26.3 Primate Evolution

Understand Key Concepts

  1. Anthropoids include monkeys and

    1. lemurs.

    2. lorises.

    3. tarsiers.

    4. humans.

  2. Which of the following is a characteristic specific to primates?

    1. body hair

    2. rotation at the shoulder joint

    3. notochord

    4. ability to control body temperature

  3. How many hominine species exist today?

    1. one

    2. two

    3. nine

    4. twelve

  4. The first hominines appear in the fossil record about

    1. 30,000 years ago.

    2. 100,000 years ago.

    3. 6 to 7 million years ago.

    4. 120 million years ago.

  5. What anatomical characteristic allows for the binocular vision that occurs in primates?

  6. Describe the adaptations that make some primates successfol tree dwellers.

  7. List the unique characteristics of hominines. Give an example of a hominine.

Think Critically

  1. Interpret Photos List three primate characteristics shown by the monkey in the photo.

The image of a monkey hanging on a tree.

solve the CHAPTER MYSTERY

The illustration of a dinosaur-bird ancestor.

FOSSIL QUEST

Josh was working against great odds. “His” fossils would be about 600 million years old. He learned that there are few places where rocks that old haven't been destroyed by geological activity. Most known sites are in China and Australia—none are in the United States. Pedro found better news. Reptiles related to bird ancestors lived around the same time as his favorite dinosaurs, during the Cretaceous Period. There are a number of places where fossils of that age have been found—including the Green River area in Utah. Because both boys like dinosaurs, they joined an Earthwatch teen expedition to the Green River to search for bird ancestors!

  1. Infer Why is it so much harder to find fossils from the Proterozoic Eon, when the earliest known animals lived, than it is to find fossils from the Cretaceous Period, when the ancestors of birds lived? (Hint: See the graph below.)

    A line graph captioned 'Ages of Discovered Rocks' shows the changes in the total volume of ice in all the world’s glaciers since 1960.d

  2. Connect to the Starting at the Earthwatch Web site, do an Internet search for fossil hunting expeditions you could join.

End ofPage 777

Table of Contents

Miller & Levine Biology
About the Authors
Changing the World of Biology Education
Contents
Diversity of Life: A Visual Guide DOL•1–DOL•64
Labs and Activities
Features
UNIT 1 The Nature of Life
1 The Science of Biology
2 The Chemistry of Life
Unit Project
UNIT 2 Ecology
3 The Biosphere
4 Ecosystems and Communities
5 Populations
6 Humans in the Biosphere
Unit Project
UNIT 3 Cells
7 Cell Structure and Function
8 Photosynthesis
9 Cellular Respiration and Fermentation
10 Cell Growth and Division
Unit Project
UNIT 4 Genetics
11 Introduction to Genetics
12 DNA
13 RNA and Protein Synthesis
14 Human Heredity
15 Genetic Engineering
Unit Project
UNIT 5 Evolution
16 Darwin's Theory of Evolution
17 Evolution of Populations
18 Classification
19 History of Life
Unit Project
UNIT 6 From Microorganisms to Plants
20 Viruses and Prokaryotes
21 Protists and Fungi
22 Introduction to Plants
23 Plant Structure and Function
24 Plant Reproduction and Response
Unit Project
UNIT 7 Animals
25 Introduction to Animals
26 Animal Evolution and Diversity
27 Animal Systems I
28 Animal Systems II
29 Animal Behavior
Unit Project
UNIT 8 The Human Body
30 Digestive and Excretory Systems
31 Nervous System
32 Skeletal, Muscular, and Integumentary Systems
33 Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
34 Endocrine and Reproductive Systems
35 Immune System and Disease
Unit Project
A Visual Guide to The Diversity of Life
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
THE TREE OF LIFE
Bacteria
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Animals
Appendices
Appendix A Science Skills
Appendix B Lab Skills
Appendix C Technology & Design
Appendix D Math Skills
Appendix E Periodic Table
Glossary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q, R
S
T
U
V
W
X, Y, Z
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Credits
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