UCSP L10 PDF - Biological Evolution of Man

 Explain the content, context, processes and consequences of socialization Identify the social scientist like anthropologist and archeologist and their contributions Explain the theories of evolution Enumerate and explain the stages of evolution Appreciate the contributions of...

 Explain the content, context, processes and consequences of socialization Identify the social scientist like anthropologist and archeologist and their contributions Explain the theories of evolution Enumerate and explain the stages of evolution Appreciate the contributions of biological anthropologist in the better understanding of man and his evolution. MUCH OF THE LITERATURE ON THE BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF MAN ARE CONTRIBUTED THROUGH THE STUDIES OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS WHICH INCLUDE RICHARD LEAKEY, DONALD JOHANSON, RAYMOND DART, MILFORD WOLFORD AND DAVID PILBEAN. THE BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGISTS STUDY MAN’S BIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS, RACE REVOLUTION, GENETIC INHERITANCE, RACIAL CLASSIFICATIONS, HUMAN ADAPTABILITY AND VARIATIONS, THE FOSSILS RECORDS OF HUMAN EVOLUTION AS WELL AS FORENSIC STUDIES. IT RELATES BIOLOGY AND CULTURE. THE SUB DISCIPLINE OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY INCLUDES: PALAEONTOLOGY. It deals with the origin of man through the study of fossil evidence for human evolution. Primatology. It deals with the study of primates or hominids of the genus Homo especially Homo sapiens. Neuroanthropology. It deals study of the evolution of the human brain, and of culture as a neurological adaptation of the species to its environment. Human Osteology. It deals with the study of skeletal materials. HUMAN EVOLUTION REFERS TO THE EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF THE GENUS HOMO, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCE OF HOMO SAPIENS AS A DISTINCT CATEGORY OF HOMINIDS (“GREAT APES”) AND MAMMALS. THE STUDY OF HUMAN USES MANY SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, PRIMATOLOGY, ARCHEOLOGY, LINGUISTIC AND GENETICS. THE WORD HOMO, THE NAME OF THE BIOLOGICAL GENUS TO WHICH HUMAN BELONG IS, LATIN FOR “HUMAN”. IT WAS CHOSEN ORIGINALLY BY CAROLUS LINNAEUS IN HIS CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM. THE WORD “HUMAN” IS FROM THE LATIN HUMANUS, THE ADJECTIVAL FORM OF HOMO. THE LATIN “HOMO” DERIVES FROM THE INDO-EUROPEAN ROOT “DHGHEM” OR “EARTH.” Human Evolution or Anthropogenesis is the part of biological evolution concerning the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species from other hominids, great apes and placental animals. Simply defined, evolution means the slow process of change from simple to a more complex form or structure. Most scientist believe that the evolution of life began in the ocean some 3, 000 million years ago. A group of amphibians then evolved into reptiles which were later displaced by mammals. Mammals are warm blooded creatures which have capacity to learn from experience than the other animals and this capacity resulted in the evolution of the human species. Linnaeus grouped man, the great ape (Chimpanzee, gorilla and orangutan) and monkeys in a single order, the primates. Lamarckism Darwinism The Synthetic Theory or Neo- Darwinism Lamarck is remembered for his belief in the inheritability of acquired character. He is credited for stating for the first time that evolution is a gradual process and it is general fact covering all forms of life. In his book, “The Origin of Species” 1859, Charles Darwin postulated that human evolution has occurred through the process of natural selection. He showed that in the struggle for existence, those animals and plant species which have features to adapt to their environment survived, while those inefficient ones perished or were eliminated. The survival of the fittest and the elimination of unfit is a natural process. This theory postulates that human evolution proceeds principally as a results of the interaction between five indispensable processes:  Mutation Genetic formulation Changes in the chromosome number and structure Natural selection Reproductive isolation DRYOPITHECUS RAMAPITHECUS AUSTROLOPITHECUS OR AUSTRALOPITHECUS AFRICANUS Dryopithecus. This genus which means oak wood apes live in Africa, China, India and Europe in densely forested tropical lowlands. The members might have been predominantly herbivorous. Ramapithecus. Fossil remains were found in the open grasslands in Punjab, India. Fossil evidence indicates a hominid status and adaptation including robust jaws, thickened tooth enamel, shorter canines, upright posture and the use of hands for food and defense. Austrolopithecus or Australopithecus Africanus. This genus is the immediate forerunner of the genus Homo. The first fossil of the genus was discovered by Raymund Dart at Taung, a limestone quarry site in South Africa. They walked erect, lived on the ground and probably used stones as weapons to hunt small animals. They weighed 60 to 90 pounds and were about 4 feet tall. The word “homo” from the Latinus “humunus” means “human” or “man”. there are several species of homo. In modern taxonomy, Homo sapiens is the only extant species of its genus, Homo  HOMO HABILIS Homo Habilis. This genus is the first species of genus Homo, lived from about to 2.4 to 1.4 billion years ago in South and East Africa in the late Pliocene epoch when it diverged from the Australopithecus. It had smaller molar and larger brains. It makes tools from stones and perhaps from animal bones. HOMO HABILIS Homo Erectus. The fossils of the Hmo Erectus were discovered by Eugene Dubois in 1891 on Java, Indonesia. He named his find as pithecanthropus erectus meaning the “erect ape man”. this, he considered to be intermediate between of that human and apes. It is said to be missing link. The Homo Erectus was the first human ancestor to walk truly upright. It includes the Java Man and Peking Man. Bone tools and wooden spears indicate collective cooperative hunting. The Homo Erectus seem to be dwellers. There is evidence of the use of fire. Homo sapiens Neanderthalsis. The Homo Erectus gradually evolved into Homo sapiens Neantherdal which lived from about 250, 00 to as recent as 30, 000 years ago. The word “sapiens” means wise or intelligent. The trend skull expansion and the elaboration of stone tools technologies developed, provide evidence fro a transitions from Homo Erectus to Homo Sapiens. The Neantherdals were capable of big hunting game. Homo sapiens sapiens. The first skeletal remains of this homo genus wre found in Europe and were named Cro- Magnon. They were hunter and foragers. There is final reduction of the jaws, the appearance of modern man’s chin and of the rounded skull. Modern man is closely related to the Cro-Magnon. The first of drawing of animal figures on cave wall indicate the first appearance of art CRO-MAGNON