B4290 Primatology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2002
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Jiří Gaisler, DrSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Jiří Gaisler, DrSc.
Department of Anthropology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Jiří Gaisler, DrSc.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Characteristics of Mammals and the origin of Primates. Elements of paleoprimatology. Major trends in Primate morphology, ecology and behaviour, including cultural trends. General patterns of recent Primates, their habitats, locomotion, social organization and life strategies. Systematic review of fossil and living Primates. Prosimians: Plesiadapoidea, Adapoidea, Lemuroidea, Lorisoidea, Tarsioidea. Anthropoids (non-human): Ceboidea, Parapithecoidea, Cercopithecoidea, Hominoidea.
Syllabus
  • Classification of the genus Homo within the animal kingdom, Linné, Darwin, Huxley. Present status of the families Pongidae and Hominidae. Phylogenetic (cladistic) classification, how broad can the mammalian clade be. Placental mammals, Archonta, attempts at defining the order of Primates. Synapsid origin of mammals, their early mesozoic evolution, Pantotheria, Eupantotheria, Eutheria, cretaceous mammals and the first primate-like placentals. Visual predation hypothesis. Primate phylogeny: paleocene, eocene, oligocene, Plesiadapoidea, Adapoidea, Tarsioidea. The appearance of first Anthropoidea, Platyrrhini, Catarrhini, Parapithecoidea, early Hominoidea. Primates in miocene and pliocene, Lemuroidea, Lorisoidea, Parapithecoidea and Cercopithecoidea, the boom of Hominoidea. Survey of recent primates: Strepsirhini, Madagaskar prosimians, African and Asiatic prosimians. Haplorhini, tarsiers, American monkeys (Ceboidea) and monkeys in Africa and Asia. Gibbons and the great apes. Locomotion and selected behaviour systems and patterns of free living primates. The importance, endangerment and conservation of primates. Suggestions to practical training: primate skulls and skins, video films, trip to the zoo. Selected bibliography.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
Přednášky a cvičenou blokovou formou. Zakončeno zkouškou.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
General note: Od r. 2001: počet týdenních vyučovacích hodin 2/1, počet kreditů 3.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2000, Spring 2001.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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