Unit 3 Primates

Chapter 14

Primate Patterns

What are primates?

• Live in tropical climates

• South America• Africa• Asia

6 distinguishing traits

• 1. 5 digit hands w/ opposable thumb

• 2. Nonspecialization (no flippers, claws, etc)

• 3. Limb flexibility (rotate arms, hands 180 degrees)

• 4. Nails rather than claws

• 5. Visual acuity (needed for arboreal species, smell less important the higher you go)

• Frontally directed eyes• Stereoscopic (3D)

vision• Color vision (animals fly

or live in trees)• 6. Upright posture

Primate classificationsOld world vs. New world

• Old world• Africa and Asia• Prosimians- ancestors of

modern primates• Small, nocturnal,

arboreal, eat veggies and insects

• Apes- from old world monkeys

• Gibbons, orangutans, gorillas, chimp, bonobos, humans

• New world monkeys• Evolved after

prosimians• Larger skulls• Greater intelligence• Full color, 3D vision

Evolutionary relationships of great apes

Characteristics that distinguish apes from

monkeys• 1. No tail

• 2. Arms longer than legs

• 3. Family Pongidae– Gorilla = Gorilla gorillas– Orangutan = Pongo pygmaeus– Chimpanzee = Pan troglodytes– Bonobo = Pan paniscus

Prosimians- first primates to evolve

• Creepers (slow)• Lorises• Nocturnal• Arboreal• Eat foul smelling and

bad tasting insects• Solitary• Small body, large eyes

• Leapers• Lemurs• Diurnal (active

during day)• Madagascar• Long ringed tail• Live in troops ~25• Trees and ground

• Lemurs cont.• Female dominance• Males migrate• Females prefer less

dominant males• Scent markings and

calls• Genitals swell during

estrus• 4 month gestation

New world monkeys

• Callers• Howler monkeys• Arboreal• Diurnal• Rainforest• Eat leaves• Prehensile tail

• Howler monkeys cont.

• Slow moving• Loud calls by males• Groups of 3-20• Division of labor

• Squabblers• Squirrel monkeys• White faces, dark

eyes, dark mouth• Tails not prehensile• Diurnal• Very active

• Squirrel monkeys cont.

• Large multimale troops

• Rainforest• Eat fruits, flowers,

insects• One offspring/year

Old world monkeys

• Lookers• Guenons (Blue

monkeys)• Africa, jungle• Arboreal• Small• Omnivores

• Blue monkeys cont.• Troops ~20• One dominant male,

many females• Low pitch

communication• Concealed estrus• Many diff facial and

body markings• Diff species Guenons

can interbreed

• Walkers• Savanna baboons• Ground dwelling• Largest monkey

species (150 lb males)• Sexual dimorphism• Females much smaller• Dagger like canines

• Baboons cont.• Live in troops ~30-50• Open grasslands• Travel and forage, eat

whatever• Diurnal• Bare tissue on rear is

callused• Do not build nests

• Baboons cont.• Dominance hierarchy

involving teamwork and social maneuvering by males

• Female rank determined by mother

• Social bonds w/ grooming• Alpha male directs

movement• Adolescent males leave to

find own troop

• Baboons cont.• Females genitals swell

during estrus and scent pheromones released

• Females present rump to males

• All primates have a period

• 28 days• Babies evoke interest in

members, help care for