Flashcards on Extinct Species and Hominids

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Can DNA be recovered from extinct species?

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Yes, DNA can be recovered from some extinct species, but it degrades over time.

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Limitations of recovering DNA from extinct species

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The main limitations are age, temperature, and preservation conditions. DNA older than ~1 million years is extremely rare or degraded beyond use.

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Species included in the hominid group (Hominidae)

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Great apes and humans (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, humans).

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Species included in the hominin group (Hominina)

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Humans and our extinct ancestors (e.g., Australopithecus, Homo).

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When did the hominid and hominin groups split off from other primates?

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The split from the common ancestor with chimpanzees occurred ~6–7 million years ago.

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Features that distinguish hominins from other hominids

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Bipedalism, reduced canine teeth, flatter face, larger brain relative to body size, and changes in pelvic and leg structure.

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Characteristics of Australopithecus

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Bipedal, small brain, long arms; lived ~4–2 million years ago.

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Characteristics of Paranthropus

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Robust skulls, large jaw muscles, herbivorous diet; lived ~2.7–1.2 million years ago.

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Characteristics of Homo erectus

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Larger brain, used fire and tools, first hominin to leave Africa; lived ~1.9 million–110,000 years ago.

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Characteristics of Homo neanderthalensis

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Lived in Europe and Asia, complex tools, buried dead, interbred with modern humans; ~400,000–40,000 years ago.