IV. The Domain Eukarya

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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview
Linnaean Classification
Pongidae
Hylobatidae
Hominidae
Apes primates (grasping hands, binocular
vision) with no tails
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview
1-4 difference
Hylobatidae
Hominidae
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview
How can the small genetic difference account for
the dramatic differences that occur between these
species?
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
Homo sapiens Chimps, Gorillas Larger
Head/body ratio smaller Smaller jaw/head
ratio larger Shorter limb/body
ratio longer Less hair more hair Better
learning poorer learning
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
Differences correlate with developmental
differences
Juvenile Primate Adult Primate Larger Head/body
ratio smaller Smaller jaw/head
ratio larger Shorter limb/body
ratio longer Less hair more hair Better
learning poorer learning
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
b. Genetic
Developmental genes can have profound effects on
the final morphology of the organism.
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
b. Genetic

• What are some of these genetic differences?
• The HAR1 RNA molecule.
• - not a coding RNA probably regulatory
• - nearby genes associated with transcriptional
  regulation and neurodevelopment are upregulated
  in humans.
• - only 2 changes in sequence between chicks and
  chimps 18 between chimps and humans. HAR
  stands for human accelerated region changing
  more rapidly than drift can explain. why?
  Selection.
• Changes result in a profound change in RNA
  structure and, presumably, binding efficiency.
• Beniaminov A, Westhof E, and Krol A. 2008.
• Distinctive structures between chimpanzee and
  human in a brain noncoding RNA. RNA 141270-1275.

Beniaminov A et al. RNA 2008141270-1275
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
b. Genetic c. Fossils
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
Sahelanthropus tchadensis discovered in Chad in
2001. Dates to 6-7 mya. Only a skull. Is it on
the human line? Is it bipedal? Probably not
(foramen magnum). Primitive traits, as a common
ancestor might have.
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Ardipithecus ramidus 4.3-4.5 mya. Discovered in
1994 by Haile-Sailasse, Suwa, and White, with the
most complete fossils were not described until
2009. Arboreal, but facultatively bipedal.
Grasping toes.
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IV. The Domain Eukarya E. Fungi F. Animals G.
Human Evolution 1. Overview 2. Patterns
a. Morphological and Behavioral
b. Genetic c. Fossils
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Australopithecus afarensis 2.8-3.9 mya. A femur
discovered in 1973 by Donald Johansson suggested
an upright gait, confirmed by his discovery in
1974 of the Lucy specimen. Also, the Laetoli
prints (found by Mary Leakey) were probably made
by A. afarensis, and in 2006, a juvenile A.
afaresis was found.
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Kenyanthropus platyops 3.2-3.5 mya Discovered
by Meave Leakeys team at Lake Turkana most
dispute it warrants another genus, and some even
include it in A. afarensis.
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Australopithecus garhi 2.5-2.6 mya discovered
by Asfaw and White in 1996, but the skull below
was discovered by Haile-Selasse in 1997. The
tooth morphology is a bit different from A.
afarensis and A. africanus, being much larger
than even the robust forms. There are associated
stone tools!
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Australopithecus sebida 1.9 mya, describe in
2010 by LE Berger it has many characteristics
like A. africanus, but also similar to genus
Homo.
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Australopithecus africanus 2-3 mya, discovered
by Raymond Dart in South Africa in 1924 the
Taung child. Then, in 1947, Robert Broom found
a skull he classified as Plesianthropus, but was
grouped with A. africanus.
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Paranthropus aethiopicus 2.5-2.7 mya, discovered
by Alan Walker and Richard Leakey, the black
skull is one of the most imposing hominid
fossils there is! Aside from the high cheekbones
and the sagittal crest, it has similar
proportions to A. afarensis and is probably a
direct descendant. It probably gave rise to the
robust lineage of Paranthropus.
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Paranthropus boisei 1.2-2.6 mya. Discovered by
Mary Leakey in Olduvai Gorge in 1959, it was
originally classified as Zinjanthropus and
nicknamed Zinj or nutcracker man because of
the large grinding molars.
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Paranthropus robustus 1.2-2.0 mya. Discovered
in South Africa in 1938 by Robert Broom.
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Competitive contraction?
Innovation Bipedality
Radiation of Bipedal Hominids
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Homo habilis 1.4-2.3 mya, discovered by Louis
and Mary Leakey, in association with stone tools.
Handy man. Longer arms and smaller brain than
other members of the genus.
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Homo rudolphensis 1.9 mya Discovered by Richard
and Meave Leakeys team. Different from H.
habilis, yet a contemporary. Either may be
ancestral to recent Homo.
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Homo georgicus 1.7 mya the oldest hominid
fossils found outside of Africa found in
Dmanisi, Georgia, in 1999. Thought to be a
potential intermediate between H. habilis and H.
ergaster/H. erectus.
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Homo ergaster (H. erectus) 1.3-1.8 mya, the most
complete fossil hominid skeleton was discovered
in 1984 by Alan Walker who called it Turkana
Boy. Some consider this species intermediate to
H. habilis and H. heidelbergensis/H. sapiens,
leaving H. erectus as a distinct Asian offshoot
of the main line to H. sapiens. However, most
paleontologists suggest that H. ergaster is the
African ancestor even a chronospecies or
population - of H. erectus, which is ancestral
to more recent Homo species.
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Homo erectus 0.2-1.8 mya originating in Africa,
but then leaving for Asia (Peking and Java Man).
Discovered in Java by Eugene Dubois in 1891.
Certainly one of the most successful hominid
species in history perhaps lasting as relictual
species on islands in Indonesia as
Homo floresiensis 94,000-13,000 years,
discovered by Mike Mormood on the island of
Flores. Shoulder anatomy is reminiscent of H.
erectus, but could be an allometeric function of
the small size (3 ft).
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Homo cepranensis 350,000-500,000 years old
discovered by Italo Biddittu in 1994 in Italy.
It is just a skull cap, but seems to be
intermediate between H. erectus and H.
heidelbergensis.
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Homo antecessor 800,000-1.2 mya fossils from 20
individuals found in Spain in 1994-5 may be H.
heidelbergensis or an intermediate between it
and H. ergaster.
Homo heidelbergensis 250-600,000 in Europe and
Africa ancestral to H. neaderthalensis and H.
sapiens may have buried their dead.
Homo rhodesiensis 125-300,000 may be H.
heidelbergensis or intermediate to it and H.
sapiens.
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Homo neaderthalensis 30,000-150,000 first
discovered in 1829. Descended from H.
heidelbergensis.
Homo sapiens idaltu 160,000 oldest Homo
sapiens fossil found in Africa in 2003 afar
valley.
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Competitive contraction?
Innovation Bipedality
Radiation of Bipedal Hominids