ANTH 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Flowering Plant, Haplorhini, Indri
4 Dec 2017
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Document Summary
There is no clear diagnostic list of characteristics shared by all primates. Likewise, there is no clear-cut diagnostic adaptation or heritage that distinguishes the order primates, or, specifically the very earliest primates, from the early placental mammals in general. The most widely held belief: primates were adapted to a life in the trees. The proponents of the arboreal theory attributed many trends in the early evolution of the primates to the presumed arboreal way of life of the remote ancestors of the primates. This tree living heritage resulted in the elaboration of several senses and morphological changes all seen as obvious adaptations to life in the trees. What about other theories: visual predation theory. Primate ancestor captured insects and other prey that were visually located. The earliest primate adaptation was to visually oriented predation. According to this interpretation, orbital convergence and correlated neurological specializations were initially predatory adaptations.
