ANT 102 Intro to Cultural Anthropology Dr. Dorothy Wills
Cal Poly Pomona
BIOLOGY AND CULTURE
I. Biological classification of humans.
KINGDOM ANIMALIA 1 Billion ya
locomotion, no
photosynthesis,
sexual reproduction
PHYLUM CHORDATA 500 mya
gill slits, notocord,
SUB-PHYLUM VERTEBRATA 200 mya
nerve tissue, vertebral
column with spinal cord
CLASS MAMMALIA 200 mya
warm-blooded, vision
dominant, internal
fertilization,
mammary glands, body hair.
ORDER PRIMATES 70 mya
high development of
feeling and grasping, stereoscopic color vision, not highly
specialized
FAMILY HOMINIDAE 6 mya (?)
erect bipedal, large
brain
GENUS HOMO 2 mya (?)
refinement of erect
bipedalism, further
brain development,
language, culture, tool
making
SPECIES SAPIENS 300,000 yrs
increased size, further refinements of motor
capability & skeleton
SUB SPECIES SAPIENS 50,000 yrs+
slight reduction in
size from Neanderthal, skeletal
refinement, reduction
of dentition (modern
type)
II. Physical Characteristics of Homo Sapiens:
1. Large brain-providing intellectual and nervous efficiency.
2. Erect bipedalism- walking upright; this has entailed changes in the structure
of feet, cranium, pelvis, and face.
3. Prehensile hands- great manual dexterity due to digits and opposable thumb.
4. Diet and dentition- based on eating of meat, along with a large variety of
other items.
5. Reduced body hair- the process by which this occurs is called fetalization.
6. Menstruation instead of estrus cycle.
7. Senses: stereoscopic color vision (depth perception with both eyes), good
hearing and tactile senses; good taste, poor smell, good kinesthetic sense (balance
and equilibrium).
8. Vocal communication.
9. Generalized form rather than specialized.
10. Important changes in musculoskeletal, neurological and behavioral characteristics
from other primates.
11. Fairly standardized life cycle and maximum life expectancy