JIPMER2007ZoologyEvolution
There are two opposing views about origin of modern man. According to one view Homo erectus in Asia were the ancestors of modern man. A study of variations of DNA however suggested African origin of modern man. What kind of observation on DNA variation could suggest this?
Options
- AGreater variation in Africa than in Asia
- BVariation only in Asia and no variation in Africa
- CGreater variation in Asia than in Africa
- DSimilar variation in Africa and Asia
Correct answer
C. Greater variation in Asia than in Africa
Step-by-step solution
There are two models about origin of modern man (Homo sapiens sapiens) i.e. (i) Multiregional model : According to this view, Modern humans evolved in many parts of the world from regional descendants of Homo erectus who dispersed from Africa between 1 and 2 million years ago. (ii) Monogenesis model: According to this view only African descendents of Homo erectus gave rise to modern humans. In late 1980s Rebecca Cann and other geneticists supported this view on the basis of DNA of living humans. They compared the m