˗ˏˋ primate evolution ´ˎ˗ Flashcards
1
Q
what are adaptive radiations?
A
rapid diversifications of single lineages into many species which may present unique morphological features in response to different ecological settings.
2
Q
what are plesiadapiforms?
A
archaic primates.
3
Q
what are euprimates?
A
true primates.
4
Q
what are anthropoids?
A
group containing monkeys and apes, including humans.
5
Q
what is the arboreal hypothesis?
A
- many of the features of primates evolved to improve locomotion in the trees.
- typically credited as first to propose this theory was frederic wood jones, one of the leading anatomist-anthropologists of the early 1900s
- examples: grasping hands and feet for gripping different sized tree branches; flexible joints for reorienting the extremities in various different ways
6
Q
what is the visual predation hypothesis?
A
- in the late 1960s and early 1970s, matt cartmill studied and tested the idea that the characteristic features of primates evolved in the context of arboreal locomotion by looking at the example of squirrels.
- instead cartmill suggested that the unique suite of features in primates is an adaptation to detecting insect prey and guiding the hands (or feet) to catch insects
7
Q
what is the angiosperm-primate coevolution hypothesis?
A
- counterargument to the visual predation hypothesis
- primate ecologist robert sussman argued that the earliest primates were probably seeking fruit rather than insects
- fruit (and flowers) of angiosperms (flowering plants) often develop in the terminal branches.
- diffuse coevolution: the ecological interaction between whole groups of species (e.g., primates) with whole groups of other species (e.g., fruiting trees)
8
Q
what are the paleocone primate origins?
A
- mesozoic (251-65.6 mya) age of dinosaurs, mammals were small and nocturnal
- end of Cretaceous (145.5-65.5 mya), extinction of dinosaurs gave opportunity for mammals to diversify and spread
- paleocene (66-56 mya), age of mammals
- followed by eocene (56-34 million years ago)
9
Q
what are pesiadapiforms (the archaic primates)?
A
- order: plesiadapiformes
- archaic primates or primate-like placental mammals (early paleocene–late eocene)
- diverse families
- north america and west europe
- purgatorius (earliest), carpolestes
- still arguments over whether or not plesiadapiforms belong within the primate branch or outside
10
Q
what are the adapoidea?
A
- order: primates
- one of the earliest groups of euprimates (true primates; earliest records from the early eocene)
- diurnal
- herbivorous
- large
11
Q
what are the omomyoidea?
A
- order: primates; superfamily: omomyoidea
- one of the earliest groups of euprimates (true primates; earliest record in the early eocene)
- nocturnal
- insectivorous and frugivorous
- small
12
Q
what is adapoid diversity?
A
- north america and europe
- divided into six families
- important features include the hallmarks of euprimates: postorbital bar, flattened nails, grasping extremities, and a petrosal bulla.
- darwinius masillae
13
Q
what is omomyoid diversity?
A
- north american omomyoids are grouped into one family, omomyidae, with two subfamilies: anaptomorphinae and omomyinae
- important features include small size, relatively large eyes, and were probably nocturnal frugivore-insectivores
14
Q
what are trepsirrhines?
A
- eocene (56-34 mya) and oligocene (34-23 mya)
- afro-arabia
- saharagalago and karanisia
- small primates with clear affinities with crown strepsirrhines, which are missing on other primates
- the lower canine of karanisia located within a strepsirrhine-style toothcomb
15
Q
what are tarsiers?
A
- miocene (23-5 mya) fossil from thailand
- eocene (56-34 mya) fossils from china
- modern tarsiers located in southeast asia
- typically (3.5–6 inches) long
