Why Study Primates Cabrillo College为什么要研究灵长类动物国立大学.pptVIP

Why Study Primates? Light shall be thrown on humanity’s history The human family is but one branch on the tree of life. We’re essentially studying ourselves Demonstrate our biological heritage as primates. Cast light on basic human behaviors and their ancestry. Window into the evolution of intelligence. Understand the evolution of language. Understand the origins of culture. Behavior Doesn’t Fossilize Understanding of chimp behavior today helps us to understand the ways in which our early ancestors may have behaved because any behaviors shared by the modern chimps and modern humans was probably in the common ancestor of humans and chimps and if it was present in the common ancestor, therefore it was present in the early humans. What Makes A Primate A Primate? What, Exactly, Is A Primate?Here are some hints Trunk Verticality Tendency toward erect posture shown in all primates. Variously associated with sitting, leaping, standing, and, occasionally, bipedal walking. Flexible, generalized limb structure Retained some bones (clavicle) lost in many other mammals. Retained some abilities (forearm rotation) lost in many other mammals. Limbs used for activities other than locomotion. Two separate lower arm bones Flexible shoulders Prehensile hands ( feet) All primates use the hands to grasp and manipulate objects. And most also use their feet for similar purposes. These capabilities are enhanced by a number of characteristics. Grasping hands Pentadactyly (5 digits) Pentadactyly (cont.) Sometimes 6-digits An opposable thumb Opposable Thumbs Nails instead of claws or hooves Flat fingernails and toenails Tactile Pads Lack of Dietary Specialization Generalized Dentition Three Kinds of Teeth Seeing In Color Seeing In Color II Depth Perception See in 3-D!!!!The Frankfurter Experiment Why Do Primates See in 3-D? Forward Facing Eyes Large brain-to-body-size ratio Primates brains 2-3 X larger than non-primates of the same body weight. Horse brain more than 6 X bigger than