1. Introduction to Paleoanthropology
Human Evolution lab
Introduction to Paleoanthropology

2. Objectives: Learn about Primates, hominids and hominoids.
Learn about cladistics and Phylogenies
Create a human Phylogeny using the fossil reproductions in lab by
Collecting data from the skulls
Learning significant characters for comparison
Construct a cladogram from your data
Observe how different conclusions may be made from the same data set.
View a video recreation of significant stages of human evolution

3. Orangutan and Gorilla

4. Characters Brain case features Facial features Dental features
1. Facial Slope Angle
2. Supraorbital Browridge (large, small, or medium)
3. Forehead (large, small, or medium)
4. Sagittal Crest (absent, small, medium, or large)
5. Foramen Magnum (rear or forward)
6. Cranial Module
7. Nasal Bones (arched or flat)
8. Prognathism (present or absent)
9. Postorbital Constriction
10. Facial Width
11. Dental Arcade (Box, U, or intermediate)
12. Incisors (angled or vertical)
13. Canines (above or below)
14. Diastema (present or absent)
15. Tooth Row Length
Brain case features
Facial features
Dental features

5. Geographic Regions and Ages of the Fossils:
1- East Africa, MYA
2 – East Africa, MYA
3 – Africa, Asia, and Europe, 1.8 MYA-0.3 MYA
4 – East Africa, MYA
5 – Europe and the Middle East (West Asia), MYA
6 – Africa, Asia, and Europe, MYA
7 – South Africa, MYA
8 – Africa, Asia, and Europe (and later worldwide), 0.15 MYA-present

6. Australopithecus bosie & Homo erectus

7. Neanderthal

10. FACIAL SLOPE

11. Facial
slope

12. Facial
slope

13. Supraorbital
bridge

14. Supraorbital
bridge

15. Forehead

16. Forehead

17. Sagittal crest

18. Foramen magnum

19. CRANIAL MODULE

20. Cranial Module- length

21. Cranial Module- depth

22. Cranial Module- width

23. Nasal bones - arched

24. Nasal bones - flat

25. Prognathism

26. Postorbital constriction

27. Facial width
Zygomatic arch

29. Shape of Dental Arcade

30. Canines - above chewing surface

31. Canines - below chewing surface

32. Incisors – angled out

33. Incisors- vertical

34. Tooth row length 2 premolars + 3 molars

35. Diastema – gap for long canine