BIOL1263

Mammalian Evolutionary Trends

DLS, FST, The UWI Mona
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:An_evolutionary_tree_of_mammals.jpeg tannice.hall02@uwimona.edu.jm
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Evolutionary History
of Mammals
• Major amniote groups detected in
carboniferous (225-300 m.Y.B.P.)

Trends from earliest amniotes

documented:
• 150 m years of fossils record
shows trends from small
ectothermic, hairless animals
to furry endotherms
(mammals)
•.
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 Evolutionary History of Mammals
• Of the amniote evolutionary lineage, Synapsida, (one lower
temporal fossae) only mammals are extant.
• Synapsids radiated into terrestrial environments;

• Synapsid lineage began with Pelycosaurs (early mammal-like

amniotes of the Permean.
• Pelycosaurs diversified extensively; with changes in jaw, teeth and
body, prestaging several mammalian characteristics.
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Evolutionary History of Mammals

From the synapsid ancestor, one

Pelycosaur family led to the
Therapsids (299-200 mYBP)

Most Therapsids died in Permian

period extinction (252 mYBP); only
Cynodonts subgroup survived

During the Triassic period, a lineage

of Cynodonts gave rise to Therians
(marsupial & placental mammals).

4/2/2020 BIOL1263 Origins of Mammals (Hickman et al., 2010)

 Evolutionary History of Mammals

• Therapsids, especially the Cynodonts, had erect posture and enlarged

cerebellum for coordination.

• Cynodonts which gave rise to mammals had high metabolic rate, greater
agility and a secondary bony palate (which allowed breathing while suckling
young).

• Fossil evidence indicates that all three groups of living mammals

(monotremes, marsupials and placental) are derived from the same
Cynodont lineage.
Evolutionary History of Mammals
• Modern placental mammals diversified in the Cretaceous
and Tertiary periods.

• Earliest mammals (Therians) from late Triassic period 150

m.Y.B.P were small mouse-like animals:
• with enlarged cranium
• jaws re-designed for shearing action
• new teeth type; replaced only once
 Evolutionary History of Mammals
• Main change from Synapsid reptiles to Mammals was change in
Jaw development.

• From a stiff Synapsid Quadrate-Articular jaw joint to a more flexible

Dentary-Squamosal jaw joint possessed by all living mammals.
• From no angular process (bone) at back of jaw to an angular process(and
more acute angular process) in modern mammals' jaws for muscle
attachment .
• From flat molars to molars with grooves for grinding

• Feeding consequence: Trend from only up-down chomping to up-down

and side-side chewing and grinding of food.
 Mammalian Evolution

Mammalian
Mole (order Soricimorpha)
Evolution
Chimpanzee (Order Primate)

•Great mammal population radiation in the Cenozoic Era (66 mYBP to

present) attributed to death of dinosaurs which left empty niches.
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BIOL1263
 Primate
Evolutionary Trends

significant shared primate characteristics:

1. Grasping digits on all four limbs
2. Flat fingernails rather than claws
3. Forward pointing eyes with binocular
vision and excellent depth perception
 Primate Evolution

• Earliest primate was probably a small,

nocturnal animal similar to tree shrews; this tree shrew
ancestral primate stock split or diverged into
two major evolutionary lineages:
• Prosimians (lemurs, tarsiers, lorises)
• Simians (monkeys, apes).

• Prosimians & many Simians are arboreal

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 Prosimians large eyes for nocturnal life
large grasping toes
grasping fingers with pads

Mindanao Tarsier Slender Loris Bushbaby

Tarsius syrichta carbonarius Loris tartigradus Galago sp

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 Simians: Monkeys, Apes and Allies
• Many simians became diurnal allowing colour
vision to dominate the senses

• Arboreal living probably ancestral lifestyle; gave

descendants qualities which made primates very
successful.

Red Howler monkeys, • To succeed at dangerous tree top living they needed
Alouatta sp., South America
• Flexibility to climb;
• Dexterity to hang on;
Forward Pointing Eyes • Good sensory processing and good judgment
Grasping Fingers
• Good balance
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 Results of an Arboreal Lifestyle

1
Grasping (opposing) digits allowed safe movement and later allowed
tool use.

2
Eyes became binocular (moved to front of skull) with concurrent
excellent depth perception. Good hearing.

3 Highly developed sense of balance, timing and judging distances

4 Importantly, brain became larger especially cerebral hemispheres, so

more information could be stored, and the evolutionary result was
intelligent, mobile mammals - the primates.
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 Old world monkeys Catarrhines
Simian Groups (African & Asian & Middle East)
Cercopithecoids
Earliest simian (ape-like) fossils
e.g. baboons, mandrills, colobus
appeared in Africa approx. 40 monkeys
mYBP (Cenozoic era)

New World Monkeys

Platyrrhines
Simians (South & Central American)
e.g. howler monkeys, spider monkeys Ceboids
3 groups and tamarins

Anthropoid apes
(human-like) Catarrhines
(gibbons, chimpanzees, gorillas, Anthropoid
orangutans).
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 1. Old World Monkeys - Cercopithecoids

MANDRILLS
RHESUS MONKEYS

BABOONS.

Old World Monkeys

(Cercopithecoids )
including baboons, mandrills, colobus monkeys
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COLOBUS MONKEYS
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 2. New World Monkeys - Ceboids

SPIDER MONKEYS MARMOSETS

RED HOWLER MONKEY
Prehensile tail

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 Simian Group 3: The Anthropoid Apes
“(Hu)man-like” apes resemble human beings in appearance & behaviour
Orangutan

Chimpanzee, pan, (closely

resembles another ape type
called the bonobos). 98% of
human genes found in pan. Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)
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White-handed Gibbon BIOL1263
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 Comparison: Old World Monkeys differ from new world

Physical do not have a grasping (prehensile) tail,

differences 1
Cercopithecoids
(Old world 2 have more closely- spaced nostrils,
monkeys)…..
3 have more advanced opposable,
Apart from grasping thumbs, and
Geographical location, have more advanced teeth, than new
4 world monkeys, also,
How do old & new world
monkeys differ? 5 have trichromatic (colour) vision
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 Primate Evolution

Anthropoid apes
• Anthropoid fossils first appear approx. 25
m.y.b.p.
• Not arboreal
• Utilized the land since woodland
savannahs (with greater food abundance
on ground) were arising in Africa, Europe &
North America.

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 Key Feature: Erect Posture
• Emerging hominid (human-like)
primates evolved upright posture

• Advantage of upright posture:

1. Gaining better view of predators
2. Freeing of hands
1. for using tools
2. Defense
3. Caring for young
4. Gathering food.

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chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons
 Primate Evolution

Early Hominids
• Fossils are very rare due to fragile nature of
skeleton after death.
• Most often only skull, teeth and jaw fragments
found
• Long (fossil) gap between fossil apes/simians
& early hominids Sahelanthropus tchadensis
• Earliest ones found (so far) in Chad, West This oldest hominid fossil suggests
that the “chimp-hominid-split”
Africa, 2010 dated at 7 mybp! occurred earlier than 7 M.Y.B.P.

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 Primate Evolution
Early Hominids
Ball for ball &
• 2nd oldest hominid – Kenya, socket joint
(East Africa) in 2000 from 5.8 (bipedalism proof)
&
- 6.1 M.Y.B.P. Small human-like
teeth
• Based on small bone
fragments including parts of
lower jaws, a number of hip
ball joints (showing clear
bipedalism), and small
Orrorin tugenensis
human-like teeth.

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 Primate Evolution
Early Hominids
• 3rd earliest hominid fossil (so far) discovered
in Ethiopia in 1994 from 4.4. m.y.B.P.
• Fragments show a mixture of less advanced
ape-like and more advanced hominid traits
• May be ancestral to australopithecine species

• Australopithecus anamensis
• Found in 1995 in kenya
• lived 4.2 to 3.9 my.B.P.

Ardipithecus ramidus
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 Primate Evolution
2 distinct hominid lines
emerged 3 – 4 m.y.b.P.
• Homo lineage

Australopithecus afarensis ‘Lucy’

• A 40% complete skeleton found in

1974 in Ethiopia (West Africa) Australopithecus garhi
from <3.8 mybp • discovered in Ethiopia1998 from
• Parts of other individuals 2.5 mybp.
• Short, bipedal, brain size similar to • descendant of A. afarensis and
chimpanzee (400-500 ml). not a side branch
• Human-like faces • could be an ancestor of modern
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humans 25
Primate Evolution
Genus Homo – 1st members
• Homo habilis. 1.9-1.6 m.y.B.P.
• Probably walked erect, with brain capacity of 510-
750 mls (tool maker & user)
• Homo erectus. 1.7 – 0.25 m.y.B.P.
• With brain size of 750 -1250 mls (social, widespread
species, with complex culture)
• Disappeared 300,000 years before present
• Homo sapiens
• Neanderthals 300,000 y.B.P.
• Heavy brow, large teeth, large nose
• Modern man 30,000 y.B.P.
• Has 1-4% Neanderthals DNA

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 Primate
Evolution

Side branches
Homo floresiensis found 2010
Indonesia. (190,000-50,000ybp)

H. naledi found 2013

South Africa (335,000-
230,000ypb)

H. Luzonensis 2015
Callao Cave, Philippines
50000-67000ybp
2 adults, 1 child
Published in CNN yesterday, 10th
April 2019
 Hominid Fossils

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 Hominid evolution
Influenced by
From arboreal heritage:
• Mutation
• Increased brain capacity
• Binocular vision • Isolation
• Excellent visuo-tactile discrimination • Genetic drift
• Hand manipulation skills. • Natural selection
• Non-genetic cultural evolution
• Increase in brain capacity (size) or volume • Languages,
• Reduction in size and thickness of jaws • Conceptual thought
(mandibles) • Historical knowledge
• Reduction in skull crest • Ability to change our
environment.
• Increase in overall skull size
• Increase in facial size (especially forehead).
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All the best for successful exams.