Williamson D.

Turner
BIOL 2000
Dr. H. Ratanyaka
10/8/15
Chapter 22 Summary: The Evolution of Primates
Introduction
Fossils obtained during the study of human evolution has allowed scientists to learn about
the structures and habit of early humans and other primates. The teeth in particular give provide a
large amount of information regarding different species of primates. It is hypothesized that
primates derived from tree dwelling placental mammals.
Adaptations
Primates appeared in the Eocene epoch circa 56 million years ago. They share several
characteristic adaptations: flexible 5-digit hands and feet, strong social organization, and eyes
capable of depth perception. The flexible digits usually contain one opposable digit for grasping
things with precision, fleshy ends that are sensitive to touch, and nails to protect those fleshy
ends. The front facing eyes allow for 3-dimensional dual image processing. Primates also have
relatively large brains likely in support of their sensory abilities. Primates also have high capacity
for intelligence and sexually mature much later in life than most other organisms. Primate
offspring require a long period of parental care and protection.
Classification
Primates are divided into 3 groups: Prosimii encompasses lemurs, galagos, and lorises.
Lemurs are only found on Madagascar and are endangered. Galagos and lorises resemble lemurs
but are from different regions. Tarsiiformes are tarsiers which are small rodent sized primates
that climb and leap very well. Anthropoidea encompasses monkeys, apes, and humans.
Anthropoidean primates surfaced during the Eocene epoch around 45 million years ago and
appear to have originated in either Africa or Asia. They generally have more developed brains
than the other two groups particularly in the cerebrum which affects leaning, voluntary
movements and sensation interpretation.

Monkeys are diurnal (active during the day) and are separated by hemisphere into new
world and old world monkeys. New world monkeys are tree-dwelling and live in Central and
South America and have a long tail and side pointed nostrils while old word monkeys (mostly
arboreal but some terrestrial) in Europe, Africa, Asia and have downward pointed nostrils along
with opposable thumbs. These two monkey groups evolved separately in their respective
locations.
Apes are the closest living relative to human and do not have tails. They diverged from
old world monkeys about 28 million to 29 million years ago in the Miocene epoch. They along
with humans make up the Hominoid group. The included genera are: gibbons (tree dweller),
orangutans (tree dweller), gorillas (terrestrial), chimpanzees (terrestrial), and humans
(terrestrial). Based on DNA sequencing, chimpanzees are the close relative to humans. Research
supports that chimpanzees and humans (hominin) diverged about 4 million years ago.
Human Evolution
Skeletal fossils of early humans show that humans became bipeds and left arboreal life
before the enlargement of the brain. There is more evidence of this the spinal cord, pelvis, and
skull. The spinal cord was curved for better weight distribution, the pelvis was broadened to
attach muscles that made it easier to walk on two legs, and the foramen magnum is located in the
base of the skull to attach a head in an upright position. Other difference in the human skull from
the ape skull reveal that the ape skull has ridges on the face that humans do not, as well as larger
front teeth in the ape skull.
Homo sapiens are the only living hominins in existence but there were others at earlier
points in time. Sahelanthropus and orrorin were discovered in Africa and appear to have been
related to the chimpanzee. However they possessed facial characteristics of hominins and were
classified as such. Each of them were dated to 6-7 million and 6 million years ago respectively.
Another member of the genus of the previous two species was discovered in eastern Africa and
appears to have been bipedal. The members of this genus (Ardipithecus), gave rise to another
genus (Australopithecus) between 1 million and 4 million years ago. However, both of these
genera exhibited brain sizes that were smaller than those of current hominins. There was also
evidence to bipedal movement in both genera which support that modern human were derived
from them. Many hominins at this point and after were beginning to show signs sexual

dimorphism and beginning to acquire human like adaptations. Though they still had small brains,
the bipedal structures resembled modern humans.
The first hominin to be in the same genus as humans is Homo habilis. It appeared about
2.5 million years ago, persisting for about 900,000 years and was discovered in the 1960s in
Tanzania. Homo ergaster appeared around 2- 1.4 million years ago. It gave rise to Homo erectus
which had a very large brain but didnt exhibit modern features. Homo ergaster also gave rise to
the archaic humans. Archaic human brains roughly matched our own in size. The oldest fossils of
archaic humans are often classified as Homo antecessor (1.2 million to 800,000 years ago) and
evidenced suggested that they were cannibalistic in nature. Next came Homo heidelbergensis. Its
brain size resembles that of modern humans but many scientists cant distinguish it from Homo
antecessor.
The Neandertals lived in Europe and Asia from 250,000 to 28,000 years ago. They had
larger front teeth, larger nasal cavities, receding facial features, and short sturdy builds but all
closely resembling human. 28,000 years ago they went mysteriously extinct. Many scientists
think that they were simply out competed by modern humans. It is however, possible that they
merged with modern humans. Modern Homo sapiens have been present for about 195,000 years
and appear to have originated in Africa. Therefore interbreeding between modern human and the
Neandertals would have been plausible.
Repercussions
Genetic similarity between human and primates is extremely close. However that 1-2%
difference in the genome makes a huge difference that results in greater intelligence, and
transmission of learned information from one generation to the next. These differences result in
the possibility of cultural evolution. The rise of agriculture about 15,000 years ago paved the way
for advanced human civilization. The surplus food supply that resulted lessened the need to hunt
and gather gave humans time to think and create new ideas. Those ideas eventually led to the
industry filled world that we have today.