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Primate Evolution 3 November, 2009
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Time, time, time…. Earth’s origin Origin of life
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Themes Bush analogy (vs. ladder) “Extinction is the rule” Incompleteness of the fossil record “Once we were not alone” The nature of the evidence Fossils Fossils Molecular- protein/DNA Molecular- protein/DNA
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Class- Mammalia Derived from a branch of the reptiles- the therapsids ~200 M ybp
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Mammals Hair, mammary glands Hair, mammary glands Anatomy Anatomy One jaw bone 3 middle ear bones Specific arterial structures structures Initially small, rat-like, nocturnal insect eaters Initially small, rat-like, nocturnal insect eaters
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Earliest Mammals Modern descendents- platypus (of Australia) & echidna (of New Zealand)
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“Advanced” Mammals- the “Placentals” ~ 100 M ybp- “Age of the Dinosaurs” (Cretaceous era) (older fossil?- ~ 130 M ybp, 1 meter in length) “Live bearing mammals” Internal development Internal development Some form of connection between mother and fetus= “placenta” Some form of connection between mother and fetus= “placenta”
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Two parallel lineages: Marsupial mammals- kangaroo, wallaby, opossum Eutheria- live bearing, placental mammals
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The reality of the situation at ~ 65 M ybp Mammals (monotremes, marsupials & eutherians) were all a very small part of animal diversity Eutherians represented by a very small number of small, nocturnal, shrew-like animals The “K/T Boundary” (cretaceous/tertiary)
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The reality of the situation at ~ 65 M ybp The “K/T Boundary” (cretaceous/tertiary)- one of many historical “Mass extinctions” (many living groups, including the dinosaurs)
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~60 M ybp Mammalian “explosion” of diversity Including- Primates (taxonomic Order) Tree-dwelling Tree-dwelling Omnivorous Omnivorous Branchiate- swing by arms Branchiate- swing by arms Dexterous hands Dexterous hands Claws replaced by nails Claws replaced by nails Opposable thumb Opposable thumb Forward-facing eyes, binocular vision Forward-facing eyes, binocular vision Parental care Parental care
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~ 58 M ybp Ancestral Primate “Wet-nosed” primates Mostly nocturnal Tree-dwelling Lemurs “Dry-nosed” primates Mostly diurnal Specialized hands and feet for grasping Tarsiers + Monkeys & Apes (a.k.a. “Simians”) First- cat-sized and arboreal
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~ 40 M ybp Ancestral Simian New-World Monkeys N/S America Long prehensile tail Flat nose Tree-dwelling Mostly nocturnal Capuchin, Marmosets, Howler monkey Old-World Monkeys + others Africa & Asia Simple, no tail Narrow nose Tree-dwelling Mostly diurnal Flat fingernails Baboon, Macaque, Great Apes Atlantic Ocean
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~ 25 M ybp Ancestral Old World Monkeys, et al Old-World Monkeys Baboon, Macaque, Proboscis Monkey (Apes) “Hominoids” Mostly arboreal Africa, Asia Other anatomical features Gibbon, Great Apes
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~ 18 M ybp Ancestral Hominoids “Lesser Apes” Tree-dwelling Strong brachiating Gibbons The “Hominidae” Humans +Great Apes
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The “Hominidae”
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Orangutans Asia ~ 14 M ybp Sivapithecus (Ramipethecus)- fossil ~ 14 M ybp Initially thought to be an early “homininae” The “Homininae” Evolved in Africa: Gorilla, Chimp, Pygmy Chimp, Human
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The “Homininae” ~ 7 M ybp Gorillas 2 (4?) species Knuckle-walk Intelligent Western & Eastern species (w/ subspecies) The “Hominini” Humans, Chimpanzee, Pygmy Chimpanzee (Bonobo)
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The “Hominini” 6- 7 M ybp Molecular evidence- “Molecular clocks” Antibody specificity DNA hybridization Chimpanzee Larger, stockier More aggressive Male-dominated social groups Bonobo Gracile More cooperative, more sexual Female-dominated Social groups The “Hominids” Humans + fossils leading to modern humans
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The “Hominids” Bipedal Large brain Small canine teeth teethLater: Tool production Tool production Language Language Art Art
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Importance of A. afarensis & “Once we were not alone” “Robust” lineages “Gracile” lineages B G G A F D
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Chimp Gorilla Two major historical mass migrations; including the recent “out of Africa”
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Homo sapiens as the “wanderer” The “out of Africa” theory Years before present (byp)
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