Laboratory 19 Human Evolution

(LM pages 255–266)

Time Estimate for Entire Lab: 2.0 hours

Seventh Edition Changes

This was lab 18 Evidences of Evolution in the previous edition. The experimental procedure Protein
Similarities was revised.
New or revised figures: 19.5 Antigen-antibody reaction.

MATERIALS AND PREPARATIONS1

19.2 Comparative Anatomy (LM pages 258-263)
skeletons or mounted limbs of:
_____ frog (Carolina 24-3720 to -3840, or POM3460)
_____ lizard (Carolina POM3613)
_____ bird (pigeon, Carolina 24-5120)
_____ bat (Carolina 24-5640, or POM 7410)
_____ cat (Carolina 24-5880)
_____ human, adult (see Carolina’s “Skeletons: Human” section)
_____ chimpanzee (Carolina 24-6500, -6502)
Comparison of Vertebrate Embryos (LM page 263)
_____ slide, prepared: chick embryo, 72-hour (Carolina 31-1634 to -1658)
_____ slide, prepared: chick embryo, 96-hour (Carolina 31-1676 to -1688)
_____ slide, prepared: pig embryo (8–12 mm) (Carolina 31-1828, -1834)
_____ microscope, binocular dissecting
_____ lens paper
19.3 Biochemical Evidence (LM pages 264-265)
_____ Immunology and Evolution Experiment kit (Lab-Aids, Inc., No. 92)
_____ stirring rod, plastic; or toothpicks
It would be useful for students to know the order of relationship for the animals’ sera they are testing.
The order is:
Man
Chimpanzee
Orangutan
Monkey
Pig

1 Note: “Materials and Preparations” instructions are grouped by exercise. Some materials may be used in more than one exercise.
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EXERCISE QUESTIONS
19.1 Fossil Record (LM page 257)
1. Human beings are vertebrates (a subphylum) in the animal kingdom. When do the first verte-
brates (i.e., fishes) appear in the fossil record? Paleozoic era, Ordovician period
2. Human beings belong to a vertebrate group known as placental mammals (a subclass). When do
placental mammals appear in the fossil record? Mesozoic era, Cretaceous period
3. Human beings belong to a placental mammal group known as primates (an order). In what epoch
do primates appear in the fossil record? Paleocene epoch
4. Among primates, human beings are most closely related to apes. (Apes and humans are in the
superfamily hominoids.) In what epoch do apelike mammals appear in the fossil record? Miocene
epoch
5. Human beings are hominids (a family). According to Table 19.1, the ape line of descent and the
hominid line of descent most likely split in what epoch? Pliocene epoch
6. In what epoch do the first fossils to be labeled modern human (Cro-Magnon) appear in the fossil
record? Pleistocene epoch
7. Do human beings have a fossil record just like all animals do? yes

19.2 Comparative Anatomy (LM pages 258-263)

Table 19.2 Comparison of Vertebrate Forelimbs*

Animal Bones That Resemble Bones That Differ From
Common Ancestor Common Ancestor
Frog h, m u, r, c, p
Lizard h, u, r, c, m p
Bird h, u, r c, m, p
Bat h u, r, c, m, p
Cat h, c, m, p u, r
Human u, r, c, m, p h

*Note: This comparison is relative, and student answers will vary.

4. Relate the change in bone structure to mode of locomotion in two examples.

Example 1: Bat. The radius is long, relative to the humerus. The phalanges are extremely long, and the bat’s
skin is stretched out over the forelimb, forming a wing for flying.
Example 2: Human. Because humans walk upright, their forelimbs are no longer used to bear weight. Their
long upper limbs have carpals, metacarpals, and phalanges that are modified for object manipulation. The shape
and angle of articulation of the first digit (the thumb) are particularly noteworthy. This opposable thumb
allows for maximum manipulation. These capabilities could not be so specialized if humans were quadrupeds.

Comparison of Human and Chimpanzee Skeletons (LM pages 260-262)

Are humans and apes both primates? yes
At what category does the classification of humans and the classification of chimpanzees first
differ? family
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Observation: Human and Chimpanzee Skeletons (LM page 260-262)

Table 19.4 Comparison of Human and Chimpanzee Skeletons

Skeletal Part Human Chimpanzee
Shape of spine Curved Straight
Shape of pelvic girdle Short Long
Rib cage Broad Broader
Opposable thumb Yes Yes
Length of arm relative to body Half as long Almost as long
Length of leg relative to body Half as long Half as long

2. How does the human skull differ from the chimpanzee skull in this respect? The parietal bone is
elongated and compressed, as opposed to the rounded human parietal bone.
3. Compare the shape and position of the occipital bones in the human and chimpanzee skulls.
The occipital in humans is rounded; in the chimpanzee, it has a prominent ridge for attachment of neck mus-
cles.
Its position is lower (more ventral) in the chimpanzee.
4. How does the difference in the position of the foramen magnum, a large opening in the base of
the skull for the spinal cord, correlate with the posture and stance of the two organisms? In the
human, the foramen magnum is placed almost in the bottom center of the skull; in the chimpanzee, the opening
is well to the rear. Humans walk upright, and chimpanzees use all four limbs for walking.
5. Compare the slope of the frontal bones of the human and chimpanzee skulls. How are they
different? In the human, the frontal bone is rounded; in the chimpanzee, it is sloped backward.
6. For which skull is the supraorbital ridge thicker? The supraorbital ridge of the chimpanzee is thicker.
7. What is the position of the mouth and chin in relation to the profile for each skull? Humans do not
have a muzzle; chimpanzees do. What effect has the evolutionary change in the positions of these
bones had on the shape of the face? The human face is flattened.
8. Examine the teeth in the adult human and chimpanzee skulls. Are the shapes and types of teeth
similar in both? Not really. Human teeth are small; chimpanzee molars are larger and flatter, and the canines
are much longer.

Comparison of Vertebrate Embryos (LM page 263)

Observation: Chick and Pig Embryos (LM page 263)
2. List five similarities between the two embryos.
a. General shape of presumptive head
b. Shape and orientation of limb buds
c. Presence and shape of the tail
d. Appearance of somites on dorsal surface
e. Placement of the eyes in relation to the rest of the head
3. Why might a chick embryo and a pig embryo resemble one another so closely? They are both
vertebrates.

19.3 Biochemical Evidence (LM pages 264-265)

Antigen–Antibody Reactions (LM pages 264-265)
Experimental Procedure: Protein Similarities (LM pages 264-265)
5. Describe what you see. A distinct cloudiness or precipitate forms.
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Table 19.5 Biochemical Evidence of Evolution

Well Amount of Precipitate Animal Source
10 min. 20 min.
1 ++ Orangutan
2 0 Pig
3 ++++ Human
4 +++ Chimpanzee
5 + Monkey
6 (standard) ++++ Human

Conclusions (LM page 265)

• Why do you expect well 3 and well 6 to have the same amount of precipitate? because the animal
source for both well 3 and well 6 is human
• Aside from humans, the test sera (supposedly) came from a pig, monkey, orangutan, and chim-
panzee, stated in the correct order of relatedness to humans. Which is most closely related to
humans—pigs or chimpanzees? chimpanzees
• Judging by the amount of precipitate, complete Table 19.5 by indicating which serum you believe
came from which animal. On what did you base your conclusion? The greater the degree of precipita-
tion, the more similar the organism’s blood serum protein is to the human’s blood serum protein.

LABORATORY REVIEW 19 (LM page 266)

1. State the simplest definition of evolution. change
2. What does the timescale of life encompass—tens, hundreds, millions, or billions of years? billions
3. What is the best explanation for the fact that fossils do not resemble their modern-day representa-
tives? evolution occurred
4. Fossils are the remains of past life.
5. All vertebrates go through similar embryological stages. What does this suggest? relatedness
6. Which has thicker supraorbital ridges, the chimpanzee skull or the human skull? chimpanzee
7. Which skeleton—chimpanzee or human—has longer forelimbs per body length? chimpanzee
8. Which term—homologous or analogous—means that components are similar in structure? homolo-
gous
9. During development, vertebrates have a supporting rod called what? notochord
10. In this laboratory, what type of biochemical reaction was used to determine relatedness? antigen-
antibody
11. What does it indicate if antibodies to the serum of one species react strongly against the serum of
another species? They are not very closely related.
12. What does an antibody react against? an antigen

Thought Questions
13. If a characteristic is found in bacteria, fungi, pine trees, snakes, and humans, when did it most
likely evolve? Why? This characteristic most likely evolved in bacteria because they were one of the first
types of life forms.
14. What do mutations have to do with amino acid changes in a protein? The sequence of DNA bases
codes for the sequence of amino acids in a protein. Therefore mutations, which are changes in the sequence of
DNA bases, can result in a changed sequence of amino acids in a protein.