ANT100Y1 Lecture 5: Lecture 5 - Primate and Human Evolution

• School: UTSG
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANT100Y1
• Professor: Shawn Lehman

Document Summary

General patterns of morphology and phylogenetic for fossil primates and hominins. Geological time frame; shows us the dates from earliest to latest in terms of geology. The geography was very different from present-day conditions; comprised of large oceanic islands. It got hotter towards the end; high sea levels, tropical jungles, different ocean currents. Body size: tiny, shrew-sized to size of small dog. Niche: likely solitary, nocturnal quadrupeds; well - developed sense of smell. Used to be classified as primates because of primate-like teeth and limbs that are adapted for arboreal lifestyle. Recent data claims that they are not primates because: Enlarged incisors - had a huge gam between front teeth and teeth behind. This data is flawed because they were using expert opinion and not the scientific method. But even recent analysis tells us, through genetic analyses, where primates began. Fossil evidence says that this species is from where primates evolved.