ANT101H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Omomyidae, Adapidae, Gigantopithecus
Document Summary
Human diversity is seen as the result of microevolutionary forces - small changes in allele frequencies acting on the human gene pool. Vs macroevolution- appearance of new species due to many generational changes in allele frequencies. Analogies: structures that are superficially similar, share a similar function, built from different parts, do not pass through similar stages during embryonic development, organisms do not share a common ancestor, homoplasy: process that leads to analogy. Homologies: structures possessed by 2 different organisms that arise in a similar fashion, pass through similar stages during embryonic development, organisms that share a common ancestor, may serve different functions. Systematics- looks at homologous traits, group organisms together. Cladistics- similar- both based on homologous traits and looks at evolutionary characteristics. Different- clado- identifies ancestral and derived traits, can define a common ancestor. Determine ancestral versus derived (modified) homologous traits to determine lineage. Clade: a group of organisms with a common ancestor.
