| Question | Answer |
| What is a fossil? | The physical remains of part or all of once living organisms, mostly bones and teeth that have become mineralized by the replacement of organic with organic material. |
| What can fossils include? | It can include tracks or imprints of plants or animals. |
| What is taphonomy? | It is the study of the deposition of plant or animal remains and the environmental conditions affecting their preservation. Or the transition from biosphere to the lithosphere. |
| What is stage 1 for the creation of a fossil? | Burial |
| What happens in the burial stage of creating a fossil? | 1. decomp has to be inhibited
2. fossilization depends on local geological conditions.
3. the remains need to be covered rapidly by sediments unless the environment is extremely dry.
4. the burial is likely in a geological active area |
| What geological area is common for fossils? | Wet areas without rapid water movement like swamps, river deltas, lakes and eaves. |
| What is stage 2 for the creation of a fossil? | Preservation and mineralization |
| What happens in the preservation and mineralization stage of creating a fossil? | 1. bones and teeth must be replaced before bacteria and soil acid break it down.
2. sometimes an entire bone is replaced giving some internal structure. |
| What is stage 3 for the creation of a fossil? | Exposure and collection |
| What happens in the exposure stage of creating a fossil? | 1. discovery is often accidental.
2. usually naturally exposed through erosion of overlying rock that is more easily eroded. |
| What is stage 4 for the creation of a fossil? | Preservation and reconstruction |
| What happens in the preservation and reconstruction stage of creating a fossil? | 1. Damage can occur at any step along the process
animal gnawing
weathering
distortion by weight of overlying sediment
damage during excavation |
| Where are the most common places to find fossils? | Badlands because of wind and water erosion, sparse vegetation, sedimentary rock. |
| What does taphonomy provide info on? | geologic age
biology
environment
social structure
taxonomy |
| What is relative dating? | It establishes a sequence
-one object is older than another
-dating associated materials such as strata, artifacts, flora or fauna |
| What is absolute dating? | determines actual date
-actual fossil or artifact is dated |
| What are the relative dating methods? | Sedimentary
Principle of super position
paleomagnetic data |
| What is sedimentary relative method? | rocks formed when the deposition of sediment create distinct layers called strata |
| what is principe of super position relative method? | layers that are lower in the sequence are older than the higher layer unless disturbed |
| What is paleomagnetic data of the relative method? | Periodic reversal of earth's magnetic field |
| What is absolute dating method? | provides a date in years
radiocarbon dating
tree ring dating
radiometric dating
k/Ar
Ar/Ar |
| What do we learn from fossils? Biology | diet, locomotion, patterns of growth, health status |
| What do we learn from fossils? Environment | climatic conditions
predator/ prey relationships
competition for resources
availability of food |
| What do we learn from fossils? social structure | group size
group demographics
behavior |
| What are the features of tree shrew - primative primates? | reduced snout
binocular vision (depth perception, color vision)
finger and toe nails
reduced birth numbers
prehensile hands and feet (dextrous)
omnivores
social
diurnal |
| What are the characteristics of primates? | adaptation to life in the trees
dietary plasticity
parental investments |
| What helps adapt to trees characteristics? | reduced snout
depth perception color vision
prehensile hands and feet |
| What are the two character traits looked for in a primate? | Post orbital plate (eye socket)
post orbital bar (eye socket with opening) |
| higher primates? | haplorhini - post orbital plate |
| lower primates? | strepsirhini - post orbital bar |
| All old world monkeys are what? | chimps and baboons |
| What is the dental formula | 2123 |
| 2123 stands for? | 2 incisor
1 canine
2 premoles
3 molars (bicuspid teeth) |
| wide variety of adaptation | frugivors - fruit
folivores - leaves
omnivores - everything |
| what does parental investment mean? | smaller number of offsprings |
| what is the taxonomic classification of primates? | order - primate, suborder - anthropoid, infra order - catarrihines, family - homonoid, subfamily - homonid, genus - homo, species - sapien |
| promisians - suborder examples | lemur, lorises, tarsiers |
| what is the primative characteristics of a prosimian? | small body, olfaction, relatively small brain, most nocturnal, most lack color vision, dental comb, grooming claw, more laterally positioned eyes, post orbital bar, unfused mandible, varied dental formula, molars with high pointy cusps |
| what is olfaction? | moist fleshly nose, relatively long snout, most mark territory |
| what is rhinarium | moist fleshly nose |
| what is the lemur dental formula | 2133 |
| what is the indrus dental formula | 2123/1123 |
| Where are lemurs found? | Only in Madagascar |
| How many species of lemurs are there? | 30 |
| What are the species variations of lemurs? | Mostly aboreal but many terrestial species. |
| What is the lemurs body size? | 5 inches to 24 inches. |
| What is the adaptive radiation in lemurs? | Rapid expansion and diversification of species into new ecological niches. |
| What is the lemurs feeding behavior? | Large is diurnal: eat fruits, buds, leaves and bark.
Small which is nocturnal: Eats insects |
| What is the lemurs locomotion? | Aboreal quadrapeds
Terrestial quadrapeds
Vertical clingers and leapers |
| What is the lemurs social organization? | Gregarious 10-25 individuals
Monogamus families
Some solitary |
| where are lorises? | Forests of India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia and Africa |
| How many species do lorises have? | Only 5 species |
| Are lorises nocturnal or diurnal? | Nocturnal - fill niches not occupied by monkeys |
| What are the lorises competitive exclusion? | When two or more species compete for the same niche, one either becomes extinct or undergoes character displacement |
| What is a lorises feeding behavior | They're insectavores. |
| What levels do lorises live in? | Different sized live in different levels |
| What is a lorises locomotion? | Quadrupedalum |
| What is lorises solitary organization? | Solitary family unit |
| Where do galagos live? | Africa |
| What are galagos nicknamed? | Bush babies |
| How many species of galapos are there? | 10 |
| Are galagos nocturnal or diurnal | Nocturnal |
| What is galagos locomotion? | Arboreal |
| what are galagos family organization? | Solitary |
| Are galagos active clingers and leapers? | Yes |
| Where are tarsiers from? | Indonesia |
| What is tarsiers locomotion? | Arboreal |
| Are tarsiers clinging or leaping | Yes |
| Are tarsiers nocturnal or diurnal? | Nocturnal |
| What is tarsier dental formula? | 2133/1133 |
| What are tarsier primitive characters? | small bodies
unfused mandibles
high cups on molars
Grooming claws
solitary families |
| What are tarsier derived characteristics | Post orbital plate
Reproductive system similar to apes
no rhinorium
eat insects lizards and frogs |
| What is an Anthropoids infraorders? | platyrrhines - new world mokeys ;flat nosed
catarrhines - old world ;downward faced noses |
| What are the anthropoids characteristics? | They have a generally larger body
They have reduced reliance on olfaction
They have increased reliance on vision |
| Are anthropoids nocturnal or diurnal | Diurnal |
| What is anthropoids social structure? | complex
increase parental care
strong mother/infant bond
mutual grooming |
| What sized brains to anthropoids have | relatively large |
| Do anthropoids have claws? | No |
| How long is an anthropoids snout | short |
| What type of mandible do anthropoids have | Fused mandible |
| What type of molars do anthropoids have | Low flat cusps |
| What are new world monkeys called | Platyrrhines |
| Where can you find platyrrhines? | Southern Mexico and South America |
