ANTH 210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Binocular Vision, Synapomorphy, Thumb
27 Feb 2017
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Homologies are traits that are acquired through descent from a common ancestor. Closely related species tend to be similar morphologically. Synapomorphy: characteristics that are shared and derived (ex. the opposable thumb between primates and humans, no other organisms, not ancestors either) Sympleisiomorphy: shared primitive characteristics (ex. internal gestation, found in both humans and primates but also in the ancestors of both. The existence of morphological and behavioral similarities between humans and non-human primates means that studies of the morphology and behavior of living primates will provide us with insight into the behavior of our ancestors. Carlos linnaeus placed humans in the order primates in his first scientific taxonomy, systema naturae in. Linnaeus believed in the fixity of species and did not believe in evolution. The taxonomy was created solely based on the anatomical similarities we now know are due to common descent. After linnaeus published this, cuvier suggested that humans should be placed in their own order because.
