16.1 Primate Evolution

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16.1 Primate Evolution

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Primate Evolution

• 1871 Darwin said there might be a link between
  monkeys, apes and humans
• Today scientists study living primates and
  fossils to learn about primate evolution

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Primate Evolution

• A primate is a group of mammals that includes
  lemurs, monkeys, apes and humans

Vervet
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Primate Evolution

• Primate features
• Opposable thumbs allows primates to grasp
• Large brain volume, round head and flat face
• Strong vision, binocular vision
• Flexible arm movement for moving in trees
• Flexible joints allow for wide range of motion
• Feet that can grasp objects

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Primate Evolution

• Primate features
• Opposable thumbs
• Large brain volume
• Strong vision, binocular vision
• Flexible arm movement
• Flexible joints
• Feet that can grasp objects

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Primate Evolution

• Similarities tell us primates share evolutionary
  history
• Evidence anatomy, genetics

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Primate Evolution

• Prosimians
• lemurs, aye-ayes, tarsiers
• Small bodies, large eyes, nocturnal
• Live in tropical forests and eat insects, seeds,
  fruit
• First fossils 50-55 million years old

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys, hominoids (apes and humans)
• Larger bodies, more complex brains than
  prosimians

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys
• New World Monkeys
• Old World Monkeys

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys
• New World Monkeys
• South and Central America
• Arboreal live in trees
• Prehensile tail can grip
• Marmosets and spider monkeys

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys
• Old World Monkeys
• Africa to Japan
• Some live in trees, some on land
• Tail not prehensile, larger than NWM
• Colobus monkeys and baboons

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys
• New World Monkeys
• Old World Monkeys
• Hominoids
• Apes
• Humans

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys
• New World Monkeys
• Old World Monkeys
• Hominoids
• Apes
• No tails, muscular arms for tree climbing
• Social groups, long term parental care
• Gibbons, orangutans, chimpanzees, gorillas
• Humans

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Monkeys
• New World Monkeys
• Old World Monkeys
• Hominoids
• Apes
• Humans
• Walk upright
• Larger brain

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Primate Evolution

• Anthropoids
• Evolved worldwide
• New World monkeys 30 35 million years ago
• Old World Monkeys 20 22 million years ago
• Hominoids - gibbons, then orangutans, then
  chimps and gorillas, then humans