Name: 
 

Chapter 5: Fossil Primates


True/False
Indicate whether the statement is true or false.
 

 1. 
David Begun, at the University of Toronto believes the birthplace of the common human/ape ancestor is in Eurasia, not Africa.
 

 2. 
The most durable parts of the body are the teeth and jawbones.
 

 3. 
The early primates evolved in an environment best characterized as extensive grasslands.
 

 4. 
Canadian research has indicated that Eocene primates once lived in North America.
 

 5. 
Primate fossils from the Oligocene epoch are abundant.
 

 6. 
The ramamorphs were remarkable for their huge canines, which they probably used for defence as well as for nut-cracking.
 

 7. 
There are no Canadian paleoanthropologists currently researching fossil primates.
 

 8. 
Often, the relationship between Miocene Apes and more modern hominids is based only on fossil teeth and jaws.
 

 9. 
Humans are the only “ape” whose natural habitat includes Canada.
 

 10. 
Eocene primate remains are found in the Americas and in Africa.
 

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 
The study of early primate fossils
a.
gives us something to use to interpret the evolution of the entire primate line.
b.
may give us a fuller knowledge of how we came to be.
c.
is fragmentary, at best.
d.
all but is easy because primates lived in conditions that promoted their fossilization.
e.
is easy because primates lived in conditions that promoted their fossilization.
 

 2. 
David Begun’s research has indicated ______________________.
a.
Dryopithecus fits in the evolutionary line for African apes and Humans.
b.
Sivapithecus is not closely related to the gorilla.
c.
there were about 50 genera of Miocene apes.
d.
a common human/ape ancestor probably originated in Africa.
e.
all of these choices.
 

 3. 
____________ separates breeding populations, which leads to the appearance of divergent races and then divergent species.
a.
Race
b.
Speciation
c.
Isolating mechanisms
d.
Linear evolution
e.
Adaptive radiation
 

 4. 
Which of these statements about Sivapithecus is correct?
a.
it is linked with modern orangutans.
b.
it was very sexually dimorphic.
c.
it was still present at the end of the Miocene.
d.
it has thin molar enamel like the Great Apes.
e.
all of these choices except it has thin molar enamel like the Great Apes.
 

 5. 
Which of the following statements about early mammals is correct?
a.
Reptiles evolved from mammals about 300 million years ago.
b.
The sense most emphasized in early mammals was vision.
c.
Mammals evolved from reptiles between 230 and 280 million years ago.
d.
Early mammals were diurnal.
e.
Mammals evolved from reptiles about 65 million years ago.
 

 6. 
Reptiles remained dominant land mammals even after true mammals evolved because:
a.
Mammals require high-quality nutrition to maintain a constant body temperature, and such foods were limited during the early period of mammalian evolution.
b.
Many reptiles were wiped out in a mass extinction that occurred about 65 million years ago.
c.
Reptiles occupied most available ecological niches on land by the time true mammals arrived.
d.
Because mammals have a constant body temperature, they can remain active and thus have the advantage against reptiles who are sluggish when the temperature is cold.
e.
both Reptiles occupied most available ecological niches on land by the time true mammals arrived and Mammals require high-quality nutrition to maintain a constant body temperature, and such foods were limited during the early period of mammalian evolution.
 

 7. 
Mammals were successful at the end of the Cretaceous period because of:
a.
The evolution of flowering plants provided high-quality nutrition.
b.
all of these choices
c.
Early mammals emphasized vision, whereas reptiles emphasized hearing and smell.
d.
Mammals had variable body temperature and thus were more flexible than reptiles who had a constant body temperature.
e.
Mammals underwent a mass extinction at this time.
 

 8. 
In the following, which statement best describes the environment in which early primates emerged:
a.
all of these choices
b.
An early primate could make its way from what is now North Dakota to what is now France because Europe was still joined to North America.
c.
A mild, wet climate supported the growth of an extensive belt of tropical and subtropical forests.
d.
none of these choices
e.
Flowering plants had evolved, providing high-quality nutrition in the form of fruits, nuts, and seeds.
 

 9. 
Insectivores
a.
all of these choices
b.
were found in only in North America and Europe.
c.
are a diverse group of mammals like tree shrews, moles, and hedgehogs.
d.
none of these choices
e.
used to be considered primates.
 

 10. 
The _______ epoch lasted from 55 to 34 million years ago, was characterized by a warm, wet climate.
a.
Oligocene
b.
Eocene
c.
Miocene
d.
Pliocene
e.
Paleocene
 

 11. 
Canadian researchers at the University of Toronto feel that the fossil apes who migrated from Africa were isolated __________________________.
a.
when the continents drifted apart 65 million years ago.
b.
by mountain ranges and the Great Rift Valley.
c.
due to large amounts of volcanic activity 6 million years ago.
d.
by rising sea levels until 15 million years ago.
e.
by the glaciation that took place in the Eocene.
 

 12. 
Which of the following best describes the Eocene epoch?
a.
Primates lived mainly in North America, Europe, and Asia.
b.
A few primates lived in Africa.
c.
all of these choices
d.
All primates disappeared from North America by the end of this epoch.
e.
The primates initially spread widely and then almost disappeared.
 

 13. 
The Canadian-based paleoanthropologist who is known for his studies of Miocene hominoid evolution is ________________.
a.
David Begun
b.
Elwyn Simons
c.
Louis Leakey
d.
David Pillbeam
e.
Vince Sarich
 

 14. 
The fossil primate Proconsul is interpreted as
a.
a descendant of the ramamorphs.
b.
a late-Miocene ancestor of African apes and humans.
c.
the earliest known Old World monkey.
d.
none of these choices
e.
closely related to tarsiers.
 

 15. 
Most Eocene primates
a.
have somewhat enlarged brain cases.
b.
are classified into two families.
c.
were evolutionary dead ends: they have no descendants and have somewhat enlarged brain cases.
d.
are classified into two families and have somewhat enlarged brain cases.
e.
were evolutionary dead ends: they have no descendants.
 

 16. 
Populations of hominoids living at the edge of the savanna experienced selective pressures in favour of
a.
increased number of offspring in a litter.
b.
bipedal locomotion.
c.
less flexibility in the arms and hands.
d.
smaller, more lightweight body build for climbing spindly thorn bushes.
e.
the development of cheek pouches to carry food.
 

 17. 
_____________ is the best known of the Oligocene primates, and is of interest because its teeth suggests that it belongs in our family line.
a.
Aegyptopithecus
b.
Proconsul
c.
Fayumapithecus
d.
Kenyapithecus
e.
Sivapithecus
 

 18. 
The elbow, hip, knee and foot anatomy of ________ is similar to what we find in modern apes.
a.
Proconsul
b.
Ardipithecus
c.
Aegyptopithecus
d.
Ramapithecus
e.
Australopithecus
 

 19. 
When an ancestral population gives rise to two or more descendant populations.
a.
Branching evolution
b.
Speciation
c.
Convergence
d.
Parallel evolution
e.
Catastrophism
 

 20. 
Eocene primates:
a.
Do not have the same total number of teeth as modern forms.
b.
Can be classified into mainly diurnal and nocturnal families.
c.
Were well adapted to grasping, leaping and perching.
d.
Have a bony ring around the eye socket.
e.
all of these choices.
 

 21. 
_______________ is the rapid increase in a number of related species following a change in their environment.
a.
Linear evolution
b.
Speciation
c.
Gene flow
d.
Adaptive radiation
e.
Adaptation
 

 22. 
__________________ has made a study of Miocene hominoids his life work.
a.
Christopher Beard
b.
Richard Leakey
c.
Elwyn Simons
d.
David Pilbeam
e.
Ross MacPhee
 

 23. 
Many anthropologists have concluded that ramamorphs could have nothing to do with human origins. Rather, ___________ were seen as the sole modern survivors of the ancient group.
a.
orangutans
b.
gibbons
c.
gorillas
d.
bonobos
e.
chimpanzees
 

 24. 
Existing evidence allows the hypothesis that apes and humans separated from a common evolutionary line sometime during the late _____________.
a.
Paleocene
b.
Oligocene
c.
Jurassic
d.
Eocene
e.
Miocene
 

 25. 
Sites in ____________ have yielded over 1,000 fossils which indicate that by 33 million years ago, haplorhine primates existed in considerable diversity.
a.
Laetoli
b.
Olduvai
c.
Fayum
d.
Kromdraai
e.
Sterkfontein
 

Matching
 
 
Match the period or epoch to its dates.
a.
230-180 million years ago
b.
55-34 million years ago
c.
65-55 million years ago
d.
280-230 million years ago
e.
34-23 million years ago
f.
23-5 million years ago
 

 1. 

 Triassic
 

 2. 

 Paleocene
 

 3. 

 Eocene
 

 4. 

 Oligocene
 

 5. 

 Permian
 

 6. 

 Miocene
 
 
Match the period to the types of primates around at that time.
a.
mainly diurnal or nocturnal, similar to modern lemurs and lorises
b.
difficult to distinguish from ancient insectivores
c.
the “Golden Age” of apelike forms
d.
beginnings of transformation into early hominines
e.
show monkey-like and ape-like features
 

 7. 

 Paleocene
 

 8. 

 Eocene
 

 9. 

 Oligocene primates
 

 10. 

 Miocene
 

 11. 

 Late Miocene
 



 
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