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WACE Human Biology > Ch. 17 Primate Evolution > Flashcards

Ch. 17 Primate Evolution Flashcards

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1
Q

define primate

A

a member of an order of mammals that includes the lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes and humans

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2
Q

define binomial system

A

the system of naming organisms using generic (genus) and specific (species) names to describe a species

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3
Q

define hierarchy

A

: a series of groups that move from broad general categories to narrow specific ones

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4
Q

what are the movement of going down the hierarchal pyramid

A

Kingdom (Plant/Animal) > Phyla (Phylum) > Classes > Order

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5
Q

what were the early classifications of priamtes

A

o Prosimians (primitive primates) and anthropoids (monkeys, humans and apes)

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6
Q

what are the suborders of primates

A

o Strepsirrhini (non tarsier prosimians) and Haplorrhini (tarriers, monkeys, apes and humans)

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7
Q

what do most primate characteristics due to

A

arboreal lifestyle

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8
Q

what are the 8 common characteristics of primates

A 
brain 
eyes
smell
teeth
body 
limbs
hand feet
reproduction
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9
Q

What are the four areas of evolution of the digits

A

Mobility and opposability
tactile pads
nails
arrangement of hand

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10
Q

what does the fact that limbs are not specialed result in

A

diversity in use

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11
Q

what was the mobility trend of digits

A

increasing mobility ability to move digits independently of one another

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12
Q

what is prehensility important for primates

A

gripping trees

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13
Q

what is the most developed digit

A
  • thumb and big toe
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14
Q

what does opposability mean and what does it depend on

A

o Opposable= ability to use thumb to touch the tips of each other digit on the hand
o Degree of opposability depends on relative length of first digits compared with other four

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15
Q

why did humans loose opposability of big toe

A

o All species bar humans= opposable big toe

♣ Lost opposability when human foot became a weight-bearing rather than grasping appendage

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16
Q

what does humans having longest thumb result in

A

o Humans= longest thumb of primates= contribute to ability to manipulate objects with our hands

17
Q

explain tactile pads in evolution

A
  • Ends of digits= sense receptors so that digits can grip and manipulate objects
  • Nails and tactile pads on under surface= evolved together
    o Pads developed small ridges to increase grip b/w ends of digit and object
    ♣ = friction ridges, finger prints= pattern varies b/w individuals and species
18
Q

why did claws evolve into nails

A
  • Claws limit grasping= prevent opposable surfaces from coming together
    o Nails evolved from claws that became flattened
    o Evolutionary less advanced primates still possess claws
19
Q

explain had arrangement of humans

A
  • Human hand compared to other primates= short and broad, with short straight fingers and long strong thumb
20
Q

wha does the arrangement of the human hand allow

A
  • This arrangement= great degree of freedom for thumb and can readily oppose other digits= allowing precision grip= one of the hallmarks of being human, though not unique to humans
  • What is unique amount of contact b/w index and thumb
    o Enables effective handling of small or delicate objects
    o Precision grip also seen in old world monkeys (requires truly opposable thumb)
    ♣ These monkey= 2nd only to humans in manipulation abilities
21
Q

What are the 4 areas of evolution for dentition

A

number of teeth
structure
diastema
cusps

22
Q

what is the evolution of number of teeth

A

decrease- o Probs related to gradual reduction in size of face and jaw that has occurred in primates

23
Q

explain dental comb

A
  • Lemurs and lorises= unusual specialisation of incisor teeth= lower front incisors= slanted forward with crowns= narrow + closely spaced to form dental comb
    o Used for grooming fur, only rarely for feeding/fighting
24
Q

what is the trend in cusps

A

3 > 4 > 5

25
Q

explain the olfactory/occiptial shift

A
  • Arboreal life= emphasis on vision (with decreasing reliance on sense of smell, olfaction)
  • = Shift in sensory orientation
26
Q

what was the shift in vision accompanied by

A
  • accompanied by overall change in shape of skull compared with other mammals
    o I.e. decrease smell= reduced snout > allows for more forward facing eyes > better stereoscopic vision
27
Q

how is observable behaviour linked to shift of vision

A

o E.g. lemurs= use their snout and teeth for what apes use eyes and hands for (investigating an object, grooming, communicating)

28
Q

difference between mammals and primates in eye sockets

A
  • Most mammals have eye socket that face sideways, but primates developed eye sockets that face forward
29
Q

what does forward facing eyes allow

A

o Enables fields of vision of each eye to overlap= distances judged accurately
o = important adaption for a tree living animals

30
Q

how do primates compensate for narrow vision

A

a highly mobile head and neck

31
Q

explain eye socket and protection

A
  • As eyes become more forward= bony eye socket developed to give protection
    o Gradual change in eye socket clearly visible in fossil primate skulls
    o As position of eye socket changed for eyes to face forward, bone gradually closed in side and rear of socket
32
Q

what are the four areas of evolution for vision

A

shift
eyes
eye socket
visual area of brain

33
Q

explain increase in area of vision in brain

A
  • Increasing importance of vision= region of brain concerned with interpretation of visual information increased in size
    o While that concerned with olfaction decreased
  • Unlike smell or hearing, reliance on vision to move about, locate and manipulate food generates large amount of complex sensory information that has to be processed and stored
34
Q

what are the three areas of evolution of the cereal cortex

A

size
convolutions
cerebral cortex (higher order)

35
Q

what are the five areas of evolution and gestation and parental care

A

single offspring
placental mammals
length of gestation
sexual maturity

36
Q

what does increase length in development and delayed sexual maturity result in

A
  • Enables ideas and techniques to be passed on from one generation to the next
  • Delay in maturation + sexual maturity = reduce # of offspring female has in lifetime
    o // each offspring important, + time and effort invested in care and survival
    o Investment in prolonged parental care evolved because increases survival chances of offspring and provides a long period during which the young can learn from older members of the group

WACE Human Biology (21 decks)

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