PRIMATE EVOLUTION

DC Biology

Bill Palmer

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

PRIMATE-Group of mammals that includes lemurs, monkeys, apes, and humans

CharacteristicsRound shape of head

Flattened face

Large brain

Flexible shoulder and hip joints

Finger and toe nails

Opposable thumb

Excellent vision w/depth of field and color

Primates

Primates

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

Two major GroupsProsimian

Anthropoids

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

Prosimian oldest groupLemurs

Tarsiers

Aye-aye

Found in Africa and Asia

50-60 myo

Prosimians

TARSIER

LEMUR

AYE-AYE

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

Anthropoids newest groupMandrillGibbon

Larger than ProsimiansMore or less uprightNew world monkeys have prehensile tail

Anthropoids

MANDRILL

GIBBON

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

New world monkeys have prehensile tailUse like a fifth limb

Spider monkey

Howler monkey

Marmoset

Capuchin (Organ Grinder’s) Monkey

New world monkeys

SPIDER MONKEY

BLACK HOWLER MONKEY

CAPUCHIN MONKEYMARMOSET

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

Old world monkeys have no tailGenerally larger

Colubus monkeyGuenonsBaboonsMacaques

Old world monkeys

COLOBUS

GUENON

BABOONMACAQUE

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

Hominoids are apes and humansGibbonOrangutansChimpanzeeGorillas

Most spend time on groundMay live in social groups (gorilla, chimp)Long-term parental careEvolved in Asia and Africa

Hominoids

ORANGUTANGIBBON

CHIMPANZEEGORILLA

Primate Adaptation and Evolution

HumansCommon ancestor

Very large brain

Walk upright

Human Ancestry

Hominids5-8 mya common ancestor split into lines- one line lead to humans and one lead to apesHuman line became bipedal (walk on two legs) to find foodBipedal leaves hands free to care for young, find food, defense, and leave arms free to use tools

Human Ancestry

Many hominid fossils have been found (mostly skulls because they are tough)

Human Ancestry

Australopithecus africanus

Found by Dart in 1924

Hole in skull showed it walked upright

1-2 myo

Australopithecus africanus

Human Ancestry

“Lucy” a new species found in Africa in 1974 is 3.5 myoAustralopithecus afarensisNamed for Beatles Lucy in the Sky with DiamondsPelvis is bipedalSmall brainLived in small groups

Australopithecus afarensis

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Homo habilis (handy human)

Fossil found in 1964 by Leakeys in Africa

Skull humanlike

Large brain, human teeth

1.5-2 myo

Used stone tools

Homo habilis

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Homo erectus (upright human)

Humanlike face

Brow ridges, no chin

Large brain, human teeth

1.6 myo

Used stone tools, kill animals and break bone open

Cooked food

Used fire and lived in caves

Migrated from Africa to Asia

Homo erectus

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Homo sapiens (smart human)

Sudden appearance in Europe, Asia, Africa about 100-400,000 ya

Modern head w/o brow ridges

Small teeth

Very large brain (equal to ours)

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Neanderthals best known of early Homo sapiens

Live from 35,000 to 100,000 ya

Europe, Asia, Middle east

Thick bones, large faces, prominent nose

Size of modern humans

Neanderthals

Neanderthals

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Neanderthals continued:

Lived in caves

Had art

Buried their dead (believed in afterlife)

Religious

Had language

Disappeared suddenly about 35-40,000 ya

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Neanderthals suddenly disappeared and were replaced by Cro-Magnon

35-40,000 ya

Cro-Magnon looked like modern humans

Art, religion, tool makers, much like modern humans

Cro-Magnon

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

What happened to Neanderthal?Killed by Cro-Magnon

Out-competed by Cro-Magnon

Bred with Cro-Magnon

Unsolved Mystery

Human AncestryThe Emergence of Modern Humans

Humans have not changed much in last 200,000 y

Began in Africa, Europe, Asia

12,000 years ago migrated across land bridge to North America

In 500 years had populated most of North and South America

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

1. What is a primate?

2. List 5 characteristics of primates.

3. List 5 primates.

4. What is a prosimian?

5. List 2 prosimians.

6. What are three characteristics of anthropoids?

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

7. List two anthropoids.

8. What is the main difference between old world monkeys and new world monkeys?

9. List four new world monkeys.

10. List four old world monkeys

11. What are hominids?

12. List four characteristics of hominoids.

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

8. List four hominids.

9. When did the hominid line split into apes and humans?

10. What is Australopithecus africanus?

11. When and where was it found? By whom?

How old is the fossil?

12. What is Australopithecus afarensis?

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

13. How did it get the name “Lucy”?

How old is the fossil?

14. What is Homo habilis?

15. When and where was it found? By whom?

How old is the fossil?

16. What is Homo erectus?

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

17. When did it live? What are its characteristics? How old is the fossil?

18. What is Homo sapiens?19. When did it live? What are its

characteristics? How old is the fossil?20. What are Neanderthals?21. When did it live? What are its

characteristics? How old is the fossil?

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

22. When did it live? What are its characteristics? How old is the fossil?

23. What are Cro-Magnon?

24. When did it live? What are its characteristics? How old is the fossil?

25. What are three theories that may account for the disappearance of Neanderthals?

Primate Evolution-Wrap Up

26. How quickly did humans inhabit North and South America?