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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!ho95b!ran
From: ran@ho95b.UUCP (ran)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: aquatic origins (repost)
Message-ID: <252@ho95b.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Nov-84 13:57:32 EST
Article-I.D.: ho95b.252
Posted: Tue Nov 13 13:57:32 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Nov-84 04:54:12 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 60




Our machine became terminally ill just after I sent this out, so I don't
think it made it anywhere.  If it did, sorry about the reposting.

>there was an article in a magazine (perhaps Science or Discover, I don't
>remember) that postulated an aquatic/amphibious ape in Man's ancestry.  It
>based this on the pattern of hair on the body, which is arranged in a sort
>of flow pattern along the arms and other areas.  The author(s) suggested that
>a pre-homonid ape developed a semi-aquatic lifestyle, possibly in a way
>similar to that of the Japanese macques.
>-- 
>	Pete Hardie, Univ. of Florida, CIS Gould
>		username: hardie

Check out the book "The Descent of Woman", by Elaine Morgan (circa early
1970s?).  She gives a nice summary (and a few new ideas) of somebody
else's (sure can't remember who) presentation of this thesis.  Some of
the high points (i.e., those I can remember without looking for my copy
of the book):

     * Aquatic animals are the ones that lose their hair, like the
       whale, walrus, seal, manatee, hippo, elephant (not really
       aquatic, but damn good swimmers). By the way, she claims
       the thesis that man (and woman---one of the points of her
       book is that anthropologists are too male-oriented) lost
       the hair because of the drying out and heating up of the
       African plains is just hogwash.  Lions and zebras and et ceteras
       managed just fine without going naked.
     * Humans cry salt tears.  This helps clear out the stinging of
       being in the salty ocean.  Once again, the above animals are
       the only ones doing so.
     * Face-to-face copulation makes a lot more sense in the water
       than the rear approach favored by most land animals.
     * The shape of the nose is more conducive to standing around
       in the water, doing some minor dunkings and swimming, and
       not inhaling as much water as would happen with a typical
       ape nose.
     * Standing up.  The thesis has our ancestors inhabiting the
       shallow shores of the ocean.  Humans stood up in order
       to keep their heads above water while wading.
     * Breasts.  What good is a breast (aside from the obvious
       aesthetic value :-))?  Other mammals manage without such
       a globular protrusion.  Morgan claims that the globular
       shape makes for an easier grab (for baby) in water.
       Another mammal with similar breasts is the manatee (the
       ones sailors probably thought were mermaids).
     * Long head hair.  This is supposed to give a swimming baby
       something to hold on to (when not holding the breast).
       It also protects from sunburn the one part that would
       normally still be above water in a wading environment.

This gives you the general idea.  I don't know what the current
anthropological view of all this is.
-- 

". . . and shun the frumious Bandersnatch."
       Bob Neinast (ihnp4!ho95b!ran)
       AT&T-Bell Labs