142 CHAPTER 6 | Macroevolution and the Early Primates
Questions for Reflection
- How can evolutionary studies attract public atten-
tion while avoiding getting caught up in a media blitz? Did
the current popularity of fossils in the media influence you
personally? - Why are shared derived characteristics more important
than shared ancestral characteristics in evolutionary recon-
structions? Using the Miocene apes and humans, think about
the ways that conclusions about evolution would change if
ancestral rather than derived characteristics were used to fig-
ure out evolutionary relationships among species. - As we discussed, species are populations or groups of
populations that are capable of interbreeding and producing
fertile, viable offspring. Why is this biological definition of
species difficult to apply to the fossil record?- The interpretation of fossil material changes with the
discovery of new specimens and with findings in the labora-
tory. How has that happened? Can you imagine a different
conception of human evolutionary history in the future? - An understanding of the changing position of the
earth’s continents through the past several hundred million
years is important for the reconstruction of primate evolu-
tionary history. Do you think the evolutionary history of the
primates can be understood without knowledge of continen-
tal drift?
Suggested Readings
Carroll, S. B. (2005). Endless forms most beautiful: The new
science of evo devo. NewYork: Norton.
The individual development of an organism from a single
fertilized egg to its multibillion-celled complexity and its
evolutionary history have been linked in the minds of sci-
entists since Darwin’s time. Today the burgeoning field
of evolutionary development harnesses the power of mo-
lecular genetics to map out the ways that evolution and
development are connected. Carroll’s engaging book is an
excellent introduction to one of the hottest areas of evolu-
tionary biology.
Fleagle, J. (1998). Primate adaptation and evolution. New
York: Academic.
This beautifully illustrated book is an excellent introduction
to the field of primate evolution, synthesizing the fossil
record with primate anatomical and behavioral variation.
Hartwig, W. C. (2002). The primate fossil record. New York:
Cambridge University Press.
This book contains an up-to-date and comprehensive treat-
ment of the discovery and interpretation of primate fossils.
Jones, S., Martin, R., & Pilbeam, D. (1994). The Cambridge
encyclopedia of human evolution. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
This comprehensive introduction to the human species
covers genetics, primatology, and fossil evidence as well as
a detailed exploration of contemporary human ecology, de-
mography, and disease. Over seventy scholars from through-
out the world contributed to this encyclopedia.Mayr, E., & Diamond, J. (2002). What evolution is. New
York: Basic.
Written for a general educated audience, this engaging book
provides a comprehensive treatment of evolutionary theory.