Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Origin and Early Evolutionary History of Primates

博士论文改进资助：灵长类动物的起源和早期进化史

• 批准号: 1028505
• 负责人: Eric Sargis
• 金额: $ 1.39万
• 依托单位: Yale University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2013-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1028505&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Grant; Origin

Evolutionary relationships among fossil plesiadapiforms (putative early primates) and other closely related mammals (primates, treeshrews, and flying lemurs) have been debated for decades. Several recent analyses suggest that plesiadapiforms are most closely related to primates of modern aspect, and are therefore critical for testing hypotheses regarding the origin and earliest evolutionary history of primates. The aim of this project is to clarify which anatomical features separate primates from other mammals, and to elucidate the order in which certain modern primate features evolved following the divergence from non-primate mammals. This project will analyze the paleobiology and systematics of the Micromomyidae; the most primitive family of plesiadapiforms for which postcrania are known. Functional analyses of all known micromomyid fossil material, including four undescribed skeletons, will be interpreted in the context of a new phylogenetic tree. Modern methods in phylogenetic systematics will be utilized, including combined morphological and molecular analyses, and Bayesian methods for morphological data. Although these techniques are gaining popularity in other areas of evolutionary biology, they have not yet been used to assess relationships among primates and their close relatives. Innovative methods integrating micro CT scans will be used to quantitatively compare micromomyid skeletons to those of closely related mammals, and to reconstruct the diversity of positional behaviors and grasping abilities of the most primitive primates. Micro CT scans will also be used to quantify tooth crown dimensions, and determine the dietary habits of primitive primates.This research will promote a better understanding of the first clear step in the divergence of humans from other mammals. Undergraduate students will be trained in all areas of data collection, and all data will be uploaded to online digital archives. Outreach includes the proposal of an exhibit on primate origins at the Yale Peabody Museum, as well as lectures at local high schools.

化石类（推定的早期灵长类动物）和其他密切相关的哺乳动物（灵长类动物，树鼩和飞行狐猴）之间的进化关系已经争论了几十年。最近的一些分析表明，近适应形目与现代灵长类动物的关系最为密切，因此对于检验灵长类动物起源和最早进化史的假设至关重要。该项目的目的是澄清哪些解剖特征将灵长类动物与其他哺乳动物区分开来，并阐明某些现代灵长类动物特征在与非灵长类哺乳动物分化后进化的顺序。 这个项目将分析Micromomyidae的古生物学和系统学;最原始的家庭plesiadapiforms其中postcrania已知。所有已知的micromomyid化石材料的功能分析，包括四个未描述的骨骼，将在一个新的系统发育树的背景下解释。将利用系统发生学的现代方法，包括形态学和分子分析相结合，以及形态学数据的贝叶斯方法。虽然这些技术在进化生物学的其他领域越来越受欢迎，但它们尚未被用于评估灵长类动物及其近亲之间的关系。创新的方法集成微CT扫描将被用来定量比较micromomyid骨骼与那些密切相关的哺乳动物，并重建位置行为的多样性和最原始的灵长类动物的抓握能力。微型CT扫描还将用于量化牙冠尺寸，并确定原始灵长类动物的饮食习惯。这项研究将促进更好地了解人类与其他哺乳动物分化的第一个明确步骤。本科生将接受数据收集各个领域的培训，所有数据将上传到在线数字档案馆。外联活动包括在耶鲁皮博迪博物馆举办灵长类动物起源展览的提议，以及在当地高中举办讲座。