LibEd 3600

Primate Order

Primate Order

A group of mammals that includes humans and other primates, characterized by shared traits and common ancestry.

Specialized

An organism or biological trait that is adapted to live only under specific conditions or for a specific function.

Generalized

An organism or biological trait that is adapted to live under various conditions or capable of multiple functions.

Ecological niches

The specific role or position that a species occupies within an ecosystem, based on its interactions with the environment and other species.

Economy of Nature

Referring to the allocation and utilization of resources by different species in order to survive and thrive.

Generalized features

Traits that are common among primates as a whole, including retention of 5 digits, flexible hands and feet, erectness, generalized dental pattern, lack of specialization in diet, emphasis on vision, expansion and complexity of the brain, longer period of gestation and infancy, and association of adult males with the group.

Common Ancestry

The idea that all species within a group share a common ancestor and have evolved from it.

Blueprints

Variations of a basic design or structure that serve as the foundation for the evolution of different forms within a group.

Homology

Similarities in anatomical structures among organisms that are based on common evolutionary descent.

Adaptation

The process by which species modify

Favorable variations

Variations in size, strength, running ability, etc. that give individuals an advantage over others in certain circumstances.

Inherited

Passed on from one generation to the next.

Evolution

The process by which successful variations over long periods of time lead to the modification of species or the rise of new species.

Industrial Melanism

The phenomenon of moths changing colors in response to environmental changes.

Normal Distribution

A statistical distribution where the majority of values cluster around the mean, resulting in a bell-shaped curve.

Preadaptation

An individual that is well adapted to deal with new environmental conditions by pure chance.

Biological variations

Differences in traits and characteristics among individuals of a species.

Natural selection

The process by which certain traits are favored and passed on to future generations.

Primates

Social animals that live in social organizations and have their survival and reproduction modulated by their social interactions.

Life history

The reproductive development, behaviors, post-reproduction behaviors, and lifespan of organisms shaped by natural selection.

Adaptive radiation

The multiplication of the number of species in a short geological time period.

Speciation

The evolutionary process that produces new species from previous ones.

Biological Species Concept

Species are groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations, which are reproductively isolated from other such groups.

Anthropoids

The group of primates that includes monkeys and apes.

New World Monkeys

Monkeys found in Central and South America, characterized by a prehensile tail and three premolars.

Old World Monkeys

Monkeys found in Africa and Asia, characterized by a dental formula of 2:1:2:3 and no prehensile tail.

Common ancestry

The hypothesis that New World Monkeys and Old World Monkeys share a common ancestor.

Evolutionary convergence

The hypothesis that New World Monkeys and Old World Monkeys evolved similar traits due to similar selective forces in their respective environments.

Niche

A specific ecological role or position occupied by an organism in its environment.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation or prediction based on limited evidence, used as a starting point for further investigation.

Adaptive versatility

The ability of an organism to adapt and thrive in various environments or conditions.

Natural selection

The process by which certain traits or characteristics become more or less common in a population over time, based on their impact on survival and reproduction.

Extinction

The complete disappearance of a species or group of organisms from the Earth.

Prosimians

A group of primates that includes lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers.

Monkeys

A group of primates that includes Old World monkeys and New World monkeys.

Apes

A group of primates that includes gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans.

Sexual dimorphism

Differences in physical characteristics between males and females of the same species.

Gibbons

A type of ape found in Southeast Asia, known for their brachiation (hanging under branches) mode of locomotion.

Orangutans

A type of ape found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, known for their large size and sexual dimorphism.

Gorillas

The largest living primates, found in central Africa, known for their knuckle-walking locomotion and one-male group social structure.

Chimpanzees

A type of ape found in Africa, known for their complex behaviors, including hunting and tool use.

Humans

The species Homo sapiens, characterized by their upright bipedal gait, opposable thumbs, and large brain size.

Opposable thumbs

The ability to bring the thumb in contact with the other fingers, allowing for precise grasping and manipulation.

Naked apes

A term used to refer to humans, highlighting their lack of fur compared to other primates.

Cranial features

Characteristics of the skull, including braincase shape, browridges, and facial structure.

Prognathic

Having a projecting or protruding snout or jaw.

Sagittal crest

A ridge of bone running along the top of the skull, providing attachment for chewing muscles.

Canines

The pointed teeth located between the incisors and premolars, often used for tearing and puncturing.

Fission-fusion societies

Social groups that regularly split apart and come together, with individuals forming different subgroups.

Homo

The genus to which humans belong.

Speciation

The process by which new species arise from existing ones.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and relationships among organisms.

Convergent evolution

The independent evolution of similar traits or characteristics in unrelated species, often due to similar environmental pressures.

Evolutionary divergence

When two species do not look alike but share a recent common ancestor.

Phylogenetic analyses

The study of evolutionary relationships among organisms.

Phenetics

A school of phylogenetic analysis that treats all features equally and compares overall similarities and differences.

Cladistics

A school of phylogenetic analysis that distinguishes between "primitive" and "derived" features and selects or weights traits to find more revealing features.

Primitive trait

A trait at the root of all species.

Derived trait

A trait that goes beyond the primitive trait.

Noyau

one female and her offspring (males are available, but do not spend time around). Usually a closed system. Males are seeing if the females are ready for reproduction.

Monogamy

one adult female, one adult male, and their offspring. Creates stable upbringing

Polyandry

a single reproducing female and several sexually active males. Children stick around until they become sexually mature

One-male group

a single adult male along with several females and their offspring (increases chances to get his genes into the world.)

Multimale group

several adult males, numerous females, and the offspring (potential internal competition)

Fision-fusion society

size and composition of subgroups within a community vary from day-today

Pleistocene

2 MYA

Pliocene

5 MYA

Miocene

24 MYA

Oligocene

37 MYA

Eocene

58 MYA

Paleocene

65 MYA

Insect eaters

molar and premolar teeth with sharp cusps and very well-developed shearing crests useful for breaking up insect skeletons which can be hard. Shaped like 2-peak mountains. Common among prosimians

Gum eaters

specialized incisor teeth forwardly projecting (dental comb) for digging holes in bark. Not rare among prosimians.

Leaf eaters

small incisors (leaves require little incisive preparation) and molar teeth with well-developed shearing crests but somewhat rounded cusps useful for breaking up tough fibrous leaves. 4 small pointed teeth. Common among monkeys/apes

Fruit eaters

relatively large incisors for ingesting fruits (the first bite in the fruit) and simple molar teeth with low cusps for crushing and pulping soft fruits. Not very peaked teeth. Common among monkeys/ape