Primates initially evolved in cold and seasonal climates about 66 million years ago. It was not in the warm tropical forests that scientists previously believed. Primates evolved from cold. Reading researchers used statistical models and fossil data. They rebuilt ancient environments to track where the common ancestors of all modern primates lived. It is the group of animals that includes monkeys, apes and humans.
The study is in PNAS magazine. He states that these first primates probably lived in North America, in a cold climate with hot summers and icy winters. This reverses the old hypothesis of warm tropical forests. This has long influenced evolutionary biology.
Heat cold
Jorge Avaria-Llautureo, principal author of the University of Reading, said in a statement. «For decades, the idea that primates evolved in warm tropical forests did not question. Our findings revert that theory completely. It turns out that primates did not arise from lush forests, but from cold and seasonal environments of the northern hemisphere.
It is very useful to understand how ancient primates survived climate change. It helps us to reflect on how living species could respond to climate change and modern environmental changes ». The primates that could travel far when their local climate changed quickly survived better. And they had youngs that lived to become new species.
The primates evolved from the cold and then moved. When the primates moved to completely different and more stable climates, they toured much greater distances. About 561 kilometers on average, compared to only 137 kilometers of those who remained in similar and unstable climates.
It is possible that the first primates survive the icy winters hibernating as the bears do today. That is, slowing down its heart rate and sleeping during the coldest months to save energy. Some small primates still do it. For example, Madagascar dwarf lemurss. They excavate underground and sleep for several months when it is too cold, protecting themselves from the icy temperatures under layers of roots and leaves.
Generating new species
The primates did not reach the tropical jungles until millions of years later. They originated in cold places, then moved to temperate climates, then to dry and desert areas. And finally they reached the warm and humid jungles where we found them today. When local temperatures or rainfall changed rapidly in any direction, primates were forced to look for new homes. This contributed to the birth of new species.
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