Baboon’s Fitness in Relation to Natural Selection (Coursework Sample)

Part 1: Baboons
Baboons (genus Papio) are among the genera making up the Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecoidea) taxonomic group (Fisher et al., 2019). They are made up of six closely related species found in southwest Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa, namely the Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus); yellow baboon (Papio cynocephalus); Kinda baboon (Papio kindae); Guinea baboon (Papio papio); and the hamadrayas baboon (Papio hamadrayas). They live in socially structured groups and have short tails, dog-like muzzles that slope sharply, and predominant sexual dimorphisms (Fisher et al., 2019). The smallest baboon is P. papio, while the largest is P. Ursinus.
Baboons share many anatomical, genetic, and physiologic similarities with other primates like humans. Baboons and humans share genetic similarities in terms of individual gene sequence identity, overall DNA identity sequence, and how the genetic loci are arranged on chromosomes. Cox et al. (2013) also note high similarities in the biological processes and changes related to growth, development, reproduction, maturation, and senescence. For instance, female baboons, just like humans and other primates, ovulate all year and go through reproductive senescence and menopause. There are also similarities in the function and size of the baboon heart and the human heart. Furthermore, lipid, lipoprotein, and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as the associated disorders, are strikingly similar to that in humans.
Linnaean classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopithecidae
Tribe: Papionini
Genus: Papio
Baboon’s fitness in relation to natural selection
According to Fisher et al. (2019), baboons are more ecologically adaptable and have a broader social systems range than many other primates. Baboons have been subject to dynamics that have affected their speciation and genetic structures, such as recurring fragmentation, range shifts, and population reconnection and isolation. Their evolution and survival have been heavily influenced by climatic changes and changes in population density and spatial structure (Fisher et al., 2019). Due to these changes, modern baboons, given their southern African origins, have experienced tremendous range expansion that allowed them to spread into the savanna belt.
Part 2: Comparison Contrast
Major taxonomic classifications place prosimians and anthropoids as the two major groups. Anthropoids are the most intelligent and evolved animals that have ever lived. They consist of three major primate groups: Old World Monkeys, New World Monkeys, and Apes (that include humans). Prosimians, on the other hand, belong to the Prosimii Suborder. Present-day Prosimians include Loris and Lemurs.
Similarities
* They are the two major groups making up the order Primates
* They have an arboreal lifestyle since they descended from tree-dwellers.
* They typically exhibit brachiation adaptations such as stereoscopic vision, a big thumb or toe widely separated from other fingers or toes, and a rotating shoulder joint.
* They have four limbs.
* Enhanced brain size, color vision, and visual acuity.
* Typically produce more than one offspring per pregnancy
* Are Omnivorous