ANTH 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Depth Perception, Clavicle, Omnivore
18 May 2020
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Document Summary
Primate characteristics - animals that have the majority of these are considered to be primates. Primitive characteristics - have been interpreted by scholars as having been selected for or maintained due to the advantage they provide for arboreal species (arboreal theory) Forelimb structure, retained five digits on hands and feet. 3) presence of unfused lower limb elements (allows for twisting) tibia/fibula, etc 4) dentition - they have retained different types of teeth (heterodontism) and a primitive number of teeth. There is a general absence of specialized dental features, because primates have a generalized diet (omnivorous) 1) an enhanced mobility of the digits. Opposable big toes (for all primates except humans) Stereoscopic vision enhances depth perception (overlapping fields of vision). Added protection of the eye in the form of an eye socket (post- orbital bar) 3) these two traits, when combined, lead to a greater level of hand-eye- coordination. Reduced size of olfactory organs (nose), and related portion of the brain.
