Lab 11 - Fossil Primates Labs

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California State University, Fullerton *

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Anthropology

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May 9, 2024

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Fossil Primates In order to investigate the past, we have to learn about the fossils that come from those prior times. From the following pictures decide what inferences you can make about the species. 1) What can you say about its evolutionary relationship? In other words what type of creature is it? Be as detailed as possible and classify it to as low a level as possible. How can you tell? What physical features give you an evidence of the species. Remember the comparative osteology slides, they will help. a. This primate belongs to the adapoids family, ancestors of strepsirhini. It is most likely the Adapis from Europe. As this deduction is based upon the comparatively large brain size, skull structure, orbits, and shortened snout. 2) What about the teeth? What type of functional dentition does the species have? What else can it tell you about the species? a. The teeth are small, sharp and pointy cusps and are most likely of the insectivore dentition. 3) Do you believe this is an adult or child? a. Young adult because of the fusion of the epiphyseal plate (growth plate)at humerus. 4) Pretend you found two of these species, however one was much larger than the other. How would you explain this? a. As larger canine can explain that due to an increasing growth of enamel and ridges, that the skull belongs to an older animal than the other one. 5) By looking at the post cranial bones (those other than the skull and mandible) what can you determine about the locomotion of the species? a. The humeral head is rounded & globular, the scapular is extended at the suprascapular area and its shorter and wider, making it more mobile- arboreal.

Pleasiadapiform Watch the video on the Plesiadapiform. Once you have watched the video compare a Pleasidapiform with a Strepsirrhine. Make sure to compare and contrast the following: 1) Do they have a post orbital bar? a. Plesiadapiforms have a postorbital bar, while strepsirrhines do not. 2) What is the position of the orbits (eyes)? a. The position of the orbits in a Plesiadapiform is more forward facing than in a Strepsirrhine. 3) Is there a toothcomb present? a. Strepsirrhine have a toothcomb. 4) What is the size of the braincase? a. The size of the braincase in Pleasidapiforms is generally smaller compared to Strepsirrhines. Primates, including Strepsirrhines, have relatively large brain sizes A. Pleasidapiform B. Strepsirrhine After comparing and contrasting Pleasidapiform and Strepsirrhine answer the following questions: 1) Why do you think some Anthropologists consider a pleasidapiform to be classified as a primate? a. Some Anthropologists consider Pleasidapiforms to be classified as primates due to certain similarities in skeletal features and characteristics. Pleasidapiforms share some traits with early primates, such as grasping hands, forward-facing eyes, and possibly adaptations for arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyles. These similarities suggest a potential evolutionary relationship with early primates. 2) What features of a Pleasidapiform are not primate features? a. Some other characters of plesiadapiforms are narrow snouts ,long no postorbital bar small brain, large canines along with a diastema , claws and thier eyes was place on the sides of thier face instead of the front like primates.

Origins of Apes Sivapithecus was believed at one time to be the early ancestor of an Orangutan. Comparing the skulls of Sivapithecus with other apes can help to determine if the hypothesis is accurate. Using the following images, compare and contrast Sivapithecus, Orangutan and Gorilla. Sivapithecus Orangutan Gorilla 1) Compare the supraorbital ridge thickness. (This is the area above the orbits) Sivapithecus Orangutan Gorilla Supra orbital ridge Small, discontinous brow ridge thin, non projecting brow ridge significant and thick brow ridge 2) Compare and contrast the orbits. How much spaces is between them? Do some look more similar than others? 3) What is the shape of the orbits? Compare and contrast. Sivapithecus Orangutan Gorilla Shape of orbit Oval shaped orbit Rounded orbit Quadrangular orbit 4) Compare and contrast the size of the zygomatic arch. Sivapithecus Orangutan Gorilla Zygomatic arch Relatively small zigomatic arch thin zigomatic arch but vertically deeper broad Zigmatic arch *For the exam you need to be able to identify the different species. Sivapithecus Orangutan Gorilla Inter-orbital space narrow inter-orbital space narrow inter-orbital space proportionally more inter- orbital space.

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Gigantopithecus vs. Apes Gigantopithecus is believed to have been a ancestor of the Gorilla. Compare and contrast the two mandibles. What support would you give for Gigantopithecus being the ancestor of the Gorilla? The form and size of the two mandibles are extremely similar. The key distinction is that the Gigantopithecus mandible has a more prominent chin than the Gorilla mandible. The Gigantopithecus mandible is likewise stronger, having thicker and more powerful jaw muscles. The similarities in form and size of the two mandibles show that Gigantopithecus was the Gorilla's progenitor. Gigantopithecus Gorilla

Lab 11 - Fossil Primates Labs

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