Untitled Deck Flashcards
Macroevolution
Large-scale evolutionary changes over long periods, leading to the emergence of new species.
Biological Species Concept
Defines species as groups that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.
Ecological Species Concept
Defines species based on their niche and role in the environment, not on reproductive compatibility.
Allopatric Speciation
Geographic isolation leads to new species; populations are physically separated.
Parapatric Speciation
Adjacent populations evolve into distinct species due to partial isolation and environmental differences.
Sympatric Speciation
New species evolve within the same habitat, often due to niche differentiation (no physical separation).
Anagenesis
Gradual evolution within a single lineage (transformation of one species into another over time).
Cladogenesis
Branching evolution, where one species splits into multiple species; fundamental to creating biodiversity.
Phylogenetic Reconstruction
Mapping evolutionary relationships using common ancestors and shared traits.
Tips (in phylogeny)
Represent current or extinct species at the ends of branches in a phylogenetic tree.
Branches (in phylogeny)
Show evolutionary paths connecting different species and their ancestors.
Nodes (in phylogeny)
Common ancestors where lineages diverge in a phylogenetic tree.
Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA)
Closest shared ancestor of two or more species.
Ancestral Traits
Traits inherited from distant ancestors (plesiomorphies).
Derived Traits
New traits unique to a particular group (apomorphies).
Parsimony
The principle that the simplest explanation requiring fewest evolutionary changes is usually correct.
Homologous Traits
Traits shared due to common ancestry (e.g., primate hands, whale flippers, bat wings).
Analogous Traits
Traits with similar function but different evolutionary origins (e.g., wings in birds and insects).
Scopes Trial
1925 case where John Scopes deliberately violated Tennessee’s Butler Act by teaching evolution to test the law’s constitutionality.
Butler Act
Tennessee law (1925) that made it illegal to teach human evolution in public schools.
Proconsul
Miocene ape with generalized features, possible ancestor to great apes (lived 23-14 MYA).
Sivapithecus
Miocene ape showing clear affinities to orangutans (lived 12.5-8.5 MYA).
Plesiadapiformes
Paleocene primate-like mammals with some primate traits but not considered true primates.
Adapiformes
Eocene primates related to strepsirrhines (lemurs and lorises).
Omomyids
Eocene primates possibly ancestral to tarsiers and anthropoids.
Aegyptopithecus
Oligocene “dawn ape,” early catarrhine showing anthropoid features.
Paleocene
Geological epoch (66-56 MYA) when earliest primate-like mammals (Plesiadapiforms) appeared.
Eocene
Geological epoch (56-34 MYA) when first true primates (Adapiforms, Omomyids) appeared.
Oligocene
Geological epoch (34-23 MYA) when early monkeys (Aegyptopithecus) evolved.
Miocene
Geological epoch (23-5 MYA), known as “Age of the Apes,” when Proconsul and Sivapithecus lived.
Strepsirrhines
Primate suborder including lemurs and lorises; characterized by wet noses, reliance on smell, and tooth combs.
Haplorrhines
Primate suborder including tarsiers, monkeys, and apes; characterized by dry noses and vision dominance.
Tarsiers
Small nocturnal primates with enormous eyes; share traits with both strepsirrhines and anthropoids.
Platyrrhines
New World monkeys characterized by broad, flat noses, prehensile tails, and three premolars.
Catarrhines
Old World monkeys and apes characterized by downward-facing nostrils and two premolars.
Cercopithecoids
Old World monkeys; quadrupedal with non-prehensile tails and diverse habitats.
Hominoids
Apes and humans; characterized by no tails, larger brains, and adaptations for brachiation.
Arboreal quadrupedalism
Moving on four limbs in trees; common locomotion type in most monkeys.
Brachiation
Arm-swinging locomotion seen in gibbons and some great apes.
Knuckle-walking
Quadrupedal walking on knuckles; locomotion used by gorillas and chimpanzees.
Bipedalism
Walking on two legs; primary locomotion of humans.
Vertical clinging and leaping
Powerful hindlimb jumping used by tarsiers and some lemurs.
Frugivory
Fruit-based diet found in most primates.
Folivory
Leaf-based diet found in colobines and howler monkeys.
Estrous Cycle
Periods of fertility in non-human primates, often with visible signs of receptivity.
Sexual Dimorphism
Physical differences between males and females (size, canine teeth, coloration).
Infanticide
Strategy in some primate species where males kill unrelated offspring for reproductive advantage.
Alloparenting
Non-parents help care for offspring; common in many primate species.
Pair-bonding
Mating system where one male and one female form a lasting relationship (e.g., gibbons).
Cooperative Breeding
Mating system where group members assist with offspring care (e.g., tamarins).
Polygyny
Mating system with one male and multiple females (e.g., gorillas).
Polygynandry
Mating system where multiple males and females mate (e.g., chimpanzees).
Life history trade-offs
Allocation of limited energy resources between growth, maintenance, and reproduction.
Parachute Conservation
Top-down conservation efforts imposed without local input; often ineffective long-term.
IUCN Status
System for classifying extinction risk (LC, NT, VU, EN, CR, EW, EX).
Endangered (EN)
IUCN classification for species facing very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Critically Endangered (CR)
IUCN classification for species facing extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Estrada et al. (2017)
Paper documenting that 60% of primate species are threatened with extinction, primarily due to agricultural expansion.
Extrasomatic Tools
External objects used to solve problems (e.g., chimpanzees making termite fishing sticks).
Neuroplasticity
Brain adaptability in learning and response to environmental changes.
Theory of Mind
Ability to recognize others’ mental states; developed in great apes.
Social Brain Hypothesis
Theory that primate intelligence evolved primarily to navigate complex social relationships.
Ecological Brain Hypothesis
Theory that intelligence evolved to solve environmental challenges like finding food.
Non-Human Primate Culture
Group-specific behaviors passed through social learning, like tool use traditions.
Human Niche
Humans’ evolutionary pathway shaped by neurobiological plasticity, complex language, and cultural innovation.
Fuentes (2021) on Masculinity
Challenged view that masculinity is simply product of evolved biological processes; emphasized cultural construction.
Multi-male/multi-female groups
Most common primate social structure (macaques, baboons).
One-male units/harems
Social structure with one male and multiple females (gorillas).
Fission-fusion
Flexible social structure where subgroups merge and split (chimpanzees).
Jane Goodall
Primatologist who documented chimpanzee tool use and complex social behaviors, revolutionizing our understanding of non-human cognition.
Homology
Similarity between traits due to shared ancestry.
Analogy
Similarity between traits due to convergent evolution rather than shared ancestry.
Comparative method
Evaluating morphological and molecular similarities across species to infer evolutionary relationships.
