Deck 11: The Origins and Evolution of Early Homo

Question 1

Anatomical evidence from fossilized hand bones suggests that the precision grip needed to make and use stone tools was present:

A) only in Homo erectus.
B) only in Homo habilis.
C) in Homo habilis and some australopithecines.
D) in all australopithecine and Homo species.

Answer 1

in Homo habilis and some australopithecines.

Question 2

Compared to australopithecines, Homo habilis is characterized by:

A) a smaller face.
B) a bigger brain.
C) a rounder and larger skull.
D) all of the above

Answer 2

all of the above

Question 3

Which two fossil species lived at the same time around 2.5-1 mya?

A) Australopithecus and Homo erectus
B) Homo erectus and Homo rudolfensis
C) Homo habilis and Homo erectus
D) Pithecathropus and Homo rudolfensis

Answer 3

Homo habilis and Homo erectus

Question 4

Modern anatomical features of the Nariokotome Boy include:

A) relatively short arms and long legs.
B) brain size within the modern human variation.
C) relatively long arms and short legs.
D) large nose with an improved sense of smell.

Question 5

The original name for Homo erectus was:

A) Australopithecus.
B) Pithecanthropus.
C) Paranthropus.
D) Homo rudolfensis.

Question 6

Homo habilis had traits that include:

A) long, modern legs.
B) short legs.
C) a striding gait.
D) quadrupedalism.

Question 7

The discoverer of Homo erectus was:

A) Louis Leakey.
B) Richard Leakey.
C) Eugène Dubois.
D) Ernst Haeckel.

Question 8

The earliest members of the genus Homo have been found dating from:

A) 0.5 mya-present.
B) 2.5-1.0 mya.
C) 4.0-3.0 mya.
D) none of the above

Question 9

Homo rudolfensis is morphologically similar to:

A) Homo erectus.
B) Homo sapiens.
C) Homo habilis.
D) Australopithecus robustus.

Question 10

The earliest fossil evidence for Homo erectus in Western Europe dates from:

A) 1.6 mya, from Sima de los Heusos.
B) .3 mya, from France.
C) 1.6 mya, from Dmanisi, Georgia.
D) 1.2 mya, from Sima del Elefante.

Question 11

Homo erectus walked just like a modern human, with traits like:

A) long legs and opposable toes.
B) double arches and adducted big toe.
C) long arms.
D) foramen magnum at the back of the skull.

Question 12

Some Homo erectus specimens had very large and robust bones while others:

A) were small with robust bones.
B) were tall with robust bones.
C) were gracile.
D) were small with thin bones.

Question 13

Homo habilis experienced a major shift to new environments that was characterized by:

A) dietary shift.
B) tool use for obtaining and processing food.
C) big-game hunting.
D) use of marine resources.

Question 14

Southern and eastern African sites dating to 2.5 mya show habitats indicating:

A) the spread of C3 plants.
B) reduction both in habitat types and in dietary diversity.
C) a more frequent use of tools for the digging and processing of roots and tubers.
D) none of the above

Question 15

Stone tools were more common from archaeological sites of:

A) Homo rudolfensis.
B) Paranthropus.
C) Australopithecus.
D) Homo habilis.

Question 16

The discoverer of Pithecanthropus erectus was:

A) Eugene Dubois.
B) Time White.
C) Behane Asfaw.
D) Yohannes Haile-Selassie.

Question 17

A central theme of human evolution is:

A) an increasing adaptive flexibility.
B) a decreasing cranial capacity.
C) a decreasing body size.
D) a more robust jaw.

Question 18

Homo erectus fossils date to:

A) 3-1 mya.
B) 2.5 mya-.5 mya.
C) 1.8 mya-300,000 mya.
D) 1.2 mya-800,000mya.

Question 19

Eugène Dubois was one of the first evolutionists in the nineteenth century who used the scientific method to test the hypothesis of early human ancestors in Asia with:

A) fossil evidence.
B) comparative anatomy.
C) genetics.
D) archaeological remains.

Question 20

The first evidence of modern human traits, including increasing brain size and dependence on material culture shows up in:

A) Homo erectus.
B) Homo sapiens.
C) Homo neanderthalensis.
D) Homo habilis.

Question 21

Homo erectus's cranial capacity:

A) is always less than 1,000 cc.
B) is always more than 800 cc.
C) ranges from 650 cc to 1,200 cc.
D) ranges from 900 cc to 1,200 cc.

Question 22

The Dmanisi B fossils from the Republic of Georgia are dated to:

A) 1.0 mya.
B) 800,000 yBP.
C) 1.7 mya.
D) 2.5 mya.

Question 23

The controlled use of fire by hominids:

A) decreased the amount of food energy available in the hominid diet.
B) has been shown to contribute little to the digestive process of hominids.
C) limited the expansion of hominids into certain environments, such as dry grasslands.
D) contributed to geographical expansion and food production techniques in positive ways.

Question 24

Gran Dolina adult hominids were similar to later Homo sapiens in their:

A) ability to produce art.
B) large cranial capacity.
C) wide nasal apertures.
D) none of the above

Question 25

Homo erectus skull morphology includes:

A) a long, low, wide base.
B) thick bones.
C) large browridges.
D) all of the above

Question 26

The Nariokotome Boy discovered at Lake Turkana (Homo erectus) has modern human traits such as:

A) shorter arms and longer legs than those of earlier hominids.
B) retention of an australopithecine-like body plan.
C) longer legs than later hominids.
D) a mix of arboreal and bipedal adaptations.

Question 27

What are the differences between Homo habilis and Homo erectus?

A) Homo habilis shows a reduction in the size of the face relative to the brain case.
B) Homo erectus shows a reduction in the size of the face relative to the brain case.
C) Homo habilis generally has a greater brain capacity than Homo erectus.
D) Homo erectus generally has a smaller brain capacity than Homo habilis.

Question 28

The Acheulean complex:

A) emerged around 2.5 mya.
B) is used to describe simple pebble tools.
C) emerged around 1.5 mya.
D) is characteristic of Homo habilis.

Question 29

Which species became increasingly specialized to foods requiring heavy chewing?

A) Paranthropus
B) Homo habilis
C) Homo erectus
D) Australopithecus

Question 30

The earliest fossil evidence of Homo erectus in Western Europe dates to about:

A) 1.7 mya.
B) 1.2 mya.
C) 500,000 yBP.
D) 800,000 yBP.

Question 31

What is the likely explanation for the rapid increase in body and brain size among Homo erectus?

A) an influx of genes for increased height
B) greater access to protein and improved nutrition
C) reaching for fruits higher in the trees, which increased their height over time
D) survival of the fittest

Question 32

The Homo erectus fossil from Sangiran, Java, dates to:

A) 800,000 yBP.
B) 1.2-1.0 mya.
C) 1.8-1.6 mya.
D) 2.2-2.0 mya.

Question 33

African Homo erectus cranial features include:

A) thick cranial bones.
B) small browridges.
C) a rounded skull.
D) a sagittal crest.

Question 34

The first hominid to migrate out of Africa was:

A) Australopithecus.
B) Homo habilis.
C) Homo erectus.
D) Homo neanderthalensis.

Question 35

Homo erectus differed from earlier hominids in having traits such as:

A) a smaller brain.
B) larger teeth.
C) a bigger sagittal keel.
D) a larger brain.

Question 36

Compared to earlier hominids the increased body size in Homo erectus is likely due to:

A) stone-tool use that facilitated root and tuber processing.
B) increased protein in the diet.
C) larger teeth that permitted better food processing.
D) none of the above

Question 37

The many stone tools, fragmentary animal bones, and teeth found at Gran Dolina, Spain, indicate that hominids there:

A) processed and consumed animals and other hominids.
B) did not differ appreciably from earlier Asian Homo erectus.
C) were similar to later Homo sapiens.
D) none of the above

Question 38

Relative to Oldowan tools, Acheulean stone tools:

A) had a narrower range of functions.
B) used fewer raw materials.
C) were characterized by fewer tool types.
D) required more learning and skill to produce.

Question 39

Fossil evidence of cut marks made with stone tools at early hominid sites suggests that:

A) meat eating started only with the appearance of Homo erectus and stone tools.
B) big game hunting was the most common way early hominids obtained meat.
C) meat eating started before Homo erectus but increased with more advanced technology.
D) none of the above

Question 40

Based on height calculations of Homo erectus fossils, physical anthropologists estimate that their average height was:

A) more than 70 percent taller than Homo habilis.
B) similar to that of australopithecines.
C) tall, with males about five feet nine and females about five feet three.
D) three feet.

Question 41

Nonhuman primates have smaller brains; therefore the birthing process differs by being:

A) shorter and less painful.
B) more dramatic, but shorter.
C) simpler, but dramatic.
D) longer and more painful.

Question 42

Contrast the cranial and dental anatomy and adaptation of Australopithecus robustus with African Homo erectus.

Question 43

Homo erectus was likely the first hominid to successfully migrate out of Africa. Discuss how the biology and culture of Homo erectus led to its success on three major continents with varying environments.

Question 44

All fossils represent:

A) transitions.
B) dead end species.
C) an inability to adapt to changing local environments over time.
D) a new evolutionary lineage.

Question 45

Intermediate forms in the fossil record include:

A) Sahelanthropus tchandensis.
B) Australopithecus anamensis.
C) Ardipithecus ramidus.
D) all of the above

Question 46

Greater body size and facial gracility documented in Homo erectus are likely related to:

A) changes in tool technology and increasing access to meat and other proteins.
B) the natural continuation of previous trends documented in hominid fossils, similar to great brain size.
C) the global climate, as these trends are characteristic of a cooler climate.
D) none of the above

Question 47

Describe Homo erectus's cranial and postcranial anatomical characteristics. How is this species significantly different from earlier hominids and how did these characteristics increase the success of this species over that of their ancestors?

Question 48

Discuss the fossil evidence of Homo habilis, and describe the anatomical and behavioral traits of Homo habilis that introduce the evolution of Homo sapiens.