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 Phenetic Taxonomy = Following Linnaeus, based on existing phenotypic features and adaptive behaviors Cladistics = Classification system based on order of evolutionary branching

Taxonomy of Humans & Chimps Chimpanzee Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Primates Family Hominidae Pongidae Genus Homo Pan Species Sapiens Troglodytes

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)

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”

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

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

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)

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)

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

Gripping Tool Use

Prehensile Tail

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Primate Distribution

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

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

Lemurs, Tarsiers, Aye-Ayes, Lori

Lemurs

Ringtail Lemurs

Lori

Aye-Aye

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.

Tarsier

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"

Tarsier

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

Platyrrhine Noses

Platyrrhine Monkeys: Red-Howler & Spider Monkeys

Platyrrhine Monkeys: Capuchin Monkey

Platyrrhine Monkeys: Tamarins

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

Catarrhine Nose

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

Catarrhine Monkeys: Mandrill and Diana

Terrestrial Old World Monkeys: Baboon

Hominoid Taxonomy

Range of Hominoids

Lesser Ape: Gibbon

Great Ape: Orangutan

Great Ape: Gorilla

Gorillas: Knuckle Walking

Great Ape: Chimpanzee