primates

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture. PRIMATES

• Include prosimians, apes, monkeys and human

Chapter 43: Section 4


are needed to see this picture.





Primate CharacteristicsLarge brain parts relative to size

Acute Color Vision(binocular vision,depth perception)

Generalist Teeth(herbivorous and omnivorous teeth)

Communication(broad range of expressionand sounds)

Infant Care(attention to young, mammary glands)

Manual Dexterity(opposable thumbs,Flattened nails for Protection)

Social Organization(groups with complexbehaviors among members.)

Characteristic skeletal structure(sit upright, cling)



Prosimians• Most primitive primates

“pre-monkeys”• Nocturnal • Sensitive vision• Complex tactile hairs• Large, movable ears • Strong sense of smell• Developed hand control• Tropical woodlands• Most are endangered









Lemurs of the night



Brown Mouse Lemur





Old World Monkeys: REDNew World Monkeys: Orange

MonkeysNew World vs Old World

• Flat nosed• Nostrils far apart and open to the

side• No cheek pouches• No buttock pads• Thumb lies in line with other digits• Small to medium sized

• Down-facing nose

• Nostrils close together and open downward

• Prominent buttock pads that they sit on

• Thumb is rotated and more opposable

• Generally larger





Capuchin Monkey

Primate Clip Folder

Colobus Monkey

• Primate Video Clip

Proboscis Monkey





• Larger and heavier

• No tail

• More upright body posture

• Broad chest

Meeting the Gibbons



GREAT APES

• Orangutans, Chimpanzees, orangutans, gorillas, bonobos and human

• Family Hominidae• Face is almost naked• Round ears• No cheek pouches• Thumb is shorter than fingers• Wide range of vocalizations and facial expressions• *at DNA level, human is more related to chimp, than a chimp is related to a

gorilla

Hominids• Include: humans and extinct humanlike

species

• Bipedalism: ability to walk upright

• Why?

• Adaptations

– Bowl-shaped human pelvis to support internal organs

– Spine curves in an S shape-allows for upright posture

– Toes are aligned with each other and shorter than apes







Ardipithecus ramidus “Ardi”• Discovered in Ethiopia (1992-took 15

years to fully analyze and publish)• 125 pieces of the skeleton• 4.4 mya• Small-brained, 110-pound female• Oldest fossil skeleton of a human

ancestor• Shows unexpected mix of advanced

characteristics and of primitive traits



• Feet, pelvis, leg and hands suggests she was a biped on the ground but a quadruped when moving in trees

• Grasping big toe like apes

• Upper pelvis positioned to walk on two legs

• Lower pelvis built like an ape

• Intermediate stage in our evolution that nobody knew about

• Ardipithecus, then Australopithecus, than Homo





Australopithecus anamensis• Found 1995, Mary Leakey

• Kenya

• Similar to Chimpanzee but bipedal

• 4.2 mya

• Oldest known member of genus



Australopithecus afarensis(Lucy)

• 1974• Afar Valley of N.

Ethiopia• 3.2 myaQuickTime™ and a decompressorare needed to see this picture.

Australopithecus africanus

• Southern Africa

• 2.3 - 3 mya

• Taller/heavier than Lucy

• Slightly larger brain capacity

Australopithecus robustus• Southern Africa

• Large teeth and jaws

• Different lineage than Lucy



Australopithecus boisei• Eastern Africa• Boney ridge on crest of head • Anchor large jaw muscles• 2 mya

Homo habilis

• “handy-man”• 1960s, East Africa• Stone tools• Body not much

taller than Lucy• 4 ft tall• 2 mya



Homo erectus

• “upright human”• “Java man”• Thicker skull, larger brow

ridges• Lower forehead• Large, protruding teeth• 5 ft tall• Crude tools and fire• Hunted and cooked• Lived in tribes of 20-50

Homo neaderthalensis• Europe and Asia• 230,000 - 30,000 yrs ago• Heavy bones• Thick brows• Protruding jaws• Lived in caves• Stone scraper tools• Care for dead• Not sure what caused

extinction



Homo sapiens

• Appeared in Africa• 1st discovery in Cro-

Magnon cave in France (Cro-Magnons)

• Hunted• Complex patterns of

social organization• Sophisticated language• tools

How did Homo sapiens occupy the entire globe?

Dr. Spencer Wells• Found genetic evidence, based on

thousands of DNA samples taken across the world, that shows that all humans alive today have descended from a single man who lived in Africa some 60,000 years ago

• Y-Adam“We are all Africans under our

skin”



Y Chromosome• Develop genetic markers• As inherited, they are

passed down through generations, forming a complex story that can be traced backwards in time

• Each son has inherited the marker

• Find the point at which it first occurred…most recent common ancestor





Exodus began 60,000 - 50,000 years ago

primates

Documents

human chapter

apesupper pelvis

legslower pelvis

rednew world monkeys

upright posturetoes

primitive traitsfeet

myahomo habilishandyman1960s

jawsdifferent lineage