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Evolution of Simian Primates

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The evolutionary history of simian primates is traced from the divergence of New World and Old World groups to the emergence of the genus Homo. Key developments include the advent of bipedalism, the use of tools, and the speciation of great apes and early hominids. Fossil evidence like Australopithecus afarensis and Homo erectus sheds light on these transformative epochs in primate and human evolution.

Divergence of Simian Primates into New World and Old World Groups

Simian primates, encompassing monkeys, apes, and humans, underwent a pivotal evolutionary divergence into two distinct infraorders: Platyrrhini, the New World monkeys of South and Central America, and Catarrhini, which includes the Old World monkeys, apes, and humans of Africa and Asia. This split is associated with several adaptations to a diurnal lifestyle, such as the loss of the tapetum lucidum, an eye layer aiding nocturnal vision, and the development of color vision. New World monkeys are noted for their prehensile tails and a prevalence of color blindness in males due to a different visual system. The ancestors of New World monkeys are believed to have colonized South America through a dispersal event, possibly by rafting on mats of vegetation across the Atlantic or via a land bridge, although the exact mechanism remains debated. Old World simians, on the other hand, continued to evolve in Africa, with early representatives like Aegyptopithecus providing insight into their characteristics.
African savannah landscape at sunset with three Australopithecus among golden grass and acacias, monkeys on the ground and hills blurred on the horizon.

Evolutionary Split of Old World Monkeys and Apes

Within the Catarrhini, a further evolutionary split occurred, giving rise to the superfamilies Cercopithecoidea (Old World monkeys) and Hominoidea (apes, including humans). This division was marked by significant evolutionary developments such as the emergence of trichromatic color vision in some lineages and the reduction of the vomeronasal organ, which is involved in pheromone detection. The genus Proconsul, an early catarrhine, displayed a combination of monkey and ape traits, suggesting it may have been a common ancestor to both groups. Proconsul's dental structure, skeletal build, and arboreal lifestyle were monkey-like, while its lack of a tail and certain skeletal features were more ape-like. Proconsul africanus, in particular, is considered a potential ancestor to both the great and lesser apes, as well as humans.

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00

Simian primates split into two infraorders: ______, found in South and Central America, and ______, which includes species from Africa and Asia.

Platyrrhini

Catarrhini

01

The evolutionary divergence of simian primates led to adaptations for daytime living, including the loss of the ______ and the development of ______.

tapetum lucidum

color vision

02

The ancestors of ______ may have reached South America by rafting on vegetation or via a land bridge, while ______ evolved in Africa.

New World monkeys

Old World simians

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