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Quiz about Hominid Family Names
Quiz about Hominid Family Names

Hominid Family Names Trivia Quiz


Names of many members of our evolutionary family have changed over time due to new findings about the original fossils, genetic testing, etc. You should find this quiz as difficult as my first: Human Evolution vs. Creationism. Comments are welcomed.

A multiple-choice quiz by RSKimball. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
RSKimball
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
289,561
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
5 / 10
Plays
785
Awards
Top 10% Quiz
Question 1 of 10
1. What is considered to be another accepted name for "Cro-magnon Man"? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. What is the recognized name for the fossil remains of a creature once called "Pithecanthropus erectus"? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. In the 1920s an international team of scientists excavated the fossil remains of "Peking Man". We now know this specimen is an example of which human-like creature? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Discovered in a South African limestone quarry, the "Taung child" lived between one and two million years ago. What is generally considered to be the scientific name of this fossil? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia, "Lucy" was a 25% complete skeleton. She has the pelvis and leg bones of a fully bipedal creature. She is considered to be a member of which extinct hominid species? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Discovered in Kenya in 1984, The "Turkana Boy" is one of the most remarkable finds in the entire history of paleoanthropology. Even though it is about 1.6 million years old, it is a nearly complete skeleton. What ancient hominid species does the Turkana Boy belong to? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Discovered on a remote island in Indonesia in 2004, this tiny human ancestor was dubbed by workers who uncovered the remains as "The Hobbit". So far, about seven individuals have been found. What is the specific scientific name given to the "hobbits"? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. British paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey, discovered this 1.75 million year old hominid in 1959. The species was given the nickname "Nutcracker Man" due to its extremely massive jaws and molars. What is the scientific name of this very ancient humanoid species? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In July of 2001 a fossil skull was found in the central African nation of Chad. It was given the nickname "Toumai". From the list below, which is the accepted scientific name of this extremely ancient hominid?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. In spite of all the fossil hominid bones that have been found, most paleontologists are still looking for the true "Missing Link".



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What is considered to be another accepted name for "Cro-magnon Man"?

Answer: Homo sapiens

From a strictly morphologic perspective, Cro-magnon was the same as a modern human or a Homo sapiens. Homo erectus is a much more ancient "Human" than Cro-magnon. The so-called "Piltdown Man" was proved conclusively to be a fraud in the 1950's. Homo neanderthalensis existed in Europe at the same time as Cro-magnon humans. Neanderthals are a different species from modern humans.
2. What is the recognized name for the fossil remains of a creature once called "Pithecanthropus erectus"?

Answer: Homo erectus

Paranthropus robustus is actually a much more primitive hominid. They inhabited southern Africa 2 to 1.2 million years ago.

Ramapithecus is an extinct primate that lived 14 to 12 million years ago. This creature is considered to be an ancestor of the orangutan. Thus, it is not a hominid.

"Gigantopithecus" refers to an extinct group of giant apes that lived about 1 million to as recently as 300 thousand years ago. Not part of the human evolutionary lineage.
3. In the 1920s an international team of scientists excavated the fossil remains of "Peking Man". We now know this specimen is an example of which human-like creature?

Answer: Homo erectus

Sahelanthropus tchadensis was discovered in Chad. It is estimated to be between 6 and 7 million years old. There is some doubt as to it actually being fully bipedal.

Neanderthal man or "Homo neanderthalensis" is a good guess...but it was actually first discovered in Germany in 1856.

Homo sapiens is the scientific name of modern humans. The shape of a Homo erectus skull is obviously different from modern humans.
4. Discovered in a South African limestone quarry, the "Taung child" lived between one and two million years ago. What is generally considered to be the scientific name of this fossil?

Answer: Australopithecus africanus

"Homo ergaster" refers to a lineage of the genus Homo that appeared in Africa about 1.9 million years ago. Considered to be very similar to Homo erectus. Many researchers consider Homo ergaster to be an earlier and more primitive version of Homo erectus. The general scientific consensus is that Homo ergaster is a direct ancestor of Homo sapiens.

Actually, "Eoanthropus dawsonii" refers to the so-called Piltdown Man. This was proven in the 1950's to be a deliberate fraud.
5. Discovered in 1974 in Ethiopia, "Lucy" was a 25% complete skeleton. She has the pelvis and leg bones of a fully bipedal creature. She is considered to be a member of which extinct hominid species?

Answer: Australopithecus afarensis

"Lucy" is an incredible find. Enough of her skeleton was found to show that she is a true bipedal creature (walked on two legs). Thus, she is a very ancient member of the human evolutionary family. At the same time, she is extremely primitive and clearly exhibits cranial features similar to our common lineage with ancient ape species. (Forward protruding face, a U-shaped palate, etc.) Australopithecus afarensis can be seen as a true transitional species.
6. Discovered in Kenya in 1984, The "Turkana Boy" is one of the most remarkable finds in the entire history of paleoanthropology. Even though it is about 1.6 million years old, it is a nearly complete skeleton. What ancient hominid species does the Turkana Boy belong to?

Answer: Homo erectus (or Homo ergaster)

Turkana Boy is the most complete skeleton of a Homo erectus ever found. It is approximately 1.6 million years old. Australopithecus afarensis is much more primitive hominid .... having lived about 3.5 million years ago. Finally, Homo floresiensis is a good guess because it is considered to be a descendant of Homo erectus.

However, from an evolutionary standpoint it became extinct only "yesterday" - - about 14,000 to 18,000 years ago.
7. Discovered on a remote island in Indonesia in 2004, this tiny human ancestor was dubbed by workers who uncovered the remains as "The Hobbit". So far, about seven individuals have been found. What is the specific scientific name given to the "hobbits"?

Answer: Homo floresiensis

No one could have imagined that such creatures could have existed as recently as 18,000 years ago. This is NOT a Neanderthal - their bone structures are very different. Also, Neanderthals appeared to have died off about 28,000 years ago.

Pan troglodytes is the scientific name for the chimpanzee.

At first it was thought by some anthropologists, that "the Hobbits" were a diminutive form of Homo sapiens. This turned out not to be true. Instead, they appear to have descended from Homo erectus.
8. British paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey, discovered this 1.75 million year old hominid in 1959. The species was given the nickname "Nutcracker Man" due to its extremely massive jaws and molars. What is the scientific name of this very ancient humanoid species?

Answer: Australopithecus boisei

Homo habilis is considered the most ancient species of the genus Homo, having existed from about 2.2 to 1.6 million years ago. Creationists have absolutely no consensus as to whether Homo habilis is an "ape" or a "normal" human being. For a revealing look at their confusion, go to this web address:
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/a_habilis.html
9. In July of 2001 a fossil skull was found in the central African nation of Chad. It was given the nickname "Toumai". From the list below, which is the accepted scientific name of this extremely ancient hominid?

Answer: Sahelanthropus tchadensis

The initial discovery was made on July 19,2001. An intact skull with the jawbone and some teeth have been dated between six to seven million years old. This extremely ancient primate may have evolved at the very time, about seven million years ago, when bifurcation took place ... that is, the hominid family began to diverge from the simian (apes and monkeys) family.

There is some reason to believe this: "Detailed study of the fossil shows a braincase that is ape-like, while the face is short and the teeth look like those of a human." For more information on this subject, refer to this web address: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/07/10/ancient.skull/
10. In spite of all the fossil hominid bones that have been found, most paleontologists are still looking for the true "Missing Link".

Answer: False

The term "missing link" is very antiquated. To begin with, there have been many transitional forms, not just one special "missing link". In fact, the concept of just one "missing link" implies a highly simplistic, almost cartoon-like view of evolutionary dynamics.

In truth, there have been several transitional species that appear to echo both hominid and simian characteristics. The most relevant ones have been highlighted in this quiz.
Source: Author RSKimball

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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