Question

Complete the following paragraph to describe the importance of both ardipithecines and australopithecines in hominin evolution australopithecines Fossils from two species of a group called the been found and dated back to around 4.4 and have _years 800 4 million ape Some of the fassil structures are very -like, including short stature, small head and brain, low forehead with heavy eyebrow ridges, and bipedalism -like, including the lack Other fossil structures are very of sharp canines and the presence of robust ardipithecines Fossils from a group of hominins called the found and dated back to have been years ago gracile between 5.2 and 5.8 million Fossils of this genus range in body form. Some have a or slender body form, while others have more powerful body forms, indicating adaptations to different ways of life. hominin Australopith fossils provide evidence for evolution, or the idea that different body parts change at different rates and therefore different times mosaic opposable toe convergent Reset

Answer 1

Answers are written in brackets.

1.Fossils from 2 related species of a group (Ardipithecines) have been found and dated back to around 4.4 mya and (between 5.2 - 5.8)mya.These 2 species were Ardipithecus ramidus and an older,related species Ardipithecus kadabba.These were the best known early hominids.

2. Some of the fossil structures are very (ape) like,including short stature,small head and brain,low forehead with heavy eyebrow ridges and (opposable toe).Bipedal walking was evolved very early in the hominin lineage but Ardipithecine retained a grasping foot and showed arboreal locomotion which reduced the bipedal movement.

3. Other fossil structures are very (hominin) like,with the lack of sharp canines and presence of (bipedalism).

4.Fossils from a group of hominins called (Australopithecines) have been found and dated back to (4 mya).Australopithecines are the latest early hominins with blunt,small and monomorphic cannines.They showed bipedalism.Robust is a subgroup of Australopithecus with enormous teeth and numerous chewing muscles.Most of the Australopithecines were extinct around 2 mya but some the robust persisted until 1.2 mya.

5. Fossils of this genus range in body form.Some have a (gracile) and slender body form while other have more (mosaic) or powerful body forms indicating adaptations to different ways of life forms.

6. Australopithecus fossils provide evidence for (convergent) evolution or the idea that different body parts changed at different rates and therefore at different times.As a convergent evolution means different structures performing similar function having different origin but due to the adaptation of same environment.For example:- the wings of bats and butterfly.