Discuss what ‘type specimens’ are , and how they can be useful.
Use the following link to visit the Glencoe fossil hominid website.: http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/cgi-bin/splitwindow.cgi?://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/top2.html&://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/specimen.html
Once into this site, scroll down to the bottom to read the summary and note the main trends in hominid evolution.
1. Click on the hyperlink “type specimen” and read the explanation. What is a ‘type specimen?’ Remember our discussion regarding ‘operational definitions’ from the very start of the semester? Assigning different types of ‘ specimens’ can be useful in the long run. They can help to categories other or new fossils, but there are some difficulties and debates when it comes to assignment of fossils to ‘proper’ categories.
Discuss what ‘type specimens’ are , and how they can be useful.
What are some of the problems that can occur? How might precise operational definitions (valid, and reliable) help with these problems?
What are some shared traits that help us classify all of these all members of genus Homo? What makes them distinct from Australopithecines?
