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A Tale of Three Lice

A Case Study on Phylogeny, Speciation, and Hominin Evolution

By Erin Barley, Joan Sharp

A Tale of Three Lice


 

Abstract

This “clicker case” explores the questions of when hominins lost their body hair and began wearing clothing by examining the surprising phylogeny of human head, body, and pubic lice. Students are led through the scientific process as they are asked to think about hypotheses, predictions, results, and conclusions, and learn about phylogeny, speciation, and hominin evolution. The case is presented class using a set of PowerPoint slides (~1.5MB) that includes multiple-choice questions students answer using personal response systems (“clickers”). It could be adapted for use without these technologies.  Developed for a general biology class focusing on evolution and ecology, the case is also suitable for use in a non-majors introductory biology course.

   

Date Posted

10/29/2009

Overview

Objectives

  • Read phylogenetic trees and use inferences from these trees to support or reject hypotheses.
  • Explain how divergence of ape taxa (including humans) drove speciation in their louse parasites.
  • Explain why a host is the major component of the environment of their obligate parasites and describe how primate lice are adapted to their hosts.

Keywords

Human evolution; louse; lice; Pediculus humanus capitus; Pediculus humanus corporis; Phthirus pubis; hominin; primate; ape; chimpanzee; insect; entomology; parasite; host; co-speciation; phylogeny; cladogram; hypothesis testing

  

Subject Headings

Biology (General)
Evolutionary Biology

EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

High school, Undergraduate lower division

  

FORMAT

PDF, PowerPoint

   

TOPICAL AREAS

Scientific method

   

LANGUAGE

English

   

TYPE/METHODS

Clicker, Interrupted

 

 

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