Skulls identification - Essay Example

Skulls Identification The taxonomic status of the Mystery skull is Neandertal. This is so because it has a distinctive skull shape that is long and low with a rounded brain case. The skull also has a bulge known as occipital bun and a depression for the attachment of strong neck muscles. The mid face region also indicates a characteristic of forward projection (that resulted to a face that looked like it had been pulled forward by the nose). Mystery skull # 1orbits is large and rounded. It has large and more robust jaws than those of modern humans and a large gap behind the three molars called retromolar.

It also has larger teeth than those of modern humans and the jaw also lacks the projecting bony chin that is found in Homo sapiens. They had large supraorbital height since they had large orbits which suggest they had large eyes and visual cortices. Nuchal area height is small and this is as a result of the high condylar position. Condylar position is quite high and the reason as to why there is imbalance of the head. The taxonomic status of the Mystery skull # 2 is Homo erectus. This is so because the skull has a large face with low, sloping forehead and a massive brow ridge.

It also has a broad and flat nose. The skull is also broad and long with sharp angles at the rear unlike the curve found in modern humans. The bones of the skull are very thick and formed a small central ridge, also called midline keel, along the top of the skull. The jaws are large and thick without pointed chin. The molar teeth have large roots which are decreasing towards a modern size. Other than the mentioned, the mystery skull #2 has a rounded skull, a steeper face, and smaller teeth that justify that it matches those of Homo erectus.

In Homo erectus, the supraorbital height was enlarged though smaller than that of newly found skull which indicted they had small eyes. They have a well-developed opened masticatory apparatus which clearly define the nuchal area height. Though it had well developed nuchal musculature, the balance of the head was still less perfect that it is today on modern humans. Condylar position is higher compared to that of Australopithecus aficanus because it has well developed nuchal area that can balance the head.

The taxonomic status of the Newly Found skull is Australopithecus aficanus. This is so because the jaws and teeth are midway those of humans. The incisor and canine teeth are shorter and smaller. The gap (diastema) amid the canines and next teeth also shows that the Newly Found skull matches Australopithecus aficanus. The molar and premolar teeth are all quite large. The Australopithecus aficanus skull speculates some slight human-like structures such as a slightly curved forehead area and a smaller brow ridge.

They have higher supraorbital height than the others which exposed their eyes and visual cortices to accidental injuries. It has small nuchal area height because it had no powerful ventral muscles in the neck to keep the head from tipping back. Condylar position is low because of the low nuchal area height of the skull. Work citedSampson, H W, John L. Montgomery, and Gary L. Henryson. Atlas of the Human Skull. College Station: Texas A & M University Press, 1991. Print.