Question

Consider this scenario: While excavating in a cave in Spain, you discover an entire group of fossilized individuals dating to about 49,000 years ago. There are cut marks on the bones of the archaic humans that match in location to the cut marks on the bones of deer, aurochs, and wild boars. It is a mixed group of males and females, with some small children as well.
Their skeletons show these characteristics:
A) Their skulls are larger than average Homo sapiens sapiens, and they have a pronounced occipital bun, heavy brown ridges, cheekbones that slope sharply back from their enormous nasal aperture (nose hole). They have a sloping chin with no bump. Their skulls show they were bipedal.
B) Their bodies were very short and heavy, with massive muscle attachments and thick bone.
C) The DNA was recovered, and the males all had the same mitochondrial DNA, while the females had different mitochondrial DNA.
D) Mousterian stone tools were found in the cave, and were apparently used to make the cut marks. One of them miraculously had DNA still on it from a blood stain on the grip segment, and while the nuclear DNA on it didn’t match any of the skeletons that were found, the mitochondrial DNA did match up with one of the females.

1) The most likely species identification of these individuals is:
a. Homo sapiens sapiens
b. Homo naledi
c. Homo ergaster
d. Homo sapiens neanderthalensis

2) Where are you least likely to find other examples of their genus and species?
a. Kenya
b. Iran
c. Germany
d. Teshik Tash


3) What is the most likely explanation for the DNA evidence found in this cave?
a. The women were all closely related, and the males moved into their group. One of the males’ relatives was one of their killers, and they were cannibalized.
b. The males were all closely related, and the females moved into their group. One of the females relatives was one of their killers, and they were cannibalized.
c. The women were all closely related, and the males moved into their group. The groups was likely killed by accident when it turned out there was a Cave Bear in their cave.
d. These people all came from different groups and were hiding in this cave for protection against anatomically modern humans as they encroached on the territory.

4) This type of archaic human invented:
a. A form of adhesive and body art kits.
b. The bow and arrow and atlatl
c. Throwing stars and eskrima sticks
d. The game of cricket

5) This Genus and species traditionally buried their dead
a. True
b. False

Answer 1

Answer:

Their skeletons show these characteristics:

B) Their bodies were very short and heavy, with massive muscle attachments and thick bone.

1) The most likely species identification of these individuals is:

d. Homo sapiens neanderthalensis

2) Where are you least likely to find other examples of their genus and species?

d. Teshik Tash

3) What is the most likely explanation for the DNA evidence found in this cave?

c. The women were all closely related, and the males moved into their group. The groups was likely killed by accident when it turned out there was a Cave Bear in their cave.

4) This type of archaic human invented:

b. The bow and arrow and atlatl

5) This Genus and species traditionally buried their dead

b. False

Explanation: