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The Primates

The Primates. Key Questions. Where do humans fit in the world of living things? What are the characteristics of primates? How are humans like the other primates? How are we unique?. Taxonomy. A classification system based on similarities and differences

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The Primates

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  1. The Primates

  2. Key Questions • Where do humans fit in the world of living things? • What are the characteristics of primates? • How are humans like the other primates? How are we unique?

  3. Taxonomy • A classification system based on similarities and differences • Phenetic Taxonomy = Following Linnaeus, based on existing phenotypic features and adaptive behaviors • Cladistics = Classification system based on order of evolutionary branching

  4. Taxonomy of Humans & Chimps

  5. Class Mammalia • Today, 19 Orders & over 4000 Species! • 3 major subgroups: 1. Egg-laying (duck-billed platypus) 2. Pouched (kangaroo, opossum) 3. Placental Exs. of Placental Orders other than Primates: Rodents (rats, squirrels, beavers) Carnivores (bears, dogs, cats) Insectivores (shrews, moles) Grazing-browsing (cows, hippos, deer, horses, sheep, goats)

  6. Characteristics of Placental Mammals 1. Body hair 2. Relatively long gestation period followed by live birth 3. Ability to maintain constant internal body temperature = “warm-blooded”

  7. Characteristics of Placental Mammals (cont.) 4. Increased brain size 5. Mammary glands = origin of the term “Mammal” 6. Different types of teeth = incisors, canines, premolars, molars 7. Considerable capacity for learning and behavioral flexibility

  8. Primate Taxonomy PRIMATES (order) PROSIMIANS ANTHROPOIDEA (suborder) Platyrrhini Catarrhini (flat nose) (downward nose) Cercopithecoidea HOMINOIDEA Lesser Apes Great Apes HOMINIDAE (family) Prosimians New World Old World Gibbons Orangutan HUMAN Monkeys Monkeys Siamangs Gorilla (species) Chimpanzee Bonobo

  9. Prosimians a. Fat-tailed galago (mainland Africa) b. Ruffed lemur (Madagascar) c. Sifaka (Madagascar) d. Ring-tailed lemur (Madagascar) e. Mouse lemur (Madagascar) f. Slow loris (South Asia) g. Aye-aye (Islands off Madagascar)

  10. Anthropoids a. Spider monkey (NW monkey) b. Saki monkey (NW monkey) c. Drill (OW terrestrial monkey) d. Tamarin (NW marmoset) e. Colobus (OW arboreal monkey) f. Gibbon (OW lesser ape) g. Gorilla (OW great ape)

  11. Primate Characteristics:Hands & Feet • Enhancement of free mobility of the digits, especially of the thumb (opposability) and big toe • Both used for grasping = Prehensile • Replacement of sharp, compressed claws by flat nails; development of very sensitive tactile pads on the digits

  12. Gripping Tool Use

  13. Prehensile Tail

  14. Primate Characteristics:Brain size & Smell * Progressive shortening of the snout and reduction in the sense of smell * Progressive expansion and elaboration of the brain, especially of the cerebral cortex

  15. Primate Characteristics:Vision • Elaboration of the visual apparatus • Development of Stereoscopic Vision (3-D) • Bony sockets enclose eye nerves and muscles

  16. Primate Characteristics: Dentition * Retention of all tooth types * Old World Anthropoid Dental Formula = 2.1.2.3 x 2=32 2.1.2.3

  17. Primate Characteristics: Extended Gestation & Maturation 1. Primates are born at earlier stages of development than many other animals 2. Prolongation of postnatal life periods 3. Humans are born at a particularly early stage because of their larger brain; if born later, the baby’s head would be too large for the mother’s pelvis

  18. Primate Characteristics:Body Stance Progressive development of upright body stance leading to bipedalism

  19. Primate Characteristics: Summary • Large brains • 3-D vision, Reduced Sense of Smell • Flexible shoulder joints, Vertical Positioning of Trunk • Hands and feet with five digits • Grasping thumb

  20. Primate Characteristics: Summary (cont.) • Flat fingernails instead of claws • Generalized dentition • Extended Gestation and Maturation • Strong Maternal-Offspring Bond • High Degree of Socialization

  21. Primate Species • 166 species currently identified • Most are tree dwellers • Most are herbivores (eat fruit or leaves) • Some are omnivores (eat anything)

  22. Primate Distribution

  23. Primate Classification • Primates are divided into two main Suborders: • 1. Prosimians: • Lemurs, Lorises,Tarsiers • 2.Anthropoids: • NW & OW Monkeys, Apes, Humans

  24. Primate Taxonomy PRIMATES (order) PROSIMIANS ANTHROPOIDEA (suborder) Platyrrhini Catarrhini (flat nose) (downward nose) Cercopithecoidea HOMINOIDEA Lesser Apes Great Apes HOMINIDAE (family) Prosimians New World Old World Gibbons Orangutan HUMAN Monkeys Monkeys Siamangs Gorilla (species) Chimpanzee Bonobo

  25. Lemurs, Tarsiers, Aye-Ayes, Lori

  26. Lemurs

  27. Ringtail Lemurs

  28. Lori

  29. Aye-Aye

  30. Aye-Aye • The aye-aye shown here lives on the island of Madagascar. It is a very specialized insect-eater. • Large eyes & good climbing abilities. The aye-aye, and most other prosimians, differ from monkeys and apes in having a moist area of skin on the nose.

  31. Tarsier

  32. Tarsier • Large eyes, active at night • Like most of the prosimians, good grasping ability & nails • Nails on all fingers and most toes, but there are specialized claws on the feet used for grooming called "toilet claws"

  33. Tarsier

  34. Platyrrhine Monkeys Platyrrhines • Flat noses • Nostrils point sideways • Many have prehensile tails • Live in South and Central America

  35. Platyrrhine Noses

  36. Platyrrhine Monkeys:Red-Howler & Spider Monkeys

  37. Platyrrhine Monkeys: Capuchin Monkey

  38. Platyrrhine Monkeys: Tamarins

  39. Catarrhine Monkeys • Downward-pointing nostrils • Evolved and found in Africa and Asia

  40. Catarrhine Nose

  41. Catarrhines Divided into two Superfamilies: • Old World Monkeys • Hominoids • Lack tails, have larger skulls, & walk partially upright • Include Gibbons, Gorillas, Orangutans, Humans, & Chimpanzees

  42. Catarrhine Monkeys: Mandrill and Diana

  43. Terrestrial Old World Monkeys: Baboon

  44. Hominoid Taxonomy

  45. Range of Hominoids

  46. Lesser Ape: Gibbon

  47. Great Ape: Orangutan

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