Question

Please write clear grammatically correct answer. Answers that are not grammatically correct will be counted wrong. Simplify your answers as much as possible. Do not write long paragraphs. Answer all 4 questions.

14. Name the two most important environmental changes during the Miocene and describe their effects on primate evolution.

a.

b.

15. Name and describe the two phases of the walking cycle and the three main aspects of bipedal locomotion.

1.

2.

a.

b.

c.

16. Compare ape-human differences in vertebral column, pelvis, femur, feet and hands and how they affect locomotion.

a. Vertebral Column

Ape:

Human:

b. Pelvis

Ape:

Human:

c. Femur

Ape:

Human:

d. Feet

Ape:

Human:

e. Hands

Ape:

Human:

17. Name and justify the importance of the five most significant Australopithecine features that contribute to our understanding of human evolution.

a.
b.

c.

d.

e.

Answer 1

1)

a) Miocene lead to the expansion of open vegetation system. such as deserts, tundra and grasslands.

b) kelp forests appeared for the first time in the Miocene.  

many of the prosmian species become extinct in this period. in the Miocene period apes are evolved from monkeys. evolutionary lining lead to hominin to become distinct in this period. the hominin lines are our direct ancestors.

2)

1. stance phase - the foot remain in contact with the ground in this phase.

2. swing phase - the foot is not in contact with the ground in this phase

a) there are a number of movements associated with bipedalism. standing, walking, running and jumping are the movements regarding the bipedalism locomotion.

b) bipedalism offer certain advantages. bipedalism rises the head and allow greater field of vision. it provide improved detection of distant dangers.

c) presence of bicondylar angle, inferiorly placed foramen magnum, presence of reduced big toe , higher arch of foot etc.. are the major morphological Features of bipedalism.

3)

a. Vertebral Column

Ape: generally consists of 2-3 sacral vertebrae . sacrum and lumbar vertebrae appearing in a straight curve line.

Human: usually consists of 33 vertebrae and it is followed by sacrum . lumbar is 5 in number and sacrum is fused.

b. Pelvis

Ape: ilium is narrow and long. they re incorporated by 6 sacral vertebral bodies.

Human: ilium is shorter and broader. sacrum broad and short.

c. Femur

Ape: apes have smaller valgus angle and they waddle when they walk. waddle means walking with feet at shoulder length apart.

Human: having wider femoral condyles. larger valgus angle is present

d. Feet

Ape: They are tend to be flat footed. grasping feet with sideway facing big toe.

Human: they have arched feet surrounded by ligaments.

e. Hands

Ape: thumb reduced and using finger more as hooks.

Human: thumbs are enlarged and saddle joint is present between meta carpel and wrist.

4)

a) brains were smaller and very similar to the brain of modern apes.

b) longer arms were present that well suited to climbing. climbing patterns suggest strong relation of evolution.

c) they have 32 teethes like modern humans. teeth patterns were important when the new species evolved.

d) pelvis structure and feet are very similar to modern human . the skeletal structures played a vital role in evolution

e) they walked upright as modern humans. walking pattern was key for the evolution.