ANT100Y1 Lecture : Biological Anthropology 1st Lecture

• School: UTSG
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANT100Y1
• Professor: Christopher Watts

Document Summary

General patterns of morphology and phylogenetics for fossil primates. What a hominin is in terms of taxonomy. 65. 5 to 55. 8 years ago (mya millions of years ago) (kya thousands od years) Very different from present day conditions (10 degress now, 3x hotter then) largely covered in forest, high water levels, humidity. When we think the first primates showed up. Body size: tiny, shrew-sized to size of small dog. Niche: likely solitary, nocturnal quadrupeds; well-developed sense of smell. Used to be classified as primates because of the teeth and limbs that are adapted for arboreal lifestyle. Hottest, wettest, most humid time ever, in the beginning of this period. Consistent pattern of decline in presipitation, avg. temp of 20 c. Mainly arboreal quadrupeds, soe may have been specialized leapers. Smaller adapids ate mostly fruit and insects, larger forms ate leaves and fruit. Teeth: adapted for eating insects and soft fruits, only few species were leaf eaters.