The Evolution in Primate Locomotion and Body Configuration
The Evolution in Primate Locomotion and Body Configuration
Calista Lee
Anthropology 115
The Evolution of Primate Locomotion and Body Configuration
Primates first evolved from the trees of tropical forests, later to the ground. Through the times of promisians to human, many characteristics has been represented due to the adaptations to new environments and resulted in evolutionary changes. The Earth has encountered several geological and climatic changes over time. For the primates existed at that time had to adjust itself especially in body configurations and locomotion in order to better survive. It is important to be aware of this information since we are the part of occurring changes as well. Throughout the evolution owing to the transforming environments interacting with natural selection, primates developed their own ways to move better (meaning changes in locomotion) with different types of bodies (meaning changes in body configuration).
Grade I – Lemuroids Lemuroids, including true lemurs, lorises and galagos are the most primitive ones among the living primates. As they are the first grade of primates, they evolved in about 65 million years ago, in Paleocene epoch. Lemurs and lorises are the most primitive because they are more close to ancestral traits such as their reliance on olfaction, which enhances the sense of smell. Having dental comb, which formed by forward-projecting lower incisors and canines for feeding and grooming and grooming claw on the second toe are some distinguishable identities. Lemurs are only found on Madagascar and its adjacent islands. They vary in numerous species and ecological niches since they have no competition from monkeys and apes on the islands they live in. Lemurs range in size from the smallest mouse lemur with 5 inches to the indri with 2 to 3 feet (Nowak, 1999). The size of the lemur in comparison to other primates is an adaptation to the limited space on the island where it evolved (Jennifer, 2011).
Calista Lee
Anthropology 115
The Evolution of Primate Locomotion and Body Configuration
Primates first evolved from the trees of tropical forests, later to the ground. Through the times of promisians to human, many characteristics has been represented due to the adaptations to new environments and resulted in evolutionary changes. The Earth has encountered several geological and climatic changes over time. For the primates existed at that time had to adjust itself especially in body configurations and locomotion in order to better survive. It is important to be aware of this information since we are the part of occurring changes as well. Throughout the evolution owing to the transforming environments interacting with natural selection, primates developed their own ways to move better (meaning changes in locomotion) with different types of bodies (meaning changes in body configuration).
Grade I – Lemuroids Lemuroids, including true lemurs, lorises and galagos are the most primitive ones among the living primates. As they are the first grade of primates, they evolved in about 65 million years ago, in Paleocene epoch. Lemurs and lorises are the most primitive because they are more close to ancestral traits such as their reliance on olfaction, which enhances the sense of smell. Having dental comb, which formed by forward-projecting lower incisors and canines for feeding and grooming and grooming claw on the second toe are some distinguishable identities. Lemurs are only found on Madagascar and its adjacent islands. They vary in numerous species and ecological niches since they have no competition from monkeys and apes on the islands they live in. Lemurs range in size from the smallest mouse lemur with 5 inches to the indri with 2 to 3 feet (Nowak, 1999). The size of the lemur in comparison to other primates is an adaptation to the limited space on the island where it evolved (Jennifer, 2011).
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