Primate Evolution Essay

A group of scientists lead by Biren Patel have recently found a partial mandible of an ancient primate related to lemurs. Scientists have named the new species Ramadapis sahnii and claim that it existed 11 to 14 million years ago, and is a member of the early primate family Sivaladapidae. Analysis of the jawbone shows that the species consumed leaves and was approximately the same size as a house cat, or to a modern day lemur. This discovery is important to the scientific community as with this discovery more information surrounding the evolutionary history of primates can be gathered and analysed. This new species will also help expand the phylogenetic tree for primates, making it significant to any scientist researching primate evolution.
3. Paleontology is the study of fossils, including fossilized plants and animals. Fossil are any perceived remains of a prehistoric organism, in this cause an ancient primate. The dig was lead by Dr. Biren Patel and along with a group of scientist, a partial mandible of an early primate was found in the Kashmir region of India. The fossilized mandible was DNA tested and compared to several modern organism in order to determine the closest living relation. The closest relation to the fossils DNA matched to modern day lemurs. However, this is perplexing as
This article relates to Big Idea 1, that the process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life. More specifically it falls under the subunit 1B, that organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry. With the discovery of a new primate species more information is found about the evolutionary history of all primates, from monkeys to humans. This ancient primate is connected to the modern day lemur, and could potentially serve as a missing link in the early branches of various lemur species. This connection is based on the idea that all organism are linked by common ancestors, and the identification of species can be determined by these genetic