Chapter 9: Primate Origins and Evolution: The First 50 Million Years

Question 1

Visual Predation Hypothesis

Answer 1

The proposition that unique primate traits arose as adaptations to preying on insects and on small animals.

Question 2

Angiosperm Radiation Hypothesis

Answer 2

The proposition that certain primate traits, such as visual acuity, occurred in response to the availability of fruit and flowers following the spread of angiosperms, formed by Suussman

Question 3

Arboreal Hypothesis

Answer 3

The proposition that primates’ unique suite of traits is an adaptation to living in trees

Question 4

Plesiadapiforms*

Answer 4

Paleocene organisms that may have been the first primates, originating from an adaptive radiation of mammals, likely an ancestral lineage leading to true primate ancestors

No postorbital bar or convergent eyes; lacked thumb opposability; had small claws; small brain; specialized rodent-like teeth

Question 5

Proprimates

Answer 5

A separate order of early primate ancestors from the Paleocene, such as the plesiadapiforms, a separate order from Primates

Question 6

Euprimates

Answer 6

The first true primates from the Eocene: the tarsier like omomyids and the lemur like adapids, consisting of adapids and omomyids

Question 7

Adapids*

Answer 7

Euprimates of the Eocene that were likely ancestral to modern lemurs and possible ancestral to anthropoids

diurnal, long snout, very sexually dimorphic

Question 8

Omomyids*

Answer 8

Eocene euprimates that may be ancestral to tarsiers

nocturnal, short snout, large eyes, convergent eyes, grasping opposability, nails, generalized teeth

Question 9

Notharctus

Answer 9

A genus of one of the largest adapids from the Eocene

Question 10

Adapis

Answer 10

A genus of adapids from the Eocene

Question 11

Carpolestes

Answer 11

A plesiadapiform genus fro the Paleocene, probably ancestral to the Eocene primates

Question 12

Basal Anthropoids

Answer 12

Eocene primates that are the earliest anthropoids

Question 13

Eosimias

Answer 13

A genus of very small basal anthropoids from the Eocene

“Dawn Monkey” with short heel

Question 14

Biretia

Answer 14

An early basal anthropoid with two cusps on its lower premolars. It is one of numerous primate species recovered from the Fayum of northeastern Africa.

2 cusped premolars

Question 15

Evidence of suspensory locomotion comes from what bone?

Answer 15

The Calcanues, Calcaneal variation, varies in length.

Question 16

Oligopithecids

Answer 16

The earliest anthropoid ancestors in the Oligocene, found in the Fayum, Egypt

Question 17

Parapithecids

Answer 17

Anthropoid ancestors from the Oligocene, found in Fayum

Question 18

Propliopithecids

Answer 18

Anthropoid ancestors from the Oligocene, found in Africa

Question 19

Parapithecus

Answer 19

A genus of later parapithecids from the Oligocene, found in fayum

Question 20

Propliopithecus

Answer 20

Oligocene propliopithecid genus.

Question 21

Aegyptopithecus

Answer 21

A propliopithecid genus from the Oligocene, probably ancestral to catarrhines; the largest primate found in Fayum

Question 22

Saadanius

Answer 22

An early catarrhine Oligocene genus from a group of primates that gave rise to later catarrhines

Question 23

Branisella

Answer 23

A South American genus from the Oligocene, ancestral to platyrrhines

Question 24

Proconsulids

Answer 24

Early Miocene apes found in East Africa

Question 25

Micropithecus

Answer 25

A genus of very small proconsuls from the Miocene, found in Africa

Question 26

Proconsul

Answer 26

A genus of early Miocene proconsuls from Africa, ancestral to catarrhines

Question 27

Dryopithecus

Answer 27

A genus of dryopithecid apes found in southern France and northern Spain

Question 28

Dryopithecids*

Answer 28

Early Miocene apes found in Asia

Teeth like proconsulids, Y-5 Pattern, less monkey like body, larger brains

Question 29

Sivapithecids*

Answer 29

Early Miocene apes found in Asia

Concave faces, thick enamel, very orangutan like

Question 30

Sivapithecus

Answer 30

A genus of Miocene sivapithecids, proposed as ancestral to orangutans

Question 31

Khorapithecis

Answer 31

A genus of Miocene apes from Asia, likely ancestral to orangutans

Question 32

Gigantopithecus

Answer 32

A genus of Miocene pongids from Asia; the largest primate that ever lived

Question 33

Oreopithecids

Answer 33

Miocene apes that were found in Europe

Question 34

Oreopithecus

Answer 34

A genus of oreopithecids found in Italy that was extinct within a million years of its appearance.

Question 35

Ouranopithecus

Answer 35

A genus of Miocene dryopithecids found in Greece

Question 36

Victoriapithecids

Answer 36

Miocene primates from Africa, possibly ancestral to Old World monkeys

Question 37

Theropithecus

Answer 37

A genus of fossil and living Old World monkeys found in Africa; it was more diverse in the past than it is today and was one of the first monkey genera to appear in the evolutionary record.

Question 38

The Fayum Depression

Answer 38

Heartland of anthropoid ancestors, centered on Birket Qarun Lake, a wet, warm, subtropical environment

Question 39

4 Hypotheses for NW Higher Primate Origin

Answer 39

1. Migrated south from North America
2. Originated in Africa, ancestors migrated across Atlantic Ocean to South America
3. African ancestors reached South America by land through South Africa and Antartica
4. Originated independently
   Data favors 2 and 3