Question

Early in the Miocene Epoch (about 23 million years ago), newly evolving arboreal “ape” species outnumbered the earlier arboreal/terrestrial “monkey” species. Remember that “monkey” species did not disappear, but they did start to be outnumbered by diversifying “ape” species at the beginning of the Miocene Epoch. By the late Miocene Epoch (about 10 million years ago), the number of arboreal ape-like species represented in the fossil record in Central East Africa and Southeast Asia had decreased considerably, while the number of monkey-like species represented in the fossil record in these areas increased substantially. What happened? Address climate changes, ecological change in the availability of food and habitat, reproductive aspects and anything else you think is relevant to answer this question about environmental changes during the Miocene Epoch.

Answer 1