Evolutionary Anthropology (ANT100 UOFT)

Three postulates of Darwinian Evolution

1. Struggle for existence
2. Variation in fitness
3. Inheritance of variation

Sexual Selection (Darwin)

Certain evolutionary traits can be explained by intra-specific (within-species) competition

Micro-evolution

Genetic basis of inheritance and biological evolution, population genetics, natural selection & adaptation

Macro-evolution

Speciation, how evolution works on a grand scale, & modern synthesis

Transcription (Protein Synthesis)

Synthesis of mRNA at unwound section of DNA using one strand as a template. Resulting in genetic information encoded in DNA being transferred to mRNA

Translation (Protein Synthesis)

Reading the mRNA codons to make proteins; occurs on the ribosomes

Gene

A segment of DNA on a chromosome that codes for a specific trait

Phenotype

An organism's physical appearance, or visible traits.

Genotype

An organism's genetic makeup, or allele combinations.

Alleles

Different forms of a gene

Homozygous

Having two identical alleles for a particular gene

Heterozygous

having two different alleles for a particular gene

Dominant allele

An allele whose trait always shows up in the organism when the allele is present.

Recessive allele

An allele that is masked when a dominant allele is present

Natural Selection

A. Any constant difference in fitness among Phenotypically different biological entities
B. Deterministic process involving differential reproductive success.
C. Acts only on existing variation.

Modern Evolutionary Synthesis

Emphasizes combined action of random mutation, natural selection, genetic drift, & gene flow.

Cladistics

System of biological taxonomy bases on quantitative analysis of comparative data, used to reconstruct the (assumed) phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of groups of organisms.

Major assumptions (Cladistics)

1. Changes in characteristics within lineages over time
2. All organisms descended from a common ancestor
3. When lineage splits, divides into exactly two groups

Cladogram

A branching diagram used to illustrate phylogenetic relationships

Tree topology

The branching patterns of lines connecting nodes and organisms (Cladograms)

Strepsirhine characteristics

Dental tooth comb
Moist rhinarium
Infused mandibular and frontal symphases
Tapetum lucid I'm
Post-orbital bar

Lemuroidea

Superfamily of strepsirhini

Lorisoidea

Superfamily of strepsirhini

Haplorhini characteristics

Dry nose
Retinal fovea
Postorbital bar
Fused mandibular & frontal symphases

Haplorhini Infraorders

Tarsiiformes, Platyrrhini, Catarrhini

Strepsirhini infraorder

Lemuriformes

Smaller Animals =

Greater heat-loss

Larger Animals=

Less heat-loss

daily habit

how far primates travel

Day range

2-3 day range of travel

Home range

Where primates are usually found

Core area

Where primates most commonly go

Territory

The entire space of where primates go (not likely found)

Female philopatry

Male leaves once sexually mature

Male philopatry

Female leaves at sexual maturity

1. Aggression
2. Affiliation
3. Other behaviour patterns

How social order is sustained

Establishes and maintains social bonds; used to resolve conflict

Primate social grooming

Activity pattern

Refers to the time of day an animal is typically active

African Claude

Grouping that includes gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, humans and their extinct relatives

Ancestral trait

A trait that has been inherited from a distant relative

Arboreal

A descriptor for an organism that spends most of its time in trees.

Bipedalism

Walking on two legs

Canines

Generally the longest teeth in primate mouths (fang like)

Cathemeral

active during day and night; active at any point in a 24 hour period

Clade

A grouping based on ancestral relationships; a branching of the evolutionary tree

Dental formula (ratio)

incisors: canines: premolars: molars

derived trait

A recently modified trait

Diurnal

Active during the day

Dry nose

The nose and upper lip are separated and the upper lip can move independently; sometimes referred to as a "hairy" or "mobile" upper lip.

Faunivorous

Having a diet consisting of animal matter: insects, eggs, lizards, etc.

Folivore

Diet that is primarily leaves

Grooming claw

A claw present on the second pedal digit in strepsirhines

Homology

When two or more taxa share characteristics because they inherited them from a common ancestor

Knuckle-walking

A form of movement used by chimpanzees and gorillas that is characterized by all four limbs touching the ground, with the weight of the arms resting on the knuckles of the hands

Monomorphic

When males and females do not have sexual dimorphism

Nocturnal

Active at night

Postorbital bar

A bony ring that surrounds the eye socket, open at the back

Postorbital closure/plate

A bony plate that provides protection to the side and back of the eye.

Prehensile tail

a tail that can support the entire body weight of the animal

Quadrupledalism

Moving on all fours

Rhinariums

Wet noses; resulting from naked skin of the nose which connects to the upper lip and smell-sensitive structures along the roof of the mouth.

Sagittal crest

A bony ridge along the top/middle of the skull; used for attachment of chewing muscles

Sexual dimorphic

When male/females have morphological/physical differences

Dental comb

dental structure of strepsirhines used in grooming

What is a hominin?

Modern humans, chimpanzees, and fossil species more closely related to each other than to any other living species

Hominin characteristics

Bipedalism, expansion in brain size, changes in dental and cranial features

Paleocene climate

warm and humid

Paleocene primates

-Plesiadapiforms- "primate-like mammals"
-Not considered true primates
-Lack essential primate traits

Eocene climate

Cold towards end

Eocene primates

1. Adapidae
2. Omomyidae

Adapidae traits

100-6900g
Diurnal and nocturnal
Mainly arboreal quadrupeds
Smaller ate fruit/insects
Larger ate fruit and leaves

Omomyidae

45-2500g
Nocturnal and diurnal
Thought to be specialized leapers
Teeth adapted for insects and soft fruit

Oligocene climate

Cool beginning, warms and drops cool at end

Oligocene three taxonomic groups

Parapithecidae
Propliopithecidae
Platyrrhini

Miocene climate

Generally stable, very forested, near middle a drop in leaps and forests

Pliocene climate

Fluctuations in global temps

Pliocene primate taxa

Fossil cercopithecidae
Fossil colobinae

foramen magnum

Bipedal= under head
Quad= back of head

Pelvis

Bipedal= wide and square
Quad= long and narrow

Homo habilis

2.5-1.7 MYA
Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia

Homo habilis Characteristics

650cc average brain size
Smaller teeth w/thinner enamel (comp. Australopithecus)
Rounder cranium and less prognathism
Smaller stature
Used old Oldowan tools

Knees

Bipedal= upright, toward centre line
Quad= curved bones

Big Toe

Bipedal= with other toes
Quad= separate from other toes

Ardipithecus ramidus and Kadabba

A. Ramidus 4.4MYA
A. Kadabba 5.8-5.6 MYA
Both ape like (thin enamel) traits and hominin like traits

Australopithecus afarensis

Ethiopia and Tanzia
4.2-3.0 MYA
Heel-strike walk (Bipedal)
Sagittarius crest (Ape-like)
Valgus knees (hominin)

Homo erectus

1.8MYA-27KYA
First found outside of Africa (Asia)
Controlled use of fire

Homo erectus characteristics

Long, low skull with robust features, large brow ridge, sagittal keel
Larger body that H.habilis
used archeulean tools
Debate around if a direct human ancestor

Homo rudolfensis

Kenya (koobi Fora)
Very controversial
Possible other species to h. Habilis

Homo ergaster

East/South Africa
1.8-1.3 MYA
Distinguished by H. Erectus by thinner skull bones and lack of supraorbital foramen
Debate around whether is a direct human ancestor

Homo heidelbergensis

Europe and Africa
700-130KYA
Smaller teeth than h.erectus
Larger brain than ''''
Larger body than ''''

Homo antecessor

Found in Spain
1.2 MYA-800 KYA
Controversy surrounding species designation
Could be first hominin in Europe

Homo neanderthalensis

Europe and Middle East
300-35KYA

H. neanderthalensis characteristics

very muscular
Thick walls of cortical bone and large joints
Highly athletics by human standards
Made stone tools/controlled fire

Genetic findings of Neanderthals

Half of genome has been mapped
Traced a 706KYA genetic separation to h. Sapiens/humans

Homo floresiensis

A distinct species closely related to Homo erectus and only found on the Indonesian island of Flores. They are tiny standing 1.06m, with cranial capacities of about 380cc. They have primitive derived features (95-13KYA)

Homo Sapiens

Ca. 300KYA in Africa
Ca. 150KYA in Asia/Middle East
Ca. 50KYA in Europe
Controlled use of fire
Hunter gatherers

Replacement Hypothesis

A human origin hypothesis
Says that one wave of human dispersal and replacement of other congenera out of Africa.
Modern humans are descendants of h.sapiens
H. Neaderthalensis is an evolutionary dead end

Multi-regional origins hypothesis

No wave of h.Sapiens replacement
H.erectus is most recent common ancestor of humans
Neanderthals contributed genetically to some modern human populations

Medical Anthropology focuses on what factors?

1. Experience and distribution of illness
2. Prevention and treatment of sickness
3. Healing process
3. Social relations of therapy management
4. Cultural importance and utilization of pluralistic medical systems