ANT 301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Binocular Vision, Treeshrew, Visual Acuity
Document Summary
Named primates because they were first in the book. Originally put humans and orangutans in the same genus. Our idea of primates have changed since 1758. Feature 1-12 are present in most living primates bc there was in the last common ancestor of primates. Features not present in last ancestor: claws on digits, hands and feet not prehensile, poor vision. Why did primates evolve: 1st explanation: arboreal hypothesis, need prehensile hands/feet, better vision to jump across/live in trees, wrong explanation, most arboreal mammals don"t have forward-facing eyes, most arboreal mammals don"t have prehensile hands/feet with nails of claws. It turns out: only some animals have forward-facing eyes. Almost all are predators who capture prey with hand/foot: binocular vision important for depth perception to guide strike. Gives us insight into the lifestyle (ecology) of the last common ancestor or primates: Small: predatory, caught prey with hands/eyes, arboreal - fine branch arboreal, used small-diameter supports.
