Primate Evolution Hypothesis

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Climate change had a heavy influence on nonhuman primate evolution. Modern primates live in areas with a warmer climate where forests tend grow thickly, mainly in the southern hemisphere. However primates used to have a much more diverse habitat, living in more areas of the world than they do today. This is directly a result of climate change which has forced primates to change habitats. Climate change also occurred multiple times between the origins of early primates and modern day primates however. For example "The Oligocene was an epoch of major geological change with resulting regional climate shifts that likely affected the direction of evolution" (O'Neil 16). Climate change not only relocated much of the existing primates but also cause …show more content…

The arboreal hypothesis, put forth by Smith and Jones, explains the primates characteristics as adaptations to a life in trees. Their 3d perceiving eyes, intelligence, and grasping hands/feet all working in tandem to make swinging from tree to tree more effective. The loss of a developed sense of smell in favor for these adaptations which were more important for the life in the trees.

The visual predation hypothesis asserted that the adaptations occurred to enhance the primates abilities to prey on insects/small creatures, which also happened to live in trees or forest undergrowth. Cartmill who was responsible for the hypothesis claimed the shift to life in the trees wasn't the most important factor to consider. However this hypothesis doesn't account for how primates evolved to better gather and eat fruit.

Sussman's angiosperm radiation hypothesis accounts for just that. Their hypothesis puts emphasis on the gather of fruit not insects. Sussman explains the visual adaptations occurred because of the poor visibility in the forest and a necessity for being able to spot fruit in trees. And their grasping hands/feet made eating fruit while hanging in trees

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