1. Primates
What Characteristics do Primates have over other animals and specifically, other mammals

2. Primates as Mammals Intelligence Born Live Milk at birth
Stage of Learning
Skeletal System
Teeth
Way of Life
Activity Level
Specialized Vision

3. Primate Intelligence Why the change in size?
Brain size larger, specifically in cerebral hemisphere (areas supporting conscious thought)
Larger brains = variety of behaviours
Way of life over the years changed as a result of larger brain size (more capable brains)
Why the change in size?
Change from nocturnal to diurnal ?
Use of hands as tactile instruments?

4. Primates are born Live
The way in which primates (and mammals) are born has an impact on survival
Protected in womb
Considerable growth in womb (quite advanced when born)

5. Primates receive milk at birth
Mammals get their name from mammary glands
After birth, grow quickly
Learn many things that they will need for their survival as adults (like we do)
Primates in general (apes in particular) have long periods of infant/child dependency in which the young learn the ways of their social group

6. Primates are active Very active in nature
Activity possible as their bodies are designed to move:
Body temperatures are regulated
Efficient respiratory system (nasal and mouth separate…this allows them to eat and breath)
A fancy diaphragm (drawing in and letting out breath)
4- chambered heart (prevent mixing of oxygenated blood mixing with other)

7. Primates Skeletal System
Features include (compared to reptiles):
Limbs are underneath rather than on side which allows for greater support, and more flexible movements
Bones have joints to permit growth in the young while providing strong , hard joint surfaces that allows for sustained activity
Mammals (us included) stop growing at adulthood, while reptiles continue to grow throughout life

8. Primate teeth Mammals have specialized teeth (contrary to reptiles)
Varied diet over generations
Uses:
Incisors: chisel (for scraping)
Canines: Defense, tearing and shredding food (some very large)
Pre-molars and molars: grinding
Evolutionary trend: reduction in number of teeth, and size

9. Primate way of life
First mammals were nocturnal (active at night) (200 mya)
Earliest primates (65mya) lived at tree tops, also nocturnal
With loss of Dinosaurs and other large predators, as well as climate shifts and habitat change, mammals diversified their living environments
Most primates today are Diurnal (active during day)
Helped shape human behaviour

10. Specialized Vision
The switch from Nocturnal to Diurnal helped (think of senses you would require for both)
Smell vs Sight : which one is stronger for humans (primates)?
Travel through trees demands judgments concerning depth, direction, distance, etc
Binocular: eyes sit next to eachother ont eh same plane so that their visual fields overlap
Stereoscopic: nerve connections that run from each eye to both sides of the brain confer complete depth perception
Sight in colour: When would colour be useful?