Identify and describe some features of extant catarrhine morphology
Compare cercopithecoid and hominoid traits
Form hypotheses regarding ancestral traits of cercopithecoids and catarrhines
Test hypotheses using fossil primate material
Supplies Needed
Three extant primate skulls (bone or cast), 3D models, or photographs from multiple views of: Papio (one male, one female) and Pan (any)
Two fossil primate skull casts, 3D models, or photographs from multiple views of: Victoriapithecus and Aegyptopithecus
Readings
Perry, Jonathan and Stephanie Canington. 2019. Chapter 8: Primate Evolution. Explorations.
Organ, Jason and Jessica Byram. 2019. Chapter 17: Osteology. Explorations.
Introduction
This lab allows students to familiarize themselves with characteristic features of extant catarrhines and to use this knowledge to analyze fossil catarrhine material from the Miocene and Oligocene. The instructor may choose to assign this lab as an individual or paired activity. Prior to starting this activity, the instructors should ensure student familiarity with general primate traits, or provide additional resources to assist students with their identification (e.g. molar cusp patterns, sexual dimorphism, primate diet).
Steps
Instructors should assemble all material prior to the start of this lab. Be sure to provide labels for extant material with genus and sex (e.g. Papio, male). If the lab will be performed virtually, include website links to 3D models or photographs on the worksheet.
Materials Required:
Section 1: Student worksheet, textbook chapter, and
Online Sources: 3D tooth models; Additional Material 2
In-person Material: Papio and Pan skulls or dental casts
Section 2: Student worksheet, textbook chapter, and
Online Sources: Figure 2; Additional Material 1
In-person Material: Papio skulls or skull casts
Section 3: Student worksheet
Section 4: Student worksheet, textbook chapter and
Online Sources: Photographs of Victoriapithecus and Aegyptopithecus publications. See References for details
In-person Material: Victoriapithecus and Aegyptopithecus skull casts
This lab is subdivided into four sections. Students should first complete the activities for the extant material and hypothesis writing (sections 1-3) before moving on to examining the fossil material.
Section 1: Students use the provided cranial material to describe and compare two catarrhines, the cercopithecoid Papio and the hominoid Pan, guided by questions from the worksheet.
Section 2: Students use the provided material to compare the male and female crania of Papio, guided by questions from the worksheet.
Section 3: Based on the previous sections, students form hypotheses about the ancestral traits of cercopithecoids and then the ancestral traits of all catarrhines.
Section 4: Students will use the provided material to compare their hypotheses to the fossils of Victoriapithecus and Aegyptopithecus.
Conclusion
After completing this lab, students should be able to identify key features of catarrhine primates, including distinguishing between cercopithecoids and hominoids. Students should also have a sense of how knowledge about extant taxa can be applied to identify and interpret fossil primates.
To wrap-up the lab, instructors should ask students to discuss their findings from the comparison of Papio and Pan. What defines cercopithecoids? What defines hominoids? What do they share?
Instructors should initiate a discussion about the role of sexual dimorphism in primate features and in fossil primate interpretations.
Finally, instructors should ask students to share the hypotheses they created in Section 3 for the ancestor of cercopithecoids like Papio, and the common ancestor of all catarrhines including Papio and Pan. Does the fossil Victoriapithecus have any features you described in your hypothesis for the ancestor of the cercopithecoid Papio? Does the fossil Aegyptopithecus have any features you described in your hypothesis for the common ancestor of Papio and Pan? Instructors can use this opportunity to introduce the concepts of primitive and derived traits, cladistics, primate phylogenetics, or to discuss the complex process of fossil recovery and interpretation.
Adapting for Online Learning
If this is an in-person lab, rank how adaptable to online learning it is (mark in bold): Easy to adapt
To adapt this lab for online learning, use 3D images, models, or photographs of the extant and fossil primates. See Supplemental E-Materials for instructions regarding access and links.
Rasmussen, D. Tab, Anthony R. Friscia, Mercedes Gutierrez, John Kappelman, Ellen R. Miller, Samuel Muteti, Dawn Reynoso et al. 2019. "Primitive Old World monkey from the earliest Miocene of Kenya and the evolution of cercopithecoid bilophodonty." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116(13): 6051-6056. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1815423116.
Zichello, Julia M., Karen L. Baab, Kieran P. McNulty, Christopher J. Raxworthy, and Michael E. Steiper. 2018. "Hominoid intraspecific cranial variation mirrors neutral genetic diversity." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 115(45): 11501-11506. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1802651115.
Benefit, Brenda R. and Monte L. McCrossin. 1997. "Earliest known Old World monkey skull." Nature 388 (6640): 368-371. https://doi.org/10.1038/41078.
Simons, Elwyn L., Erik R. Seiffert, Timothy M. Ryan, and Yousry Attia. 2007. "A remarkable female cranium of the early Oligocene anthropoid Aegyptopithecus zeuxis (Catarrhini, Propliopithecidae)." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104(21): 8731-8736. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0703129104.
