This document discusses the species diversity between humans and chimpanzees. It explores their physical features, the evolution of bipedalism, and the environmental challenges overcome by bipedalism. The document also highlights the opportunities opened with bipedalism.
Contribute Materials
Your contribution can guide someone’s learning journey. Share your
documents today.
Running Head: Species Diversity Discussion Species Diversity Humans Vs. Chimpanzees Student Name: Submitted to: University:
Secure Best Marks with AI Grader
Need help grading? Try our AI Grader for instant feedback on your assignments.
Species Diversity2 Humans Vs. Chimpanzees The humans are bipedal while the Chimpanzees have both the hominids and bipedal features. Binomial Name of Chimpanzees:Pantroglodytes Kingdom-Animalia Phylum- Chordata Class-Mammalia Order-Primates Family-Homonidae Genus-Pan Species-Pantroglodytes Nearest relatives-Pan paniscus Scientific names are used to locate the nearest relatives of the species by moving up in the hierarchy where the genus, family and order and above domains may be same but just the species name changes. For example: Homo sapiens and Homo erectus are the nearest relatives. PantroglodytesandPan paniscushave similar dental development like dental measurements and crown height. However, there are differences in the growth of enamel in upper incisor. It makes possible that there are variations in the perikymata distribution (O’Hara & Steinberg, 2015). Major Innovation
Species Diversity3 Present-day humans and chimpanzees clearly differ in two major physical features: Humansare bipedal (walk upright) and have much larger brains. When did these features emerge? (Simon 364). Bipedalism can be defined as terrestrial locomotion with help of two legs (Department of Anthropology, n.d.) The bipedalism evolved and remained as an important adaptation driven by the principle of Darwin’s Natural Selection. It helped the human ancestors in their survival, assisting them to adapt to better environments, in getting more food, and protecting their progeny from predators. The transition to bibedalism was beneficial for the hominids. There are many theories explaining the origin of bipedalism like Savanna based Theory and Postural Feeding Hypothesis (Ko, 2015). Savannabasedtheoryassertsthatthehominidswerecompelledtoadjusttothe environment of open savanna after leaving the trees. As per the theory, such environment forced them to use two feet by walking straight. Bipedal posture helped them to look above tall grass of savanna for the potential predators and to hunt successfully. However, the fossil records and evidences of paleoclimatological relevance depict that the early hominids were also used to climb on trees in addition to using bipedal locomotion. The Postural Feeding Hypothesis postulates that the bipedal movements were easier in maintaining balance and grabbing the foods. It is identified that the chimps used to sit on two feet only when they ate food. The theory favors the evolution of bipedalism as a feeding posture rather than as a posture used for walking. According to Darwin’s Hunting Hypothesis, it freed their hands to hold tools and weapons.
Species Diversity4 Environmental Challenges overcome by the bipedalism The bipedalism was favorable in watching out through the savanna grass, freeing up the hands, throwing, reaching to the food, carrying food and infant (Norton & Company, 2010). An increase in the body weight gradually led to bipedal motion for longer distances. They could find out new resources of food by walking on two feet. The issues associated with shallow waters and terrestrial life. There were high numbers of predators in dry land areas than in the shallow waters. So, better parenting and protection was possible for the children on the trees. It might have led them to stand erect to reach the trees. The anatomical adaptations of major parts of upper body like head, back and shoulders to exchange the heat helped in thermoregulation while the lower body parts like hips, and abdomen are insulated. Climatic changes led to more seasonal adaptations in African forests with variability in environment. With 4 feet it was highly time consuming to reach new food resources and rear the children. According to patchy forest hypothesis, Shrinking of forests compelled the hominids to descend from forest trees to the grasses habitats. Bipedal locomotion was the most efficient way to walk in such conditions (Wayman, 2012). Partly terrestrial and arboreal hominids walking on four feet also expanded their movement wading at the shores of the water bodies. Utilization of upper body extremities was freer in bipedalism than the quadruple locomotion. Opportunities opened with Bipedalism
Paraphrase This Document
Need a fresh take? Get an instant paraphrase of this document with our AI Paraphraser
Species Diversity5 The early hominids were small in size. For example Lucy who was just 60 pounds in weight. It was quite dangerous to walk in tall grasslands with such a small size (Norton & Company, 2010). It was favorable to stand straight and look for the predators and other carnivores in Savannah. Walking slow could have easily made these tiny animals fall prey. The upright body posture also helped the people in maintain the body temperature under the sun. The bipedal adaptation offered the mates an opportunity to enable good quality food to the family and protect them from the potential dangers. It was beneficial in behavioral and biologically significance. In open land environments the free hands were an added advantage to grab the available resources at the earliest and remain active to survive. Bipedalism led to further innovation sin the lives of the humans such as making of tools, enlargement of brain and the improvements in intelligence from Australopithecines toHomo erectus (Niemitz, 2010). References Department of Anthropology (n.d.).What is Bipedalism?Retrieved from http://efossils.org/book/what-bipedalism Norton & Company (2010).Primate Origins And Evolution: The First 50 Million Years. Retrieved from http://www.wwnorton.com/college/anthro/our-origins2/ch/09/answers.aspx
Species Diversity6 Ko, K. H. (2015). Origins of Bipedalism.Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology,58(6), 929-934. Retrieved fromhttps://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-89132015060399 Niemitz C. (2010). The evolution of the upright posture and gait--a review and a new synthesis.Die Naturwissenschaften,97(3), 241-63. O'Hara, M. & Steinberg, G. D. (2015).A comparison of Pan paniscus and Pan troglodytes perikymata distribution in upper incisors and lower canines by crown length and height.Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274194249_A_comparison_of_Pan_pani scus_and_Pan_troglodytes_perikymata_distribution_in_upper_incisors_and_lower _canines_by_crown_length_and_height Simon, E. J., Jean, D., Jane R., & Kelly H.(2015). Campbell Essential Biology with Physiology, 5th Edition. VitalBook file.Pearson Learning Solutions, 1--2015. Wayman,E.(2012). Becoming Human: The evolution of walking upright. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/becoming-human-the-evolution- of-walking-upright-13837658/