was the earliest, dating 7-6 million years ago. Orrorin lived about 6 million years ago, while Ardipithecus remains have been dated to 5.8-4.4 million years ago. At present, the vote is still out as to whether any of these three primates were in fact true hominids. The classification of Sahelanthropus has been the most in question.
The earliest australopithecines very likely did not evolve until 5 million years ago or shortly thereafter (during the beginning of the Pliocene Epoch) in East Africa. The primate fossil record for this crucial early transitional period leading to australopithecines is scanty and somewhat confusing at present. However, by about 4.2 million years ago, unquestionable australopithecines were present. By 3 million years ago, they were common in both East and South Africa. Some have been found dating to this period in North Central Africa also. As the australopithecines were evolving, African forests were progressively shrinking and seasonally dry grasslands, or savannas, were advancing. In this sort of environment, bipedalism would very likely have been an advantage.
By 2.5 million years ago, there were at least 2 evolutionary lines of hominids descended from the early australopithecines. One line apparently was adapted primarily to lake margin grassland environments and had an omnivorous diet that increasingly included meat. They were our early human ancestors. The other line seems to have lived more in mixed grassland and woodland environments, like the earlier australopithecines, and was primarily vegetarian. This second line of early hominids died out by 1 million years ago or shortly before then. It is likely that all of the early hominids, including humans, supplemented their diets with protein and fat rich termites and ants just as some chimpanzees do today.
Daniel paused and looked around. "Any questions?
Homework from last lesson on the semi-orders of primates to go on my desk please. If you've not done it, considering the events of the weekend, you can have until Wednesday to hand it in.
But you also get homework tonight. I just want a the characteristics of Australopithecus, please."
[[I realize that just having Daniel spout a lecture to you is B-O-R-I-N-G... I'd much rather have discussion and interaction here too. But, this is the sort of stuff that kinda has to be covered in this sort of introductory course, Daniel's got to teach it. 'Course, it doesn't help that I hate this part of physical anthropology and my notes are scarce as this was the lecture that clashed with hydrotherapy. It will get better. Promise]]
This could have something to do with the cast he's sporting on his left wrist.
"Good afternoon. I won't dare enquire as to how your weekend went, and instead, we're going straight into today's lesson on early hominids.
I'm afraid it's going to be another case of me lecturing, and you questioning if you need to.
The immediate ancestors of humans were members of the genus Australopithecus. The australopithecines were intermediate between apes and people. However, both australopithecines and humans are biologically similar enough to be classified as members of the same family - the Hominidae. All people, past and present, along with the australopithecines are hominids. We share in common not only the fact that we evolved from the same ape ancestors in Africa but that both genera are habitually bipedal, or two-footed, upright walkers. By comparison, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas are primarily quadrupedal, or four-footed.
Over the last decade, there have been a number of important fossil discoveries in Africa of what may be very early transitional hominids, or their direct ancestors. These creatures lived about the time of the divergence from our common ancestor with chimpanzees and bonobos, during the late Miocene and early Pliocene Epochs. The fossils have been tentatively classified as members of three distinct genera - Sahelanthropus, Orrorin, and Ardipithecus. Sahelanthropus was the earliest, dating 7-6 million years ago. Orrorin lived about 6 million years ago, while Ardipithecus remains have been dated to 5.8-4.4 million years ago. At present, the vote is still out as to whether any of these three primates were in fact true hominids. The classification of Sahelanthropus has been the most in question.
The earliest australopithecines very likely did not evolve until 5 million years ago or shortly thereafter (during the beginning of the Pliocene Epoch) in East Africa. The primate fossil record for this crucial early transitional period leading to australopithecines is scanty and somewhat confusing at present. However, by about 4.2 million years ago, unquestionable australopithecines were present. By 3 million years ago, they were common in both East and South Africa. Some have been found dating to this period in North Central Africa also. As the australopithecines were evolving, African forests were progressively shrinking and seasonally dry grasslands, or savannas, were advancing. In this sort of environment, bipedalism would very likely have been an advantage.
By 2.5 million years ago, there were at least 2 evolutionary lines of hominids descended from the early australopithecines. One line apparently was adapted primarily to lake margin grassland environments and had an omnivorous diet that increasingly included meat. They were our early human ancestors. The other line seems to have lived more in mixed grassland and woodland environments, like the earlier australopithecines, and was primarily vegetarian. This second line of early hominids died out by 1 million years ago or shortly before then. It is likely that all of the early hominids, including humans, supplemented their diets with protein and fat rich termites and ants just as some chimpanzees do today.
Daniel paused and looked around. "Any questions?
Homework from last lesson on the semi-orders of primates to go on my desk please. If you've not done it, considering the events of the weekend, you can have until Wednesday to hand it in.
But you also get homework tonight. I just want a the characteristics of Australopithecus, please."
[[I realize that just having Daniel spout a lecture to you is B-O-R-I-N-G... I'd much rather have discussion and interaction here too. But, this is the sort of stuff that kinda has to be covered in this sort of introductory course, Daniel's got to teach it. 'Course, it doesn't help that I hate this part of physical anthropology and my notes are scarce as this was the lecture that clashed with hydrotherapy. It will get better. Promise]]
Re: Homework
Re: Homework