Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
15:28
Primer Extension Capture: Targeted Sequence Retrieval from Heavily Degraded DNA Sources
Published on: September 3, 2009
Origin and evolution of Asian hominoid primates. Paleontological data versus molecular data
J J Jaeger1, Y Chaimanee, S Ducrocq
1Institut des sciences de l'évolution, UMR 5554 du CNRS, université Montpellier-II, France.
Summary
Fossil evidence suggests Asian primates migrated to Africa, challenging the traditional view of hominoid (ape and human) evolution. New findings indicate Asia as a key center for early anthropoid primate evolution.
Area of Science:
- Paleoprimatology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Molecular Phylogenetics
Background:
- Hominoid (ape and human) evolution has traditionally been studied using fossil records.
- A previous hypothesis suggested African primates migrated to Asia during the Miocene, forming the lineage of Asian hominoids.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-evaluate the origin and evolution of hominoid primates by integrating fossil and molecular data.
- To investigate the role of Asia as a potential center for early anthropoid primate evolution and differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fossil remains of Eocene and Miocene primates from Asia.
- Comparison of paleontological data with molecular biology data.
Main Results:
- Recent discoveries of Eocene anthropoid primates in Asia suggest it was a major evolutionary center.
- Asian primates likely evolved in situ from the Eocene, leading to extant Asian hominoids.
- Divergence of African and Asian anthropoid primates may date back to at least 36 million years ago, supported by molecular data.
Conclusions:
- Asia may have played a more significant role in early hominoid evolution than previously thought.
- Evolutionary rates are not constant, necessitating group-specific molecular clocks.
- Systematic integration of paleontological data is crucial for chronological accuracy in molecular phylogeny studies.
Related Concept Videos
01:23Phylogeny
Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire...
02:05Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
In contrast, regions which code...
02:54Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
02:31Synteny 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...
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
02:05Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
In contrast, regions which code...
01:28Microbial Phylogeny
Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...