Exam 9: Geology and Primate Origins

Fossils can be used to reconstruct ancient animal communities and therefore make inferences about ancient environments and habitats.

The end of the late Eocene saw the global climate became__________.

The study of the distribution of layers of rock is called __________.

Half-life is half the time it takes for the entire original amount of an unstable isotope to decay into more stable forms.

__________ is a field devoted to the gleaning of all the information that can be extracted from fossils.

We live in the __________ period.

Between 54 million and 34 million years ago Europe and America

Strata are __________.

Which of the following is an epoch of the Quaternary?

Early primate characteristics probably evolved because these creatures were __________.

Gigantopithecus was the largest primate that ever lived.

Although apes were initially more common than monkeys,they declined while monkey species expanded.Compare monkeys and apes and discuss what might have accounted for this change.

The lengths of epochs,periods,and eras are standardized and inflexible.

A high ? 18oxygen/16oxygen ratio in the shells of marine animals indicates __________.

The fossil record of the __________ reveals the first true primates.

Paleontologists use the form of teeth and _________ to decide to which group a fossil belongs.

Who is associated with the principle of faunal succession?

Primates are present for most of the Geologic Time Scale.

Which is most likely to be preserved by fossilization?

Omomyoids were more common in North America.