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Ucsp - 4Q - 2sem

The document outlines the evolution of primates, detailing their origins, classifications, and key traits. It discusses the various groups of primates, including prosimians, anthropoids, and hominoids, and highlights significant hominin species such as Australopithecus and Homo. The evolution of hominids is described as a complex process influenced by environmental changes, leading to modern humans, Homo sapiens.

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Yumeko S
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7 views3 pages

Ucsp - 4Q - 2sem

The document outlines the evolution of primates, detailing their origins, classifications, and key traits. It discusses the various groups of primates, including prosimians, anthropoids, and hominoids, and highlights significant hominin species such as Australopithecus and Homo. The evolution of hominids is described as a complex process influenced by environmental changes, leading to modern humans, Homo sapiens.

Uploaded by

Yumeko S
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lesson 5: Human Evolution

Primate Groups
●​ Origins estimated back to 65 MYA
●​ Insect eating nocturnal mammals
●​ Derived traits for life in trees in the tropics
○​ Grasping hands and feet
○​ Separate big toe or thumbs
○​ Sensitive skin ridges on hands and feet

Types of Primate Groups

Prosimians Anthropoids

●​ Includes: Lemurs and tarsiers ●​ Includes: Monkeys, apes, and humans


●​ Arboreal (living in trees) (hominoids).
●​ Split from the Prosimians about 45 MYA.
●​ Monkeys evolved in two areas as they split
35 MYA.
1.​ New world monkeys — All arboreal
(living in trees). Eg. Squirrels and
capuchin monkeys.
2.​ Old world monkeys — Both arboreal
and ground dwellers. Eg. Rhesus
monkeys, baboons, and macaques.

Hominoids
●​ Include Great Apes and Humans
○​ Apes: Gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees/bonobos
●​ Split from monkeys about 20-25 MYA
●​ Larger brain size to body size rations
●​ More flexible behavior (more learned behaviors)
●​ Mostly larger than monkeys — has no tails.
●​ Primarily terrestrial (living in land rather than air or water) except gibbons and orangutans
as they are primarily arboreal (living in trees).
●​ Chimps more closely related to humans than gorillas (due to cognitive ability)
●​ Chimpanzees have the highest IQ.

Hominins (Hominids)
●​ All species are believed to be more closely related to humans than chimpanzees.
●​ Humans and our direct ancestors, since the split from chimps.
●​ Major groups:
○​ Australopithecines (Australopithecus) — Considered as the 1st human
○​ Paranthropus — Oldest hominins
○​ Homo genus — Start of the brain capacity and using tools.
●​ Chimps are not ancestral species! We shared a common ancestor, we evolved from LCA
(Last common ancestor).
●​ Not a direct line to us. Several hominids species co-existed.

Hominid Evolution
●​ Driven by life on the ground.
●​ Not all traits are the same (Mosaic Evolution – developing one trait at a time)
●​ Example: We walked upright for several million years before an increase in skull size.

Paranthropus
Sahelanthropus tchadensis
●​ Current oldest fossil at 6-7 MYA.
●​ Fossil discovered in 2002.
​ Orrorin Tugenensis
●​ Thought to be in evergreen forest, not open grassland.
●​ This species may be paranthropus or australopithecus, but paleontologists only
discovered 5 bones.

Australopithecus
●​ First “humans” that walked fully upright with human-like teeth and hands.
●​ Lasted 3 MY; all fossils from eastern and southern africa.
●​ Remember! “Lucy” (Australopithecus Afarensis)

Homo Habilis
●​ Aka “handy man”
●​ Used their brains and fashioned simple stone tools.
●​ Co-existed with smaller-brained.
●​ Homo habilis lead to H. erectus to H. sapiens.
●​ “Dymorphism” → Behavior of species pertaining to looking for a mate. (attracted to other
species)

Homo Ergaster
●​ Less sexual dymorphism (not attracted to other species), more pair bonding.
●​ Larger brains and no longer climbs trees.
●​ Had more advanced tools — had stone stools and the first homo genus that used fire.

Homo Erectus
●​ Aka “java man” (Indonesia) or “peking man” (China)
●​ Can travel very far = distance walking
●​ Very nomadic: Africa → China → Indonesia
●​ “First migration” of the species.
●​ Part of the hunting and gathering societies.

Homo Neanderthalensis
●​ “Neanderthals”
●​ People living in ice age and hunts meat (carnivorous homo genus )
●​ Made hunting tools from stone and wood.
●​ Has the biggest cranial capacity and bigger in size compared to homo sapien sapiens.
●​ Africa → Europe (Mediterranean places); 200-000 - 400,000 years ago in Europe.

Homo Sapiens
●​ Aka “Wise man” ; more intellectual and modern
●​ Direct link to our ancestors.

Homo Sapien Sapiens


●​ “Wiser than a wise man”
●​ Humans; wisest homogenus.

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