18 Questions
What geological events occurred at the end of the Miocene epoch?
Formation of the Alps, Himalayas, and East African mountain ranges
As a result of cooling temperatures at the end of the Miocene, what change occurred in the habitats?
Tropical rainforests transitioned into sparse, deciduous woodlands & grasslands
What selective pressures did species face during the Plio-Pleistocene era?
Adapting to a shift from warm to cooler temperatures
Why did monkeys thrive in both the New and Old Worlds under new conditions in the Miocene?
Climate/environment favored adaptive radiation and proliferation of monkey species
Why did most apes and ape-like taxa go extinct at the end of the Miocene?
They were quite dependent on fruit, which was disappearing due to cooling temperatures
What is one reason for the large gap between the first hominins and the last of the Miocene apes?
Sparse fossil records from 13-5mya
What hypothesis explains the emergence of primates as adaptations for living in trees rather than on the ground?
Arboreal Hypothesis
Which scientist was involved in proposing the Arboreal Hypothesis in the early 1900s?
Sir Grafton Elliot Smith
What trait evolved in primates to enable leaping between trees with more accurate depth perception?
Convergent vision
Which hypothesis posits that primate traits evolved for predation of small prey in arboreal settings?
Visual Predation Hypothesis
Why is the Arboreal Hypothesis challenged by the Visual Predation Hypothesis?
Due to the presence of claws in other mammals
Why would primates possessing traits for catching small prey be in line with the Visual Predation Hypothesis?
To catch insects or smaller animals
Why do predatory primates tend to rely more on their ears when hunting?
To detect prey accurately in dense forests
What adaptation is explained by the Coevolution hypothesis in primates?
Grasping hands/feet for climbing trees
Why are fruits significant according to the text?
They are essential for seed dispersal
What is a distinguishing feature of Plesiadapiforms according to the text?
Petrosal bulla and tri-cusp incisors
What was the climate like when the earliest group of potential primates appeared?
Cool and seasonal with some variation
Why is the possession of auditory adaptations lacking in most primates, as per the text?
Due to their reliance on vision and not hearing for survival
Test your knowledge on the intense thermal changes, tectonic plate shifts, and environmental upheavals that marked the end of the Miocene Epoch. Explore how these changes led to the formation of mountain ranges, polar ice caps, and altered habitats and climates globally.
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