Question

11. The tree below (Reed et al, 2007) shows the evolution of lice and primates. The gray areas show the phylogeny of humans (Homo), chimpanzees (Pan), and gorillas (Gorilla). The red lines show the phylogeny of parasitic lice infesting the three primate species: human body lice (Pediculus humanus), human pubic lice (Pthirus pubis), chimpanzee body lice (Pediculus schaeffi), and gorilla body lice (Pthirus gorillae). The red triangle shows a host switch from gorilla to early hominids that occurred about 3.3 million years ago, at the time of early hominid species in the genus Australophithecus (about 3 million years before the first Homo sapiens). What does this data suggest about the ecology or habitat of early hominid ancestors of all modern humans? Explain. (6 pts) -Pediculus humanus Pthirus pubis Homo - Pediculus schaeffi Pan - Pthirus gorillae Gorilla Pedicinus sp. Ow Monkeys

Answer 1

Hominids refers to the members of the human family Hominidae which consists of all species from the point where the human line splits from apes towards the present day humans

Darwin after this observation and studies proposed all species are related to one another like sisters or cousins.

Every animals and humans would have decend from a common ancestor in the past.

Our immediate family consists of primates that consist of lesser apes (gibbons) as well as greater apes(chimpanzees)

Human didn’t evolve from apes but he we had a common ancestor sometime around 6 million years ago.

bipedalisam is the basic adaptation of the hominids and considered main cause behind a suite of skeletal changes shared by all bipedal hominids

bipedal locomotion an upright position and a large brain tht had lead to tool usage,language and culture characteristics hominids.

Organism cope up with environmental changes through genetic adaptation different versions of genes are present in the population at different frequency. Natural selection favors one genetic variant over the other.phenotypic plasticity help organism to adapt to changing conditions.

Variabilty selection: they evolved structures and behaviors to adapt to the changing environment.Selection of these structures and behaviors as a result of environmental instability is called variability selection.

human traits evolved over time because they enabled human ancestor to adjust to environmental uncertainty and changes.