Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!mcsun!ukc!educ-isis!teexmmo
From: teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Adaption to aquatic life (was: Questions about sex)
Summary: references for the Hardy-Morgan theory (aquatic adaption)
Message-ID: <1990Aug7.145203.5205@ioe.lon.ac.uk>
Date: 7 Aug 90 14:52:03 GMT
Reply-To: teexmmo@ioe.lon.ac.uk (Matthew Moore)
Organization: Institute of Education University of London
Lines: 31

<2829@bruce.cs.monash.OZ.AU> damian@bruce.cs.monash.OZ.AU (Damian Conway) writes:
(Matthew Moore) writes:
>
>>(Morgan uses the elephant as an example of an animal partially adapted
>>to aquatic life - rudimentary fur, some evidence for face to face
>>copulation, webbing of digits, good swimming ability, and a built in
>>snorkel).
>
>Seems to me that homo sapiens fits in the same category, sharing all but
>one of those characteristics. Any info on that?
>
>damian

Yes. No time for full repsonse, but the Hardy-Morgan theory does
indeed postulate a decisive aquatic phase in human evolution.
Comparative anatomy (and behaviour) are the main planks of the theory,
with some contribution from the fossil record.

As you say, humans possess the characteristics originally listed, plus
a thick layer of subcutaeneous fat, and upright posture
another aquatic adaption.

References: the original paper by Hardy, in Nature (c 1963)

a several page long summary in 'The naked Ape' (Morris).

'The Descent of Woman' (E Morgan)

'The Aquatic Ape: a theory of Human evolution' (E Morgan)

Morgan possibly wrote another book recently, title not remembered.