Teaching plan for the course unit

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General information

 

Course unit name: Primatology and Human Evolution

Course unit code: 568579

Academic year: 2021-2022

Coordinator: Alejandro Martinez Perez-Perez

Department: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences

Credits: 2,5

Single program: S

 

 

Estimated learning time

Total number of hours 62.5

 

Face-to-face and/or online activities

24
 

-  Lecture

Face-to-face

  

16
 

-  Laboratory session

Face-to-face

  

4
 

-  Field trip

Face-to-face

  

4

Supervised project

10

Independent learning

28.5

 

 

Learning objectives

 

Referring to knowledge

— Explain the principles that determine biological diversity and the evolution of primates.

— Describe the mechanisms of morphological evolution and the determinants of evolutionary change.

— Identify and discuss the basic principles of the taxonomy and phylogeny of primates and hominids.

— Identify and describe the anatomical mechanisms that determine the adaptation and the evolution of primates.

— Describe the diversity of primates and their evolution, including that of hominids.

— Explain how the human species fits into the biological context and describe its evolution and diversification.

— Identify the main features of the diversification process for hominids.

 

 

Teaching blocks

 

1. Taxonomy and phylogeny of primates

*  Locomotor adaptations. Orthograde and prograde posture in locomotion and bipedalism. Evolution of skeletal anatomy.

2. Biology of primates: reproduction and social structure, sexual dimorphism and feeding

*  Models of social behaviour and reproductive patterns. Polygyny and polyandry. Sexual dimorphism. Adaptations to ecosystems and for food.

3. Musculoskeletal anatomy of primates

*  Muscle function and adaptation in orthograde and pronograde primates. Types of myosin, molecular evolution, muscle fatigue indicators, sexual dimorphism and population variability.

4. Human evolutionary adaptations: encephalisation, chewing apparatus and dentition

*  The cultural niche hypothesis: concepts of prehistory, lithic technology, dating techniques and the Chibanian and Upper Pleistocene

5. Taxonomy and phylogeny of hominids and human evolution in the current epoch

*  Cladistics versus gradistics. The fossil record. Dentition in hominids, dental traits and anatomy, and metric and discrete variability.

6. Practical sessions

*  Cranial and dental anatomy, morphological patterns, evolutionary tendencies, anatomical diversity in dentition, ecology, and the chewing apparatus