Seminari di paleontologia dei vertebrati a Firenze

HOMINOID EVOLUTION: A PALEOBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVEDr. David M. Alba, Institut Català de Paleontología, Sabadell (Barcellona) 5 Marzo 2009: LOCOMOTOR EVOLUTION IN HOMINOIDSLocomotion and posture in extant hominoids; The orthograde bodyplan; The locomotor repertoire of stem apes (Proconsul); The origins of orthogrady (Pierolapithecus); First steps towards suspensory behaviors (Hispanopithecus); The origins of bipedalism; The mosaic nature of locomotor evolution. 12 Marzo 2009:

HOMINOID EVOLUTION: A PALEOBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Dr. David M. Alba, Institut Català de Paleontología, Sabadell (Barcellona)

5 Marzo 2009: LOCOMOTOR EVOLUTION IN HOMINOIDS
Locomotion and posture in extant hominoids; The orthograde bodyplan; The locomotor repertoire of stem apes (Proconsul); The origins of orthogrady (Pierolapithecus); First steps towards suspensory behaviors (Hispanopithecus); The origins of bipedalism; The mosaic nature of locomotor evolution.

12 Marzo 2009: COGNITIVE EVOLUTION IN HOMINOIDS
Cognition and intelligence from a paleobiological viewpoint; Encephalization (relative brain size) as a proxy for intelligence; Allometric grade shifts in encephalization; Encephalization in fossil great apes (Proconsul, Hispanopithecus and Oreopithecus); Can encephalization decrease during evolution: the case of Myotragus; Encephalization in living humans.

PALEONTOLOGIA DEI VERTEBRATI E TETTONICA DELLE PLACCHE
Dr. Raffaele Sardella, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra – La Sapienza, Università di Roma

19 Marzo 2009: DERIVA DI ANIMALI E CONTINENTI
Wegener e la deriva dei continenti; prove paleontologiche e ricostruzioni paleogeografiche; il ruolo di Simpson nel dibattito; l’avvento della moderna teoria delle tettonica delle placche; la figura di Colbert e le nuove evidenze dall’Antartide

HETEROCHRONY IN GREAT APE EVOLUTION
Dr. David M. Alba, Institut Català de Paleontología, Sabadell (Barcellona)

20 Aprile 2009: HETEROCHRONY AND THE STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL SHAPE
What is heterochrony?; Changes in meaning through time; Heterochronic models; Hypothetical examples; Examples from the invertebrate fossil record.

23 Aprile 2009: HETEROCHRONY IN HOMINOID EVOLUTION
Heterochrony in African apes: are gorillas oversized chimpanzees?; Heterochrony in bonobos; Heterochrony in humans; Heterochrony, brain size and life history; Heterochrony in fossil apes: the case of Oreopithecus.

Per informazioni contattare prof. Lorenzo Rook (lorenzo.rook@unifi.it – 055 2757520)