ANTHRCUL 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Callosity, Catarrhini, Pongidae

• School: U of M
• Department: Anthropology, Cultural
• Course: ANTHRCUL 101
• Professor: Holly Peters- Golden

Document Summary

Homologies: similarities jointly inherited from a common ancestor. Analogies: similarity of function and superficial resemblance of structures that have different origins. Convergent evolution: the process whereby organisms not closely related independently evolve similar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches. Shared primate trends: grasping ability first monkeys were arboreal (tree-dwelling, opposable thumb. Change from claws to nails (claws get in the way of a pincer grip: smell to sight the development of greater visual acuity and reduction of olfactory dependency, nose to hand. Main sensory organ becomes the hand increased brain complexity those regions involved in memory, thought and association are more complex and larger: parental investment increased opportunity for learning from parents. Sexual reproduction moved from litters of babies to a single baby: sociality. More intensive care of offspring demands more help from others, necessitating social involvement: primates.