Deck 8: Primate Evolution: From Early Primates to Hominoids

Question 1

The earliest true primates from early in the Eocene epoch (55-34 million years ago) fall into two major groups:

A) the tarsiers and the anthropoids.
B) the adapids and omomyids.
C) the strepsirhines and haplorhines.
D) the omomyids and anthropoids.
E) the adapids and strepsirhines.

Answer 1

the adapids and omomyids.

Question 2

Omomyids exhibit many characteristics that seem to be more anthropoid-like including

A) prognathism and a larger brain.
B) stereoscopic vision and an increased reliance on smell.
C) a larger brain, the beginnings of postorbital closure and a relatively shorter face.
D) a shorter face.
E) a longer skull and increased flexion of the basicranium.

Answer 2

a larger brain, the beginnings of postorbital closure and a relatively shorter face.

Question 3

A strong candidate for the common primate ancestor, dating to about 56 million years ago is

A) Omomyids.
B) Dolichocebus.
C) Branisella.
D) Carpolestes.
E) Parapithecus.

Answer 3

Carpolestes.

Question 4

A group of fossil species from the Paleocene epoch (65-55 million years ago) are argued by some researchers to be the earliest primate-like mammals; these fossil animals are

A) the plesiadapiforms.
B) the adapids.
C) the omomyids.
D) the strepsirhines.
E) the haplorhines.

Question 5

Thin tooth enamel, lighter jaws, and pointed molar cusps are all characteristics of

A) Sivapithecus.
B) Kenyapithecus.
C) Oreopithecus.
D) Ouranopithecus.
E) Dryopithecus.

Question 6

The inner ear of Plesiadapis resembled that of modern primates.

Question 7

The first New World monkeys (platyrrhines) appear in South America approximately

A) 25 million years ago.
B) 30 million years ago.
C) 35 million years ago.
D) 40 million years ago.
E) 45 million years ago.

Question 8

The major geological transition that occurred from the Cretaceous epoch to the Paleocene epoch saw the adaptive radiation of many different types of

A) mammals.
B) swamps.
C) continents.
D) dinosaurs.
E) extinctions.

Question 9

In their locomotion, arboreal quadrupeds typically exhibit vertical clinging and leaping.

Question 10

The ________ period saw the evolution and diversification of many different types of mammals, and the expansion and diversification of deciduous trees and flowering plants.

A) Paleocene
B) Eocene
C) Oligocene
D) Cretaceous
E) Miocene

Question 11

Arboreal quadrupeds tend to have

A) prehensile tails.
B) no tails.
C) opposable thumbs.
D) long grasping fingers and toes.
E) short arms and long legs.

Question 12

No primate, living or extinct, has more than ________ in each quarter of the jaw.

A) 2 molars
B) 1 molar
C) 2 incisors
D) 1 premolar
E) 1 insicor

Question 13

In the early Cretaceous, Gondwanaland included

A) Africa, South America, India, Australia, and Antarctica.
B) North America and Eurasia.
C) Eurasia, India, and Africa.
D) North America, South America, and Antarctica.
E) Australia and Laurasia.

Question 14

If we know that two lineages split 20 million years ago, and we know the degree of molecular difference between contemporary representatives of each, we can estimate

A) their phylogenetic relationship.
B) the amount of time that has elapsed since other pairs of related species converged.
C) how far back in the past the two lineages shared a common ancestor.
D) the rate of change that produced that degree of difference.
E) how long it will take for the groups to completely speciate.

Question 15

Both the parapithecids, such as Apidium, and the propliopithecids, such as Aegyptopithecus, are Oligocene fossil primates that are classified as Old World

A) monkeys.
B) catarrhines.
C) platyrrhines.
D) anthropoids.
E) hominoids.

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a late Miocene ape?

A) Dolichocebus.
B) Tremacebus.
C) Notharctus.
D) Proconsul.
E) Sivapithecus.

Question 17

Omomyids are considered ________-like because of their large eyes, long tarsal bones and very small size.

A) tarsier
B) lemur
C) prosimian
D) adapid
E) loris

Question 18

The Miocene genus Proconsul is generally regarded as being

A) the common ancestor of all living anthropoids.
B) a catarrhine primate with highly specialized locomotion.
C) the common ancestor of all Old World monkeys.
D) an early hominoid with highly specialized dentition.
E) similar in appearance to the common ancestor of apes and humans.

Question 19

The best known propliopithecid from the fossil record is

A) Gigantipithecus.
B) Aegyptopithecus.
C) Tetonius.
D) Notharctus.
E) Kenyapithecus.

Question 20

Eocene adapids are described as lemur-like, while the Eocene omomyids are considered

A) squirrel-like.
B) loris-like.
C) cat-like.
D) monkey-like.
E) tarsier-like.

Question 21

Primates with monkey- and ape-like features first appeared in the Oligocene epoch.

Question 22

It is suggested that the proliferation of large trees with fruit and seeds occurred during the late Paleocene and early Eocene.

Question 23

List the geological epochs, from the Cretaceous to the present, in consecutive order.

Question 24

Oreopithiecus was adapted to life in thickly forested marshlands.

Question 25

The earliest evidence of New World monkeys comes from Bolivia and dates to 65 million years ago.

Question 26

Excavations by David Begun at Rudabanya, Hungary have led to a better understanding of the Miocene ape Ouranopithecus.

Question 27

What are molecular clocks and how can they be used to deduce the time since two organisms shared a common ancestor?

Question 28

Comparisons of living primates suggest that fruit-eaters have pointed tooth cusps, whereas insect-eaters have flattened, rounded cusps.

Question 29

A criticism of Matt Cartmill's visual predation theory of primate origins is that not all visual predators have forward-facing eyes.

Question 30

Having three premolars in each quarter of the upper and lower jaws is a trait shared by the Oligocene propliopithecids and living New World monkeys.

Question 31

Rates of molecular change can be sped up by natural selection when a characteristic is either very advantageous or very disadvantageous.

Question 32

Paleoprimatologists are in agreement that the plesiadapiforms should be classified in the order primates.