primates

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are needed to see this picture. PRIMATES

• Include prosimians, apes, monkeys and human

Chapter 43: Section 4


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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• VIDEO CLIP









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• Arboreal habitats• Small to medium sized

• Down-facing nose• Nostrils close together and open

downward or forward• Prominent buttock pads that they sit on• Tails, but not used for grasping/holding• Thumb is rotated and more opposable• Wide range of habitats• Generally larger







Old World Monkeys: REDNew World Monkeys: Orange



• Usually larger and heavier• No tail• More upright body posture• Broad chest• Rely on vision rather than smell• Large brain to body size ratio• *a few exceptions to these rules



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• Distinguish color• Wide range of vocalizations and facial expressions• *at DNA level, human is more related to chimp, than a chimp is related to a

gorilla

Anthropoids• Monkeys, apes, humans• Adaptations

– Rotating shoulder and elbow joints

– Opposable thumb– Grasping feet

(nonhuman)– More complex brain

structure– Larger brain relative to

body– Similar dental formula



red bald-headed uakari

Hominids• Include: humans and extinct

humanlike anthropoid 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





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• Most complex and

best preserved skeleton of prehuman hominid

• 3.2 mya

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Australopithecus africanus

• Southern Africa• 2.3 - 3 mya• Taller/heavier than

Lucy• Slightly larger brain

capacity• Skull

– Spinal cord opening bottom

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?

• Multi-Regional Hypothesis– Archaic form of humans left Africa 1-2 mya– Modern humans evolved from them

independently and simultaneously in pockets of Africa, Europe and Asia

• Out of Africa Hypothesis– Modern humans evolved in Africa and then

left in several waves of migration– Replacing any earlier species

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

smelllarge brain

rednew world monkeys

orangeusually larger

human chapter

upright posturetoes

ethiopiamost complex

myahomo habilishandyman1960s

body size ratio