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Oklahoma City Community College
Human Evolution BIO 1114 Oklahoma City Community College Dennis Anderson
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Animal Connection Humans share many traits with animals
We are most similar to apes Same 206 bones All but 3 of 650 muscles the same DNA is 98% the same Same blood types Albino Gorilla
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Why are we so similar to apes?
Modern apes and modern man share a common ancestor who lived about 7 million years ago
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Sequence of Human Evolution
Hundreds of fossils have been found Some of the major fossils will be discussed in this presentation
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Australopithecus afarensis
3.5 million years ago Nicknamed Lucy Walked upright Small brain Skeleton human like Feet Pelvis Upright stance
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Comparative Anatomy Gorilla pelvis adapted for knuckle walking
Lucy Gorilla Human Gorilla pelvis adapted for knuckle walking Human pelvis adapted for upright walking Lucy’s pelvis very similar to human pelvis
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Knuckle Walking Requires an elongated pelvis and long arms
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Lucy’s pelvis allowed her to walk like a human instead of an ape.
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Fossilized Footprints
Footprints left when a a pair of Australopithecines walked in the ash of a recently erupted volcano
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Skull Anatomy Thick brow ridges like a chimpanzee
Lucy Chimp Thick brow ridges like a chimpanzee Cranial capacity 400 cc. Chimp 350 cc. Teeth similar to human teeth
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Lucy: A Transitional Fossil
Transitional fossil shows characteristics of two kinds of animals Represent the transition from one organism to another Ape characteristics Skull Cranial capacity Human characteristics Walked upright Feet Pelvis
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Australopithecus africanus
2.8 million years ago Cranial capacity 460 cc
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Homo habilis Cranial capacity 630 cc
Flatter face than Australopithecines Used tools Nicknamed handy man
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Homo erectus 1.8 million to 35,000 years ago 1,000 cc cranial capacity
Large brow ridges Sloping forehead More advanced tools than H. habilis
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Homo erectus Skeleton very similar to modern man Used fire Traveled
Fossils found in Africa, Europe, China, Indonesia
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Homo neanderthalensis
200,000 to 25,000 years ago Cranial capacity up to 1750 cc Larger than modern man No chin Sloping forehead Buried dead with tools and flowers
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Homo sapiens 200,000 years ago to present 1400 cc cranial capacity
Photo is a skull 35,000 years old 1400 cc cranial capacity Vertical forehead Pronounced chin
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Modern Homo sapiens Small front teeth Small brow ridges
Rounded cranium
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Sequence of Human Evolution One of several possibilities
Homo neanderthalensis Australopithecus afarensis Australopithecus africanus Homo erectus Common ancestor Homo habilis Homo sapiens Modern apes
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Evolution of Skull Cranial capacity increases for a larger brain
Face become flatter Brow ridges become smaller Forehead becomes higher Chin develops
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Sahelanthropus tchadensis
6 to 7 million years ago Flat face like Homo Cranial capacity about the same as a chimp Walked upright
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The End
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