Georges Cuvier
Founder of paleontology, recognized that fossils are the remains of extinct animals, described the first primate fossil, Adaptis.
three key developments in the origins of primates
The first primates
the origins of higher primates (anthropoids)
origins and evolution or the major anthropoid groups (monkeys, apes, and humans).
primate characteristics
Forward-facing eyes, a postorbital bar (fully enclosed eyes), a large cranial vault, a reduced snout, and a versatile dentition.
arboreal hypothesis
Proposition that primates' unique suite of traits is an adaptation to living in trees.
visual predation hypothesis
Proposition that unique primate traits arose as adaptations to preying on animals.
angiosperm radiation hypothesis
Proposition that certain primate traits, like visual acuity coincided with the availability of fruit.
Plesiadaptis
Primatelike animals that were likely ancestors of primate ancestors.
plesiadaptiforms
Paleocene organisms that may have been the first primates, originating from an adaptive radiation of mammals.
proprimates
Separate order of early primate ancestors from the Paleocene, such as the plesiadaptiforms.
euprimates
First true primates from the Eocene the tarsierlike omomyids and the lemurlike adaptids.
omomyids
Tarsierlike primate from the Eocene.
adaptids
Lemurlike primate from the Eocene, e.g. Notharctus and Adaptis.
Carpolestes
Plesiadaptiform genus from the Paleocene, ancestral to the Eocene euprimates.
Phillip Gingerich
Made the case that adaptids represent the ancestral group for living lemurs and anthropoids.
Frederick Szalay
American anthropologist that regards the omomyids as more likely candidates for the ancestry of anthropoids than lemurs are.
Archicebus
Provides clues to the characteristics of the early haplorhines which may have originated in China.
Apidium
Parapithecid genus from the Oligocene, possibly ancestral to the anthropoids, discovered by Henry Fairfield Osborne.
basal anthropoids
A parapithecid genus from the Oligocene, possibly ancestral to anthropoids.
Eosimias
A genus of very small basal anthropoids from the Eocene.
Biretia
Larger basal anthropoid from the Fayum Depression in Egypt. From the late Eocene, about 37 million years ago.
Fayum Depression
Region on the eastern edge of the Sahara, in Egypt. Possibly home to the first anthropoids.
Calcaneal Variation
Calcaneous is the heel of a human.
On a Eosimian, it was short too, like an anthropoid (baboon etc.) not long, like a prosimian (tarsier).
Paleocene (66-56 mya)
Primate ancestors didn't have the typical primate characteristics at this time. E.g. shortened snout, convergent eyes, increased brain size etc.
Eocene (56-34 mya)
Two groups of closely related mammals that lived during this time, adaptids and omomyids have typical primate characteristics.
oligopithecids
Earliest anthropoid ancestors in the Oligocene, found in the Fayum, Egypt.
parapithecids
Anthropoid ancestors from the Oligocene, found in the Fayum, Egypt.
propliopithecids
Anthropoid ancestors from the Oligocene, found in Africa.
Parapithecus
A genus of later parapithecids from the Oligocene, found in the Fayum, Egypt.
Propliopithecus
Oligocene propliopithecid genus.
Aegyptopithecus
A propliopithecid genus from the Oligocene, probably ancestral to catarrhines; the largest primate found in the Fayum, Egypt. Earliest definitive catarrhine.
Saadanius
Early catarrhine, dating to about 28 mya that shares some similarities with the Fayum catarrhines, possessed the bony auditory tube of later catarrhines.
Branisella
A South American, frugivorous, genus from the Oligocene, ancestral to platyrrhines.
Geologic Timescale
Divided into eons, eras, periods, and epochs.
Epochs
(From oldest to newest)
Paleocene: 66--56 mya
Eocene: 56-34 mya
Oligocene: 34-23 mya
Miocene: 23-5.3 mya
Pliocene: 5.3-2.6 mya
Pleistocene: 2.6-.01 mya
Holocene: .01-present
Anthropoids coming to South America hypotheses.
1. Migrated from North America to become the platyrrhine species of the Oligocene.
2. After originating in Africa, the ancestors crossed the Atlantic.
3. After originating in Africa, the ancestors came to South America via Antarctica.
4. Catarrhines and P
physical resemblance of Old World monkeys and New World monkeys
suggest that platyrrhines originated in Africa, rather than in North America.
Where did apes originate?
Africa
During what epoch did apes begin to dominate the the primate world?
Miocene
proconsulids
Early Miocene apes from East Africa
Micropithecus
A genus of very small proconsulids from the Miocene.
Proconsul
A genus of early Miocene proconsulids from Africa, ancestral to catarrhines. Proconsul major was about the size of a chimp.
What parts of the Miocene apes looked like modern apes?
skulls and teeth
timeline of miocene apes
1. Africa to Europe (16.5-17 mya)
2. Spread through Europe and Asia (14-16 mya)
3. Continued presence in Europe and Asia (9-13.5 mya)
4. To southeast Asia and back to Africa (6-10 mya)
Dryopithecus
A genus of dryopithecid apes found in southern France and norther Spain.
dryopithecids
Early Miocene apes found in various locales in Europe.
sivapithecids
Early Miocene apes found in Asia.
Sivapithecus
A genus of Miocene sivapithecids, proposed as ancestral to orangutans.
Khoratpithecus
A genus of Miocene apes from Asia, likely ancestral to orangutans.
Gigantopithecus
The largest primate that ever lived, herbivorous.
oreopithecids
foliverous "swamp ape
What time period gave rise to modern apes?
Miocene
Ouranopithecus
A genus of Miocene dryopithecids found in Greece.
victoriapithecids
Miocene primates from Africa, possibly ancestral to Old World monkeys.
What subfamilies are the Pliocene and Pleistocene monkeys divided into?
cercopithecines and colobines
Theropithecus
Of the same genus as living gelada baboons.
When did hominins and Old World Monkeys share a common ancestor?
about 25 mya
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