Re: Early diets

b14817@vaxb.phx1.aro.allied.com
18 May 94 14:29:25 MST

In article <sarimaCpD6rr.4z2@netcom.com>, sarima@netcom.com (Stanley Friesen) writes:
> In article <2q3m8e$lcq@nova.umd.edu>,
> 5121 Student 09 <cm315c09@nova.umd.edu> wrote:
>>
>>Just out of curiosity, do you know if these adaptations would
>>have occured from eating shellfish, and the types of food found
>>in a salt-marsh environment?
>
> Not by itself. (Oh, I am sure our ancestors have long eaten shellfish
> when available - just as we *still* do today - but that is because
> we are universal omnivores).
>
> The simple fact is that only two animals have teeth at all like
> those of hominids (including the gracile australopithicines),
> they are:
>
> the pig - which is the about only other animal on Earth today that
> is as universally omnivorous as humans.
> the bear - which is more omnivorius than carnivorous.
>
> In fact, suid dentition is so similar to hominid dentition that
> on occasion pig fossils have been originally described as new
> species of hominids.
>
> So, naturally australopiticines may have eaten the occasional
> shellfish - along with a little of everything else edible they
> could get their hands on. [Not much different than people
> today - except we even eat toxic foods - like tapioca].
>
> --
> NAMES: sarima@netcom.com swf@ElSegundoCA.ncr.com
>
> May the peace of God be with you.
>

I have read that one of the differences between a herbivore and a carnivore is
the postioning of the eyes. Herbivores having eyes on the sides of their heads
for maximum field of vision to spot carnivores, and carnivores having eyes on
the front to give binocular vision and better 3-d vision.

-- 

JON W. PARKER    AlliedSignal Engines, Phoenix, Az

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