Chapter 32-3: Primates & Chapter 32-3: Primates & Human OriginsHuman Origins

Essential Questions:Essential Questions:What characteristics are shared by all What characteristics are shared by all primates?primates?What are the major evolutionary What are the major evolutionary groups of primates?groups of primates?What is a What is a hominid?hominid?What does the fossil record show What does the fossil record show about hominids?about hominids?

What is a primate?What is a primate?• Fingers, toes & shouldersFingers, toes & shoulders

5 flexible fingers, flexible toes, shoulders 5 flexible fingers, flexible toes, shoulders allow arms to rotateallow arms to rotate

Most have opposable thumbsMost have opposable thumbs

• Well-developed cerebrumWell-developed cerebrum Allows complex behavior – social behaviors, Allows complex behavior – social behaviors,

adoption, warfareadoption, warfare

““Brain CapacityBrain Capacity””

• Binocular vision, flat faceBinocular vision, flat face Able to merge images from 2 eyesAble to merge images from 2 eyes Depth perceptionDepth perception 3D view3D view

Evolution of primatesEvolution of primates• Prosimians – earliest branch Prosimians – earliest branch

Lemurs, lorisesLemurs, lorises

• Anthropoids – humans, apes, most Anthropoids – humans, apes, most monkeysmonkeys

2 branches caused by separation of 2 branches caused by separation of continentscontinents

• New world monkeys (Central/South America) – New world monkeys (Central/South America) – adapted for trees; have prehensile tailadapted for trees; have prehensile tail

• Old world monkeys (Africa/Asia) – baboons, Old world monkeys (Africa/Asia) – baboons, orangutans, gorillas, chimps, humansorangutans, gorillas, chimps, humans

What is a hominid?What is a hominid?• About 6 m.y.a.: hominid line gave rise to About 6 m.y.a.: hominid line gave rise to

humanshumans Bipedal – 2 feet locomotion – skeleton Bipedal – 2 feet locomotion – skeleton

changed for thischanged for this

• Early hominidsEarly hominids AustralopithecusAustralopithecus – – ““LucyLucy”” fossil; probably fossil; probably

ancestral to humansancestral to humans

• How do the branches connect?How do the branches connect? No simple, straight-line transformation from No simple, straight-line transformation from

early hominids to modern humansearly hominids to modern humans

SkullsSkulls

SkullsSkulls

Out of Africa – but who and when?Out of Africa – but who and when? Modern Modern Homo sapiensHomo sapiens

• Homo neanderthalensisHomo neanderthalensis – Europe & N. – Europe & N. Asia; 200-300 thousand years agoAsia; 200-300 thousand years ago

Stone tools, organized groupsStone tools, organized groups

SpeciesSpecies

• Homo sapiensHomo sapiens – appear in Spain about – appear in Spain about 400 thousand years ago400 thousand years ago

cave paintings, burial ritualscave paintings, burial rituals Only hominid species left on earthOnly hominid species left on earth