Ch10 The Earliest Hominins Exam Prep - How Humans Evolved 8e | Test Bank by Robert Boyd by Robert Boyd. DOCX document preview.
CHAPTER 10: The Earliest Hominins
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. During the late Miocene, which of the following occurred in Africa?
a. | It became warmer and wetter. |
b. | It had an expansion of dense forests. |
c. | It experienced less rain and was more seasonal. |
d. | It shifted farther north. |
a. | forest to savanna. |
b. | savanna to forest. |
c. | cold to warm climates. |
d. | a single continent (Pangaea) to multiple continents. |
OBJ: C. Discuss why natural selection may have favored bipedal locomotion in early hominins.
MSC: Remembering
3. The very first hominins date to about ________ years ago.
a. | 60 million | c. | 600,000 |
b. | 6 million | d. | 60,000 |
a. | evidence of bipedal locomotion. |
b. | small posterior teeth (molars and premolars). |
c. | large canines. |
d. | the loss of a tail. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
5. Derived human traits that distinguish modern humans from apes include
a. | facultative bipedalism. | c. | a large brain-to-body-size ratio. |
b. | a short juvenile period. | d. | less body hair. |
a. | 2 Ma. | c. | 12 Ma. |
b. | 5 Ma. | d. | 8 Ma. |
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Remembering
7. The oldest hominin is
a. | Australopithecus. | c. | Zinjanthropus. |
b. | Sahelanthropus. | d. | Pithecanthropus. |
a. | larger canines. |
b. | upper canines that are not sharpened against the lower premolar. |
c. | thinner enamel. |
d. | larger incisors. |
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Understanding
9. Senut and colleagues argue that Orrorin tugenensis is likely a hominin on the basis of what evidence?
a. | features of the base of the skull | c. | features of the femur |
b. | footprints preserved in volcanic ash | d. | features of the spine and ribs |
a. | Sahelanthropus tchadensis | c. | Orrorin tugenensis |
b. | Ardipithecus kadabba | d. | none of the these |
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Remembering
11. Among the pre-4-Ma fossils from Ethiopia that some paleoanthropologists include in the hominin family, ________ has a canine that sharpens itself against the first premolar.
a. | Sahelanthropus tchadensis | c. | Orrorin tugenensis |
b. | Ardipithecus kadabba | d. | Ardipithecus ramidus |
a. | small molars. |
b. | thick enamel. |
c. | a forwardly placed foramen magnum. |
d. | a femur that angles inward. |
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Understanding
13. Which of the following statements is true of Orrorin tugenensis?
a. | It was quadrupedal. |
b. | It was ancestral to Sahelanthropus tchadensis. |
c. | It is dated to 4 million years ago. |
d. | It lived in a mix of woodland and savanna. |
a. | limb proportions like those of modern great apes. |
b. | specialization for below-branch feeding. |
c. | limb proportions like those of monkeys. |
d. | hands that are similar to those of African apes. |
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Evaluating
15. Compared with great apes, Ardipithecus ramidus was characterized by ________ molar enamel and ________ canines.
a. | thicker; larger | c. | thinner; larger |
b. | thicker; smaller | d. | thinner; smaller |
a. | Pan, Pongo, and Hylobates. |
b. | Sahelanthropus, Orrorin, and Ardipithecus. |
c. | Paranthropus, Homo erectus, and Homo ergaster. |
d. | Homo heidelbergensis, Neanderthals, and Homo sapiens. |
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Understanding
17. Which of the following statements correctly describes the distribution of cortical bone in the femur?
a. | It is diagnostic of locomotor patterns. |
b. | It can be used to estimate body weight. |
c. | It cannot be measured in fossils. |
d. | It tells you how strong a species was. |
a. | a femur that descends vertically from the pelvis. |
b. | a knee joint that is not slanted or angled toward the midline of the body. |
c. | cortical bone that is evenly distributed around the femur. |
d. | a divergent big toe. |
OBJ: B. Assess how the evolution of bipedal locomotion altered the postcranial skeleton in many important ways. MSC: Remembering
19. Based on fossil evidence, what is the relationship between the evolution of bipedalism and large brains in hominin evolution?
a. | Bipedalism preceded large brains by millions of years. |
b. | Large brains preceded bipedalism by millions of years. |
c. | They co-evolved. |
d. | The first hominins had large brains and were quadrupedal, while later hominins had small brains and were bipedal. |
a. | keep cool in savanna environments. | c. | travel easily in the trees. |
b. | plant and cultivate food. | d. | swim as well as travel on land. |
OBJ: C. Discuss why natural selection may have favored bipedal locomotion in early hominins.
MSC: Analyzing
21. Bipedalism may have evolved because it allowed hominins to
a. | keep warm. | c. | harvest food from small trees. |
b. | sit upright. | d. | run. |
a. | above-branch quadrupeds. | c. | vertical clingers and leapers. |
b. | below-branch, suspensory primates. | d. | amphibians. |
OBJ: C. Discuss why natural selection may have favored bipedal locomotion in early hominins.
MSC: Analyzing
23. Which of the following is a feature associated with bipedal locomotion?
a. | femurs parallel with the midline of the body |
b. | arched feet |
c. | a narrow and long pelvis |
d. | a foramen magnum positioned more posteriorly (toward the back of the skull) |
a. | prehominin apes from the Miocene from which hominins evolved. |
b. | toothless wonders from the late Cretaceous. |
c. | bipedal primates. |
d. | primates with brains larger than hominoids. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Analyzing
25. The fossil specimen known as “Lucy”
a. | is a 3.2-million-year-old australopithecine. |
b. | is a complete skeleton. |
c. | was not bipedal. |
d. | was named after the Peanuts character. |
a. | Australopithecus afarensis | c. | Australopithecus africanus |
b. | Paranthropus aethiopicus | d. | Homo rudolphensis |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Understanding
27. Derived features of Australopithecus afarensis include
a. | bipedalism. | c. | a tail. |
b. | a large brain. | d. | prognathism. |
a. | a large brain. | c. | bipedalism. |
b. | the lack of a tail. | d. | thin molar enamel. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Understanding
29. Au. Afarensis has a sciatic notch similar to that of
a. | chimpanzees. | c. | Old World monkeys. |
b. | humans. | d. | gorillas. |
a. | two equal cusps; no cusps; a small and a large cusp |
b. | one cusp; no cusps; two equal cusps |
c. | one cusp; two cusps; no cusp |
d. | one cusp; two cusps; a small and a large cusp |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Applying
31. It is likely that Australopithecus afarensis
a. | matured rapidly, like chimpanzees. |
b. | had a brain size three to four times bigger than those of chimpanzees. |
c. | made and used stone tools to scavenge meat. |
d. | lived throughout West, Central, East, and South Africa. |
a. | humerus, fingers | c. | ear bones (related to balance) |
b. | a hand with an opposable thumb | d. | pelvis, femur, skull |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Understanding
33. A femur from a bipedal primate ________ than that of a quadrupedal primate.
a. | has more torque | c. | is angled inward more |
b. | is shorter | d. | is angled outward more |
a. | an efficient biped compared with humans. |
b. | an inefficient biped compared with humans. |
c. | about as equally efficient a biped as humans. |
d. | not bipedal. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Evaluating
35. Which of the following skeletal features indicate(s) arboreal adaptations?
a. | long lower limbs |
b. | eyes moved toward the side of the head |
c. | curved fingers and toes |
d. | reliance on the sense of smell |
a. | sexually dimorphic. | c. | monogamous. |
b. | a stone-tool manufacturer. | d. | older than Ardipithecus ramidus. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
37. Relative to hominoids in general, hominins tend to have
a. | thin enamel. | c. | a parallel dental arcade. |
b. | thick enamel. | d. | three premolars. |
a. | large molars, similar to those found in Paranthopu. |
b. | small molars similar to modern humans. |
c. | chimpanzee-like teeth. |
d. | no diagnostic cranial bones but several postcranial bones. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
39. Australopithecus africanus is most similar to which of the following species?
a. | Australopithecus afarensis | c. | Ardipithecus ramidus |
b. | Australopithecus boisei | d. | Sahelanthropus tchadensis |
a. | more air pockets in the skull | c. | more prognathism |
b. | canines that are less dimorphic | d. | similar height |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Understanding
41. Australopithecus africanus has derived features not shared with humans. These include
a. | a fully bipedal gait. | c. | heavy chewing adaptations. |
b. | large canines. | d. | a modified pelvis. |
a. | had a femur angled toward the midline of the body. |
b. | had an S-shaped spinal column. |
c. | was found near footprints like those at Laetoli. |
d. | had a downward facing foramen magnum. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
43. Australopithecus africanus’s maturation rate was estimated by
a. | the cranial suture closure. | c. | relative tooth eruption. |
b. | the long bone suture closure. | d. | relative nail growth. |
a. | Australopithecus afarensis. | c. | Australopithecus africanus. |
b. | a robust australopith. | d. | a modern human. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Understanding
45. Paranthropus robustus had skull structures specialized for
a. | cannibalism. | c. | carnivory. |
b. | heavy chewing. | d. | speech. |
a. | It was about 1.3 meters tall and bipedal. |
b. | It was not fully bipedal. |
c. | It had very small molars. |
d. | It had very large incisors. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
47. Evidence that the robust australopithecines ate hard foods includes
a. | the browridge. | c. | flared zygomatics. |
b. | the nuchal crest. | d. | a small brain. |
a. | Paranthropus | c. | Kenyanthropus |
b. | Australopithecus | d. | Homo |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
49. Studies of tooth enamel tell us that
a. | C4 plants are woody plants while C3 plants are grasses and sedges. |
b. | Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus shared a variable diet that may have included animals that fed on C4 plants. |
c. | chimpanzees feed mainly on C4 plants. |
d. | Paranthropus boisei ate mostly C3 plants. |
a. | were twice the body size. |
b. | exhibit a number of derived features of the cranium and teeth. |
c. | were not appreciably different in any way. |
d. | have all come from East African sites. |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Understanding
51. Isotope analysis of Australopithecus teeth suggests that these hominins ate
a. | C3 plants, probably including forest fruits and leaves. |
b. | primarily C4 plants, suggesting that most Australopithecus lived in open grassland. |
c. | mostly C3 plants early on, shifting to mostly C4 plants over time. |
d. | an even mixture of C3 and C4 plants, suggesting no change in diet for millions of years. |
a. | Orrorin tugenensis | c. | Australopithecus afarensis |
b. | Ardipithecus ramidus | d. | Kenyanthropus platyops |
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering
53. Which of the following statements is true of Paranthropus aethiopicus?
a. | It is the most robust of the robust australopithecines. |
b. | It retains many primitive characteristics of Australopithecus afarensis. |
c. | It shares many derived characters with the genus Homo. |
d. | It is the direct ancestor of genus Homo. |
a. | The absence of an agreed upon phylogeny of hominins makes it impossible to understand early hominin evolution. |
b. | Only recently have we developed a secure and agreed upon phylogeny of early hominins. |
c. | We do not have a secure, agreed upon phylogeny for early hominins, but we can still understand the general patterns of early hominin evolution. |
d. | The most obvious pattern indicated by early hominin evolution is the early increase in brain size and slowing down of maturation rates. |
OBJ: E. Understand why efforts to construct phylogenies of early hominins are unproductive.
MSC: Evaluating
ESSAY
1. Compare and contrast the characteristics of Sahelanthropus, Orrorin, and Ardipithecus. In what kinds of environments did they live? How did the environment shape the evolution of their morphology?
DIF: Difficult REF: At the Beginning
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Remembering | Understanding
2. The evidence is compelling for either Sahelanthropus or Orrorin to have been most like the first hominin. Pick one, and make your case for why you think so.
DIF: Moderate REF: At the Beginning
OBJ: A. Describe why the earliest members of the human lineage were basically bipedal apes.
MSC: Remembering | Analyzing
3. What is the anatomical evidence that early australopithecines were bipedal?
DIF: Easy REF: At the Beginning | The Hominin Community Diversifies
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma. | E. Understand that the evolution of bipedal locomotion altered the postcranial skeleton in many important ways. MSC: Analyzing
4. What was the diet of the robust australopiths? What are the anatomical features associated with their diet?
DIF: Moderate REF: The Hominin Community Diversifies
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma.
MSC: Remembering | Understanding
5. Which known member of the genus Australopithecus is most like an ancestor to later australopiths and even of our genus, Homo? Support your suggestion with information about features of the hominins noted in the chapter.
DIF: Moderate REF: The Hominin Community Diversifies | Hominin Phylogenies
OBJ: D. Summarize the key attributes of the hominin species that lived in Africa 5 Ma to 2 Ma. | E. Understand why efforts to construct phylogenies of early hominins are unproductive.
MSC: Remembering | Analyzing | Evaluating
6. Discuss three hypotheses concerning the evolution of bipedalism.
DIF: Easy REF: The Adaptive Advantages of Bipedalism
OBJ: C. Discuss why natural selection may have favored bipedal locomotion in early hominins.
MSC: Remembering | Understanding
7. Why might there be uncertainties about the relationship of different hominins to each other?
DIF: Difficult REF: Hominin Phylogenies
OBJ: E. Understand why efforts to construct phylogenies of early hominins are unproductive.
MSC: Evaluating