Primate Biology I
This arboreal adaptation of the hands is present in all primates.
Grasping hands
Opposable thumbs (Halux)
True or false: humans are apes.
True
Fossils are _____
The remains of once living organisms.
This group of early primates was likely ancestral to tarsiers and anthropoids.
Omomyoids
The Laetoli footprints in Tanzania are fossilized footprints of members of Australopithecus afarensis. These footprints exhibited this anatomical feature to suggest bipedalism.
Non-divergent halux
This derived dental formula is found in humans, apes, and cercopithecoids.
2.1.2.3
This locomotion pattern is uniquely found in apes.
Knuckle-walking
The Law of Superimposition states ___________
Geologic layers towards the top are younger than geological layers near the bottom.
This East Asian hominin species is potentially ancestral to orangutans.
Gigantopithecus
This australopithecine was suggested not to be a biped or potential human ancestor based on scientific racism arguing that humanity did not evolve in Africa.
Australopithecus africanus
The extension of these areas of the brain in humans give them the largest relative brain size of all primates.
Neocortex and frontal lobe
K-selected
These factors influence the preservation of fossils.
Bone composition
Sedimentary structure
Depositional composition
Biological factors
The early primate specimen Aegyptopithecus had this dental formula, indicating it existed after the evolutionary split between New and Old World monkeys.
2.1.2.3
This australopithecine is potentially the first hominin known to have used stone tools.
Australopithecus garhi
This condition in pygmy marmosets strengthens the teeth via alternating enamel prisms.
Enamel decussation
This unique adaptation in New World monkeys acts as an additional stabilizing force used during arboreal locomotion.
Prehensile tail
A group that includes an ancestor and all of their descendants.
Monophyletic
This Miocene ape, characterized by traits seen in both apes and cercopithecoids, is the earliest species of ape found in the fossil record.
Proconsul
Lacks tail, Y-5 molars, deep ribcage, quadrupedal
These three anatomical features are associated with arboreal adaptations in Australopithecus afarensis.
Elongated arms relative to legs
Curved manual phalanges
Curved pedal phalanges
The adaptation of this aspect of the retina gives primates depth perception which is helpful in navigating arboreal environments.
Fovea centralis
High levels of sexual dimorphism generally present in hierarchical communities of primates. This structure has _____ result on overall health.
Increases stress levels and poor health in dominance hierarchies.
Radiocarbon dating is an absolute dating technique that measures the half-life of this radioactive isotope.
Carbon-14
These three traits are found in all hominines.
Bipedalism, non-honing chewing (aka grinding molars), and thick enamel
Isotopic analysis of the diet of Paranthropus boisei revealed this genus primarily ate ______.
C-4 grasses