What are Primates? Why do we study them? Flashcards
Anthropologist will try and understand humanity by 4 metrics
1) Socio-cultural anthropology - cross cultural comparison
2) Linguistic - language
3) Archeology -cultural and human remains
4) Physical Anthropology AKA biology anthropology
Why study Non-Human primates as Anthropologist?
1) The non-human primates are our closest relatives
2) Share common ancestory with non human primates
3) share 98% of our genome with chimpanzees and bonobos
Why study Non-Human primates as Anthropologist? - Assumptions (4)
1) Some of our (human) morphological and behavioural traits are actually shares with AND OR DERIVED from non-human primates
2) Learning about these NHP tells us WHY these traits evolved
3) Tell us about ourselves
How do NH primates teach us about ourselves? (5)
1) Shared Traits
2) Referential Model
3) Strategic Models
4) Importance of social behaviour (Cost/Benefit)
5) Understanding variation in sociality
How do NH primates teach us about ourselves? What is the referential model?
The use of particular species for drawing analogies with others
How do NH primates teach us about ourselves? What is the Strategic model?
The use of EVOLUTIONARY THEORY to predict differences and similarities between among species
If we share a trait with a non human primate or any other taxon) did we inherit it from theM>
read “Cladistic Analysis” p 62 in Stier
Homoplasy
A trait found in 2 or more species that has evolved independently in each
Homology
Trait inherited from last common ancestor.
- A trait found in 2or more species that is shared due to common ancestry
Look at the picture of homoplasy
look
Look at the picture of Homology
look
How does a Homoplasy arise?
1) Convergent evolution
2) Parralel evolution
How does a Homoplasy arise? - Convergent Evolution
Two distantly related species, converge on a similar solution to the same ecological pressures
How does a Homoplasy arise? Parallel Evolution
1) Two similar species (usually with a common ancestral traits evolve similar traits INDEPENDENTLY
2) ARE OFTEN more closely related species (diverged from a common ancestor) that didn’t exhibit the trait, may end up possessing the trait b/c they face similar ecological pressures after divergence
3) Often due to similar environments
Convergent or parallel evolution?
Context: Suspensory Locomotion
A: Family Atelidae - found in africa
B: Family Hylobatidae - found in asia
-Distantly related
Converged on similar solution to same selective pressures
What is Taxonomy?
-The scientific namig and grouping of categories of organisms which are grouped together due to similiarity.
What is Taxonomy? What are commonly used traits?
Morphology, behaviour, pelage, vocalizations, genetics
Primates are one order of primates
Taxonomy (7) Story
1) Kingdom 2 Phylum 3) Class 4) Order 5) Family 6) Genus 7) Species
Primates are one Order of Mammals - Homo Sapiens / human beings - Taxonomy (Primates)
1) Kingdom - Animilia
2) Phylum - Chordata
3) Class - Mammalia
4) Order - Primates
5) Family - Hominidae
6) Genius - Homo
7) Species - sapiens
Primates are one Order of Mammals - Vervet Monkey , Chlorocebus Pygerythrus - Taxonomy (Primates)
1) Kingdom - Animilia
2) Phylum - Chordata
3) Class - Mammalia
4) Order - Primates
5) Family - Cercopithecidae
6) Genius - Chlorocebus
7) Species - Pygerythrus
Primates are one ORDER of mammals - What are five characteristics of Mammals (5)
1) Endothermic
2) Give birth to live young
3) Body hair
4) Young get fed milk from the mammary glands of the mother
5) Three middle ear bones
Name some primates (6)
1) Lemurs
2) Lorises
3) Tarsiers
4) Monkeys
5) Apes
6) Humans
A big problem: Disagreement over taxonomy
What constitutes a true taxa is often blurred
Lumpers vs splitters
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern (4)
1) Grasping Hands and feet
2) Visual systems
3) Large Complex brains / associate behaviour
4) Skeleton and dental features
Primitive vs Derived Traits - What are Primates
Primates are a mix of primitive characteristics and derived characteristics
Primitive vs Derived Traits - What are Primates - What does primitive means
it does not mean less successful, simply means older
Primitive Vs Derived Traits - What do Primitive Traits (Plesiomorphy) look like (3)
1) Acenstral trait that is shared with the common ancenstory
ex) Penadatylyl in humans
2) Often generalized
3) Homology (relative ancestry group)
Primitive Vs Derived Traits - What do Derived Traits (Apomorphy) look like (4)
1) An evolutionary novelty relative to the ancestral condition
2) Traits that appear in a species after the last common ancestor
3) Distinguish a group from its last common ancestors
4) Specialized or derived relative to an ancestral condition
Another name for Derived traits
Apomorphy
Another name for primitive traits
Plesiomorphy
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Grasping hands (4)
1) Pentadactyly opposable hands
2) Nails not claws
3) Sensitive Tactile pads (finger tips)
4) Power / precision grips
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern (4) - Feet
Symmetrical
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern (4) - Hands Primate hands Pentadactyly
1) Prescence of 5 digits among all primates
Shared by species that acquired it by descendants from a common ancestor (mammals, reptiles, amphibinas)
Pentadactyly
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Grasping hands- Vision and Olfaction
1) Forward facing eyes
2) Stereoscoptic eyes - Depth perception
3) Greater reliance on vision
4) Colour vision - only placental mammal with trichromatic
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Large complex brains
1) Large brains relative to body size
2) Learning and socializing is very important
3) Can learn from experience
4) Reduction on instinct responses
Are primates K selected or R selected?
K - they have fewer offspring and rear them with better care
What is the difference between K and R selected
K - few children, take care of them
R- Lots of children, little care
Why are K selected need longer juvenile periods?
1) Require lots of learning
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Tendency towards sociability
yes
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Features of the skeleton and dentals (4)
1) Generalized limb structure = nothing too specialized
2) Generalized flexible morphology
3) Retention of an unspecialized skeleton, particular in the limbs
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Features of the skeleton and dentals - Generalized flexible morphology- example
us having a clavicle and letting us have mobility vs horses that do not -> less mobility
PRIMATES - 4 groups of primate characteristics: The primate pattern - Features of the skeleton and dentals - Generalized Dentals (4)
1) Most primates have relative unspecialized teeth
2) 2.1.2.3
3) ( incisor,canine, Premolars, molars )
Cranial Anatomy - What is the difference between postorbital bars vs postorbital closure
1) Postorbital is the side of the eye bone
2) The postorbital Closure is the bone in the back of the eye been closed - rather than open
3) Function, increase reliance on vision and keep eyes looking froward while providing support so they dont sqush when you chew
Theories on the orgin of primates: Plesiadapifroms - Paleocene (3)
1) Small brain relative to primates
2) Long fingers for grasping
3) Lack of adaptation - postorbital bar & convergent orbit
When did the first primate first show up and what year? (2)
1) Eocene
2) 45 million
The Origin of the Primate Pattern - The Arboreal Theory
1) Early primate evolution was shaped by the selection for traits that benefited animals who lived up in the tree
