Nearest human ancestors (Part 2)
Another important feature of the Australopithecus, also inextricably linked to bipedal locomotion, are features of the skull structure, pointing to a more vertical than that of other anthropoids, landing head. This is evident from the fact that a considerable part of the nape of Australopithecus did not have strong neck muscles, which were supposed to keep the weight on the head with its horizontal position. This landing Australopithecus head should promote in the future. More rapid development of the brain and the skull of man’s ancestors.
All these characteristics are mutually related, formed over hundreds of thousands of years in a land of life, put monkeys type of Australopithecus in particular compared to other apes position opened up entirely new possibilities in the fight for survival in front of them. The release of the forelimbs of support functions and enhance their grasping activity made possible the development of Australopithecus activities to a whole new way – on the way more and more expanding, and the systematic use of various objects, primarily sticks and stones as natural weapons.
On a huge, fundamental importance of this fact for the further evolution of human ancestors suggests the study of the remains of other animals found together with the bones of Australopithecus themselves. The study of fossil skulls of baboons found in the same place where the bones of Australopithecus have been found, showed that 50 out of 58 of these skulls had damage in the form of cracks as a result of blows of great power, inflicted some heavy objects. Also found bones of large ungulates, the ends of the bones were broken and smashed. The “cooking piles” Australopithecus found the wreckage of armor turtles, lizards, bones, armor freshwater crabs. We can assume, therefore, .chto addition to collecting plant foods, birds’ eggs australopithecines hunted small animals, catching lizards, crabs, and sometimes attacked on relatively large animals, taking advantage of the stones and sticks.
The constant use of animal meat these ancient apes unlike those monkeys that lived in trees and eat mainly plant food, contributed to the progressive development of their accelerated. Meat food allowed rapid and complete improved from generation to generation of human ancestors, as had a great influence on the development of their brain, the brain. Delivering necessary for its development of a substance in greater numbers than ever before, and in a more concentrated, easily digestible form. The increased supply of the brain substances, necessary for its growth, was necessary. The struggle for existence was associated with the use of primary. Irreversible tools, it required continuous development and complication. Conditionally reflex activity, growth, ingenuity and resourcefulness.
Thus, the study of the type of australopithecine apes gives an idea, about, certain and very important link in the evolution of our ancestors and. Togo, shows clearly enough, you should have been looking is not detected due to the incompleteness of the fossil record direct predecessors and ancestors [Man . Anyway, it was very similar in type to the Australopithecus, the same highly developed apes. They were supposed to be about the same with the physical structure of Australopithecus and lead a similar lifestyle with him. These monkeys inhabited obviously a vast area in Africa and southern Asia. In the region of their settlement probably consisted of the southern part of the USSR and, as evidenced by the recent discovery of the remains of ape in eastern Georgia. This kind of ape was close are believed to driopithecus and received the name “udabnopiteka” on Udabno area where the remains of monkeys found.
As for the other members of the genus of monkeys, these “little brother” of our ancestors hopelessly behind, and stayed away from the main road of the evolutionary development that led from ape to man. Some highly monkeys late Tertiary increasingly adapted to life in the trees. They were all tied to the rainforest. The biological development of other monkeys in the struggle for existence has gone on ways to increase their body size. Therefore, there were huge monkey – Meganthropus, Gigantopithecus, the remains of which were found in southern China, as well as monkeys type of modern gorillas. However, their brute strength to successfully fight for life in the primeval forest was growing at the expense of a higher sphere of life activity, to the detriment of brain evolution.