1. Human Evolution
Review of knowledge

5. Finding the evidence for evolution
Right conditions = few examples. Once have them need to date them, potassium-argon dating, C14, relative dating all used.

6. Human evolution is divided into two strands:
Biological evolution: the transmission of factors by genes, what is inherited.
Cultural evolution: transmission of ideas, beliefs, what is learned.

7. KPCOFGS Animalia Chordata Mammalia Primates Hominidae Homo
sapiens sapiens

8. Humans are Mammals: Hairy and sweat glands
animals that suckle young on secreted milk.
viviparous
Are homeothermic (maintain a constant body temperature)
Give birth to live young
External ear
Four chambered heart
Diaphragm
Differentiated teeth
Higher intelligence

9. Humans are primates: Primate classification
Divided into two main suborders:
Suborder Prosimii: tarsiers, lemurs, lorises
Suborder Anthropoidea: monkeys, apes, humans

10. Primates developed in the three dimensional world of trees
Primates developed in the three dimensional world of trees. Ancestors probably had a good sense of smell but lost it as not a good way to communicate in the trees. Sight and colour vision developed as the dominant sense. Characteristics are related to being in an arboreal environment.

11. Characteristics of primates
Prehensile grasping hands (and tails)
Nails not claws, sensitive finger pads
5 functional digits on feet
Retention of collar-bone
Binocular, stereoscopic vision and improved retina
Good eye hand coordination
Oestrus cycle
Bony eye ridges
Mobile arm joints
One young per pregnancy (usually)
Strong social groupings

12. Primate Locomotion -Some are arboreal and some adapted to ground
ABOREAL
Quadrupedalism
Walking on four limbs. Arms and legs are of more or less equal length and importance. Most primitive form lived in trees (lemurs)
Modifield quadrapedilism
Leaping and clinging. Torso is vertical after each leap and in resting position. When on ground hop on back legs. (some prosimians)

13. Brachiation
Involves use of the arms, which become longer and are used to suspend body during feeding and to move by swinging. Can be full (gibbons) or semi (spider monkeys).

14. GROUND
Quadrapedilism – baboons
Knuckle walking – chimps and gorillas. Walking on the backs of the middle parts of fingers. Fingers hands and wrists are adapted to this from of locomotion.
Bipedalism (habitual) – hominin (humans). This involves major changes to the pelvis, backbone and foot.