 The origin of the order is commonly given as 65 MYA (million years ago)  Some estimates go back to 85 MYA

Source:

 MYA  Lived in N. America and Europe  Its fossils first discovered in Montana

 About 50 MYA, pretty soon after the dinosaurs go extinct, there is an explosion in the number of primate species—about 6000 species arise.  The 200 species now living are the what remains of this differentiation, and the descendants of the survivors.

TAXONEXAMPLE: YOUR PUPPY KingdomAnimalia PhylumChordata SubphylumVertebrata ClassMammalia OrderCarnivora FamilyCanidae GenusCanis SpeciesC. lupus

 Note: When writing the binomen of a species, use italics, and capitalize the name of the Genus!

TAXONYOUR PUPPYYOU KingdomAnimalia PhylumChordata SubphylumVertebrata ClassMammalia OrderCarnivoraPrimates FamilyCanidaeGreat Apes GenusCanisHomo SpeciesC. lupusH. sapiens

The most basic groups to think about:  Prosimians  Monkeys  Apes and humans

Adapted from Jurmain et al. (1998)

 Limbs and locomotion: › Erect or semi-erect posture › Generalized limb structure allows a variety of locomotive behaviors.

 Limbs and locomotion: › Prehensile hands and feet.  Five digits  Opposable thumbs and big toes  Fingernail instead of claws

SLOW LORIS

 Generalized diet and teeth

 The senses and the brain: › Color vision (diurnal primates only)

 The senses and the brain: › Stereoscopic vision (depth perception)  Eyes to the front  Visual information from each eye transmitted to visual centers in both hemispheres in the brain  Visual information processed by specialized brain structures

TARSIER

 The senses and the brain: › Large and complex brains  Visual information processing  Large areas involved with the hand

 Maturation, Learning and Behavior › Long gestation › Single births instead of litters › Delayed maturation › Tendency to live in mixed-age groups › Dependence on learned behavior

 Theories: › Improved access to food › Protection from predators

 Types of groups: › Multi-male/multi-female › Most common type. › Chimps and Bonobos usually live in mm/mf fission-fusion groups.

 Types of groups: › Pair-bond › Examples: Gibbons and Siamangs, some monkeys

 Types of groups: One-Male/Multi Female › Gorilla

 The study of animals and their habitats that looks for patterns of relationship between the environment and social behavior.

 Assumes that the various components of an environment have evolved together.

 Food (amounts, qualities, distribution)  Distribution of water  Predators (distribution, types)  Distribution of sleeping sites  Activity patterns (nocturnal/diurnal)  Relationships with other species  Impact of human activities

 Of the baboon… › (MM/MF) › Savanna › Predators can be common  Of the Slow Loris… › Solitary foraging › Insectivor › Slow moving

 The study of the relationship between behavior and natural selection. Sociobiological theory states that certain behaviors or behavioral pattern have been selected for because they increase reproductive success in individuals.

 Infanticide  K-selection (vs. r-selection)  Male / Female behaviors  Sexual dimorphism

 The lack of long-term data: › On demography › On social behavior › Resource distribution  Little data on relatedness through male line  How to assign reproductive costs and benefits to particular behaviors