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Related Concept Videos

Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
Overview of the Skull01:08

Overview of the Skull

The cranium (skull) is the skeletal structure of the head that supports the face and protects the brain. It is subdivided into the facial bones and the brain case, or cranial vault. The facial bones underlie the facial structures, form the nasal cavity, enclose the eyeballs, and support the teeth of the upper and lower jaws.
The cranial vault surrounds and protects the brain and houses the middle and inner ear structures. This cavity is bounded superiorly by the rounded top of the skull, which...
Sutures of the Skull01:22

Sutures of the Skull

The human skull is composed of several bones that come together to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. The junctions where these bones meet are called sutures.
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View01:14

Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View

The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
Convergent Evolution01:54

Convergent Evolution

Evolution shapes the features of organisms over time, ensuring that they are suited for the environments in which they live. Sometimes, selection pressure leads to the rise of similar but unrelated adaptations in organisms with no recent common ancestors, a process known as convergent evolution.The structures that arise from convergent evolution are called analogous structures. They are similar in function even if they are dissimilar in structure. Further, structures can be analogous while also...
Cranial Bones: Lateral View01:27

Cranial Bones: Lateral View

The lateral view of the cranium is dominated by temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face
08:15

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face

Published on: January 7, 2019

Craniofacial variation and developmental divergence in primate and human evolution.

Rebecca R Ackermann1

  • 1Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.

Novartis Foundation Symposium
|August 23, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Investigating primate variation reveals insights into human evolution. Studies on extant primates and hybrid baboons illuminate developmental changes in craniofacial evolution and hominin fossil records.

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Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Reverse Dissection and DiceCT Reveal Otherwise Hidden Data in the Evolution of the Primate Face
08:15

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Published on: January 7, 2019

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Published on: May 31, 2014

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Paleoanthropology

Background:

  • Understanding human evolution requires examining developmental divergence in primates.
  • Extant primate phenotypes offer valuable models for evolutionary hypotheses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore hypotheses of evolutionary 'tinkering' using extant primate variation.
  • To investigate developmental underpinnings of craniofacial changes in human evolution.
  • To model Plio-Pleistocene primate developmental divergence using hybrid baboons.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of ontogenetic morphological integration in humans and apes.
  • Studies of craniofacial variation in hybrid baboons.
  • Examination of non-metric dental and sutural variation in hybrids.

Main Results:

  • Ontogenetic integration patterns inform the transition from australopith to Homo faces.
  • Hybrid baboon craniofacial variation serves as a model for primate developmental divergence.
  • Non-metric dental and sutural variation in hybrids indicates evolutionary developmental divergence.

Conclusions:

  • Extant primate variation is key to understanding human evolutionary developmental patterns.
  • Hybridization studies offer novel insights into primate evolutionary developmental biology.
  • Future research should focus on the overlap of morphological variation to understand genetic influences on primate phenotypes.