Chapter 5: Primates

Primate Video

Primate Characteristics After the video; what are primate Characteristics: _________________

Characteristics of Primates: Hands & Feet Five digits on hands/feet Opposable thumb: gripping Partially opposable big toe Nails on all or some digits Fingerprints: For gripping (not identifying)

Characteristics of Primates Shortened snout Clavicle bone Primates have great vision. stereo vision Macula: Spot in back of eye Blocks the sun.

Macular Degeneration

Vision All primates rely heavily on vision Color vision in Diurnal primates. Point to Ponder: Why would this be an adaptive trait? (hint: think environment)_______________________________________

Stereoscopic vision Stereoscopic vision Eyes in front of skull, overlapping fields of vision Accurate 3-D vision Increased depth perception Why?________________________________________

I. Limbs & Locomotion Tendency towards erect posture But, primates utilize a number of types of locomotion Bipedal: Walking Brachiation: Swinging Knuckle walkers Fist walkers Limb jumpers

Question to Ponder Why are Human Feet different? _______________________________________

II. Diet & Teeth Lack of dietary specialization – most primates are generalized feeders eating a wide variety of foods Therefore, primates have a generalized dentition

Four types of teeth: generalized for an omnivorous diet.

Diet & Teeth Although some primates prefer some food items over others, most eat a combo of fruit, leaves, and insects. Some do eat meat (chimps & baboons) Some are leaf specialists (Colobine monkey)

III. Senses & Brain Vision enhanced Olfaction reduced Complex brain

IV. Maturation and Learning As placental mammals, primates have relatively long gestation periods Also have few offspring, delayed maturation, longer lifespan than other mammals Greater dependence on learned behavior

Ultimate mom video

V. Behaviors Tend to be diurnal Increased flexibility in behavior Tend to live in social groups In many primate social groups, males are permanent members – unusual among mammals.

Tool use

SURVEY OF LIVING PRIMATES

Three types of primates Prosimians (pre-monkeys) Monkeys (Old World and New World) Apeshttp://anthro.palomar.edu/primate/table_primates.htm

Geographical Distribution

Two Suborders Prosimii Anthropoidea Lemurs, Lorises, Tarsiers Monkeys, Apes, Humans

Lemur and Loris Most primitive Greater reliance on olfaction (long snouts) Mark territory with scent More laterally placed eyes Shorter gestation & maturation Lemur and Loris

Lemurs Madagascar Many different species (diversified in absence of competing primates) Became extinct in other areas

Lemurs : Over 100 species Range in size from 5”, 2 oz. to +2’, 22 lbs Larger lemurs are diurnal, omnivorous Smaller lemurs are nocturnal, insectivores Many forms are arboreal Live in large social groups

Lorises Similar in appearance to Lemurs Tropical habitats (Sri Lanka, India, SE Asia, Africa) Survived by adopting nocturnal habits Competition avoidance with monkeys

Lorises Slow, cautious climbing form of quadrupedalism Bushbabies active vertical climbers and leapers Almost entirely insectivorous Supplemented with fruit, gum, leaves

Tarsiers Nocturnal SE Asia Mated pair Diet: insects & small vertebrates they catch by leaping from branches

Anthropoids (monkeys, apes, H.s) Generally larger body Larger brains in absolute and relative size Increased reliance on vision Fully forward placed eyes; greater degree of color vision less specialized dentition longer gestation; longer maturation; increased parental care More social interaction

Monkeys ~ 70 % of all primates are monkeys Two types: Old World New World

New World Monkeys Almost exclusively arboreal New World monkeys are the only monkeys with prehensile tails Diurnal Two Groups: Callitrichidae Cebidae

Callitrichids: Marmosets and Tamarins

Tamarins: Endangered

Marmosets and Tamarins Most primitive monkeys Retain claws instead of nails Twins rather than single births Family groups Mated pair 2 males & 1 female Males very much involved in infant care

Cebids: New World Monkeys Larger than callitrichids 30 species Diet varies with combo of fruits & leaves Flat noses

Cebids: New World Monkeys Some examples are Squirrel, capuchin, howler and spider monkeys    

Old World Monkeys: Cercopithecines and Colobines

Cercopithecines: Baboons and Macaques More generalized than Colobines (eat leaves) More omnivourous Cheek pouches to store food while foraging Most found in Africa Except the Japanese macaques

Colobines Leaf diet: Have a sacculated stomach Colobus monkey exclusive to Africa Langurs found in Asia Probiscus in Borneo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFzVdfozISo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtctipglPhA&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1

Hominoids (apes & humans) Super-family includes: Less apes: gibbons and siamangs Great apes: gorillas, orangutans, chimps Humans (family Hominidae)

Hominoids: Our human ancestors

Gibbons & Siamangs Tropical SE Asia Extremely long arm limbs Curved fingers Reduced thumbs Powerful shoulder muscles

Gibbons & Siamangs Monogamous pairs Lack of sexual dimorphism: (m/f look different) Males share equally in child care Mated pairs are very territorial

Orangutans Borneo & Sumatra Almost completely arboreal Solitary animals Mainly frugivorous Very large (males = 200 lbs, females = 100 lbs) http://animal.discovery.com/videos/orangutan-island-orangutans-walking-upright.html http://animal.discovery.com/tv/orangutan-island/orangutan-island.html

Gorillas Mountain gorillas : 620 left in the wild and none in zoos. Largest of living primate Knuckle walkers Exclusively vegetarianism Marked sexual dimorphism Males = 400 lbs, females 200 lbs. Family group: Silverback male & harem 2 species (Western and Eastern Gorillas) 4 subspecies ex. Mountain , Western Lowland, Eastern River, Mountain gorillas : 620 left in the wild and none in zoos.

Mountain Gorilla

Chimps Equatorial Africa 2 species ( 5 groups ) Also knuckle walkers Large social groups with no single, dominant male Sexually dimorphic, but not as pronounced as gorillas and organutans. Omnivirous (even will kill for meat)

Bonobos Bonobos are another species of chimps More arboreal, more peaceful Humans and chimps can have 95% similar DNA depending on which nucleotides are counted and which are excluded: That’s still big, 5 million base pair difference!!!!!

Quiz http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/animals/mammals/apevsmonkey.htm