The Evolution Of Capuchin Monkeys' Stone Tools Create An Incredible 3,000-Year Archaeological Record

[Judi Lynn]

25 June 2019, 8:20 pm EDT By Naia Carlos Tech Times



Capuchin monkeys in Brazil share a very important quality with humans: the evolution of stone tools. For the first time ever, scientists are able to use tools to observe the changes of a non-human population over time. ( Joel Santana | Pixabay )

Capuchin monkeys at the Serra da Capivara National Park in Brazil have been using stone tools for 3,000 years, leaving behind a valuable archaeological record.

When archaeologists took a closer look at the different tools of Brazil's capuchin monkeys in the span of three millennia, they found that there are notable variations in size, design, and method of use over time.

Archaeologists have long known that the use of tools are not exclusive to humans, but this is the first time they've been able to study non-human tools to trace the changes in the behavior of another species through time. Chimpanzees have been using tools for around the same number of years as capuchin monkeys, but chimpanzee tools haven't changed significantly at all.

Capuchin Monkey Tools Through The Years
In the study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, archaeologists observe the changes in the tools to track the changes in capuchin monkey diet and behavior.

The oldest stone hammers from 3,000 to 2,400 years ago were found to be smaller, lighter, and more battered than modern capuchin monkey tools. According to the scientists, a likely explanation is that the monkeys were eating smaller, less hardy foods such as seeds. Smaller food mean that it's more likely for the capuchin monkeys to miss their target, making their tools more banged up.

More:
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/244441/20190625/evolution-capuchin-monkeys-stone-tools-create-incredible-3-000-year.htm

[Judi Lynn]

1. These Monkeys Have An Archaeological Record 3,000 Years Old

By Roni Dengler | June 25, 2019 12:08 pm



A capuchin using a stone to break open its next meal. (Credit: Lisa Crawford/Shutterstock)
Among the rocky monoliths of Brazil’s Serra da Capivara National Park, wild monkeys crack cashews and seeds with an array of stone tools. Now, caches of ancient monkey tools reveal the primates started the culinary tradition 3,000 years ago.

This archaeological record also shows they adapted their food processing tactics over time. It’s the first time tool use stretching back thousands of years and showing evolving uses has been found outside of humans, the researchers say.

Rock Record
When archaeologists set out to learn how early humans lived, they often follow an ancient history recorded in stones. The stone tools our human ancestors began using more than 2 million years ago started out rudimentary. Ancient hominins would smash one stone against another to make a sharpened edge that they could then use for cutting.

As humans evolved, their tool use became more sophisticated. They became choosier about which kind of stone to use for tool-making about 1.4 million years ago, and by a million years ago, the toolbox had expanded to include chisels, anvils, and hammerstones. Ancient humans created hundreds of different kinds of tools, some of which became templates for modern tools.

More:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2019/06/25/these-monkeys-have-an-archaeological-record-3000-years-old/#.XRMLTuhKjIU