Feb 14 2018

Emergence of Primates cont.
 In the early Eocene Era, tarsiformes, omomyides and modern haplorhines, emerged bearing
features of a short face, large eyes, large brain, anthropoid-like dental formula and ear bones,
and insectivore and frugivore diet
 Most researchers suggest that the two branches stem from a possible common ancestor
candidate of carpolestes, exhibiting primate and animal traits of grasping hands and feet, nail
not claws, and no stereoscopic vision
 Conditions leading into primate evolution including shifts of climate and environment, such as
cooling temperatures, reduced global humidity, and geological shifts through tectonic and
continental drifts and the breakup of the large landmass of Pangaea (225 mya) into Laurasia and
Gondwanaland (135 mya) into more recognizable continental landmasses (65 mya) into the
modern continents known
o Cretaceous Era brought the explosion of flowering plants, large tree ferns and club
mosses, transitionary period into Palaeozoic brought many extinction events (i.e.
meteor event, climate change) of these previous animals (i.e. dinosaurs), bringing a
newer ecology with a new symbiotic-like relationship with insects and newer climate-
built plants
o Arboreal theory of emergence suggest evolution from insectivores that lived within the
tree line, with adaption of better vision over smell through reduced snout as the eyes
are brought more forward for better branch jamping accuracy; criticized due to the lack
of primate traits and many arboreal-adapted mammals emerged without the wide
variety of primate traits, opposite to such is non-arboreal animals that exhibit primate
traits
o Visual predation theory suggests on third dimensional vision as a requirement of vision,
development of grasping hands and feet with nails over claws; criticized due to many
primates having frugivore and vegetarian diets; “visual predation 2.0” suggested vision
was to exploit flowering plants and parts, criticized due to early primates having a more
likely omnivore diet
 Emergence of anthropoids, about the early Eocene Era (55-34 mya) brought the paucity of
fossils as discovered in China, southeast Asia, and Algeria, potentially suggesting affinities to
anthropoid structure; definite evidence showcases the Oligocene Epoch (undisputed anthropoid
fossils), catarrhines (old world branch) from the Fayum area around Cairo, Egypt (34 mya), and
platyrrhines (new world branch) in South America around modern Bolivia (35 mya)
o Fayum Oligocene Anthropoids suggesting earliest anthropoids (35 mya) as catopithecus,
with traits of arboreal quadruped lifestyle, insectivore and frugivore diet, likely diurnal
living, split into two major anthropoid fossil groups
 Parapithecids are the more monkey-like, similar to modern prosimians, with 3
molar dentition, relatively small brains and bodies, anthropoid features, bony
eye sockets, broad incisors, projecting canines, and low rounded cusps on their
molars (i.e. Apidium, an arboreal quadruped); suggestion of ancestral
background and affinities to New World Monkey groups through the hypotheses
of Island Hopping (sea levels lower, exposing continental shelves and landmass
and mountain tops as islands) and floating on large mats of vegetation
 Propilopithecids are most likely to be ancestors of Old World Monkeys and
Hominoids, with dentition similar to modern catarrhines with 2 molars, and
having anthropoid traits (bony eye sockets, broad incisors and projecting
canines, and low rounded cusps on molars); Aegyptopithecus, a Fayum frugivore
quadruped, was howler monkey sized, relatively long muzzle, smaller brain,
dentition of an ape but body of a monkey, and displayed sexual dimorphism
 Emergence of Hominoids began during the Miocene Epoch (24-5.2 mya) increased temperatures
from the previous Oligocene Epoch, mountain builds aiding in the climatic and weather shifts in
pattern, as well as the divergence of monkeys and apes; hominin ancestry stems from one of
these Miocene apes
o Early Miocene Proto-Apes were mostly discovered in Africa, Proconsul (20 mya) with
arboreal quadruped lifestyle, somewhat vegetarian but mainly frugivore, displayed
hominoid features such as dentition and lacking a tail, and believed to be an ancestor to
later humans and apes
o Middle Miocene Apes (17 mya) of distinct hominoid genera throughout Africa, Europe,
and Asia, including Pierolapithecus (13 mya) with brachiation, face and dentition, and
Kenyapithecus displayed more Proconsul features, teeth and face resembling more
modern hominoids and more likely to be terrestrial
o Late Miocene Apes emerged apes present in most habitats (5 mya), monkey species
outnumbering apes due to the period of cooling and drying with plant structures
developing drought resistance; includes Oreopithecus (8 mya) that adapted for forested
marshland environments, herbivore diet, brachiation, and ape body with a monkey-like
head, Sivapithecus with thick enameled teeth and diet of hard, gritty, or tough
vegetation, arboreal lifestyle, capable of brachiation, and closely resemble and suggest
ancestor of Orangutans

Feb 14 2018

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Emergence of Primates cont.

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