Eocene to Miocene Primates: Key Fossil Insights and Traits

Station 1: The Eocene (Approximately 55 - 34 MYA): The First True Primates In the Eocene, there were two early primate groups represented by the fossil record: omomyids and adapids. The skull of Anaptomorphus (an omomyid). Hubrecht A.A.W. The descent of the primates. Lectures delivered on the occasion of the sesquicentennial celebration of Princeton University. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1897. U.S. Public Domain. Life restoration of Tetonius homunculus (an omomyid) from W.B. Scott's (1858–1947). A History of Land Mammals in the Western Hemisphere. New York: The Macmillan Company. U.S. Public Domain. Examine the pictures above, and the provided resources, to determine which of the following traits omomyids have that indicate they are primates. Please mark “yes” if at least one of the above primates exhibits the trait. Shared with Primates Yes or No? Partially or fully enclosed eye orbits? Eyes that are convergent (look forward)? Small incisors and large canines? Short snout? Increased brain size?

Grasping hands? Station 2: The Oligocene (Approximately 34 - 24 MYA): An Adaptive Radiation of Anthropoids

Images of Aegyptopithecus In the Oligocene, tropical rain forests extended far into areas that are now temperate zones. One of the best Oligocene fossil deposits is in the Egyptian desert—at a place called the Fayum. At one time this was an ideal habitat for anthropoid primates; a sluggish river delta surrounded by lush forest provided niches for several primate species. In the 1960’s Dr. Elwyn Simons and a Yale expedition discovered a nearly complete skull of Aegyptopithecus . Simons maintained that Aegyptopithecus was the earliest ape, a member of the superfamily Hominoidea . Today most dispute this assertion and argue that Aegyptopithecus has a mosaic of features suggesting it was probably a primitive catarrhine. Compare the provided strepsirrhine, monkey, and ape skulls to Aegyptopithecus . Old World Monkey Ape Aegyptopithe cus Eye orbit size & orientation Snout length (compared to cranial size) Lower molar

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

cusp pattern (Y5 or bilophodont) Station 3: The Miocene: Proconsul (Approximately 22 - 17 MYA) Images of Proconsul Proconsul is well known from Early Middle Miocene sites (22-17 mya) in East Africa. Examine the teeth and jaws of Proconsul .

Monkey Ape Human Proconsul Shape of dental arcade Canine size In its teeth and jaws, does Proconsul resemble an ape, a monkey, or human? As ape-like as the jaws and teeth appear to be, the postcrania (skeleton) is very monkey-like. Detailed studies of the forelimb of Proconsul have shown that it lacked the brachiation ability present in living hominoid elbows and wrists. This is evidence that the common ancestor of living hominoids (gibbons, great apes, and humans) appeared after Proconsul .

Station 4: The Miocene: Sivapithecus (Approximately 12 – 8 MYA)

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Images of Sivapithecus Sivapithecus lived in Asia between 12 and 8 MYA. An African Ape Orangutan Sivapithecus Eye orbit shape Closeness of eyes There are a lot of similarities between Sivapithecus and orangutans of today! There are some differences, though, including differences in their arm bones. Sivapithecus was probably closely related to, but perhaps not directly ancestral to, orangutans.

Station 5: The Miocene: Gigantopithecus (Approximately 8 MYA – 500,000 YA)

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Images of the Gigantopithecus Gigantopithecus , which means “giant ape”, has been found in China, India, and Vietnam, dating as far back as 8 MYA, but as recent as 500,000 YA. Compare Gigantopithecus teeth and jaw to a Gorilla and a human. What similarities do you see? What differences do you see? What type of diet do you think Gigantopithecus subsisted on? Why do you think that?

Lab 3 Primate Fossils

Related Documents