1. The Primates

2. 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?

3. 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

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

5. 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)

6. 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”

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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)

11. 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

12. Gripping Tool Use

13. Prehensile Tail

14. 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

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

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

17. 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

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

19. 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

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

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

22. Primate Distribution

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

24. 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

25. Lemurs, Tarsiers, Aye-Ayes, Lori

26. Lemurs

27. Ringtail Lemurs

28. Lori

29. Aye-Aye

30. 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.

31. Tarsier

32. 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"

35. Tarsier

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

38. Platyrrhine Noses

39. Platyrrhine Monkeys: Red-Howler & Spider Monkeys

40. Platyrrhine Monkeys: Capuchin Monkey

41. Platyrrhine Monkeys: Tamarins

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

43. Catarrhine Nose

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

45. Catarrhine Monkeys: Mandrill and Diana

46. Terrestrial Old World Monkeys: Baboon

47. Hominoid Taxonomy

48. Range of Hominoids

49. Lesser Ape: Gibbon

50. Great Ape: Orangutan

51. Great Ape: Gorilla

52. Gorillas: Knuckle Walking

53. Great Ape: Chimpanzee