African Roots - Fossil and Living Primates Flashcards
Why study living, non-human, primates?
To get an idea of our own behaviour and physiology of our human ancestry; we share a common ancestor.
What are Common Mammal Traits?
Reproductive processes, mammary glands, hair, ear ossicles.
What are Common Primate Traits?
Arboreal (tree living), omnivorous, prehensile hands (grasping), opposable thumbs, stereoscopic vision, large brain relative to body size.
What are examples of Prosimians?
Lemurs, lorminaries, tarsiers.
What are examples of Platyrrhini?
New World Anthropoids.
What are examples of Catarrhiri?
Old World Anthropoids [Hominoidea = Apes and Humans]
What are Prosimians?
Considered the more “primitive” primate group due to simple features; tend to rely on olfaction, eyes are more lateral, have dental comb/grooming claw.
What are Anthropoids?
Platyrrhines (Broad noses with nostrils outward) and Catarrhines (Narrow nose, nostrils down)
What are Old World Monkeys?
They are widely distributed, arboreal and terrestrial, quadrupedal, primates with a dental formula [2123/2123] similar to humans.
What are the main traits of Hominoids [Apes and Humans]?
Large bodied, large brained, tailless, broad faces.
What are Hylobatids?
Lesser apes.
What are Pongids?
Great apes (orangutans, gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees)
What are Hominids?
Humans and human ancestors.
What is Suspensory Locomotion?
Grasping onto a branch and being able to hang there.
What is Brachiation Locomotion?
Swinging through the trees.
What are Features of Hylobatids?
Example: Gibbons.
Long arm, southeast Asia, brachiators (arboreal), males involved with young, litter sexual dimorphism.
When is the Prosimians Common Ancestor to Humans?
60 - 65 mya.
What is the New World Monkeys Common Ancestor to Humans?
35 mya.
When is the Lesser Apes Common Ancestor to Humans?
18 mya.
When is the Great Apes Common Ancestor to Humans?
12-14 mya.
When is the Chimpanzee Common Ancestor to Humans?
7-10 mya.
When is there evidence of the earliest primate?
In the paleocene (65-55 mya); evidence of mammals that start to have primate-like traits.
Eocene (55 - 38 mya); fossils resembling modern primates (prosimians)
Oligocene (38-23 mya); emergence of distinct anthropoids
Miocene (23-5 mya); appearance of apes (no tails, larger brains, different locomotion); Gigantoputhecus (8.0-0,5 mya); largest species of extinct and extant primates - Asia.
