BIOLOGY 1M03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Knuckle-Walking, Ape, Sexual Coercion
4 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
Hominoid (ape) diversification in time and space. Hominoid social systems; origins of violence in human societies. Locomotion in apes: evolution of suspensory locomotion, knuckle walking, and pipedalism. Gibbons occur only in southeast asia: ~17 species. Orangutans also occur only in southeast asia: 2 species. Gorillas: harems, usually one silverback with many females with offspring; infanticide. Chimps: multi-male, multi-female groups, male dominated hierarchy, raids. Bonobos: female-dominated hierarchy, strong female-female bonds, lots of sex. The first evidence for adaptations to suspensory locomotion is observed in hominoid fossils from the miocene (23-5 million years ago) Some miocene hominoids were quadrupedal and frugivorous but lacked tails (similar to modern apes) These fossils have been found over much of africa and eurasia. Could be because moving on two legs keeps hominins cooler. Could be because walking on two legs leaves the other arms more free to carry objects and forage. Could be a response to increased dependence of offspring.
