Characteristics
What is special about primate digits
The opposable thumb, allows grasping of objects
Tropical and subtropical primates live mostly where
In the trees, arboreal
This group is made up of gibbons, orangutans, gorillas,chimpanzees and humans
The apes
Gibbons are this type of ape, and they are adapted for brachiation, which means what
Lesser apes, life moving through trees.
This animal lived in Egypt, was about the size of a domestic cat, and lived about 36-31 MYA. It was also called the dawn ape, and scientists think it was anancestral to the apes.
Aegyptopithecus
Unlike other mammals, this sense is most important
Vision
The only primates that rely primarily on smell for hunting and social interaction
Strepsirrhimes
This large grouping includes tarsiers and anthropoids
Haplorhines
This ape lives exclusively in Asia and is the largest arboreal ape....
Orangutan, they are great apes.
Two unique characteristics of hominoids
Largest of the primates, and largest brain size in relation to their body size.
Broad pelvises, long fingers, no tail, flexible arm and shoulder joints
This sense has lost priority in primates
Smell
Most Strepsirrhines are found on this island
Madagascar
These can rotate their head 180 degrees, and are only found in Borneo and the Phillipines
The tarsier
These are humanlike primates, more closely related to present day humans than they are to present day chimpanzees
Hominins
While hominoids were developing 23 to 14 MYA, what was happening to tropical rain forests in Africa?
They began to shrink.
Locomotion in trees is possible because of this feature
Flexible bodies
Small lemurs are different from a few large lemurs because large lemurs are awake at what time?
During the daytime
In general, Anthropoids are generally _____________ compared to strepsirrhines.
Larger
The largest of all primates, they walk on all fours and use sticks as simple tools in the wild.
Gorillas
This species had the smallest brain of the hominoid species, it was discovered by Mary Leakey in Kenya in 1948
Proconsul.
Compared to many animals, primate offspring have what?
Better chance of survival
Most small lemurs are active when?
At night, and live alone.
Anthropoids are more likely to be awake at what time, and live how long compared to lemurs and other strepsirrhines
Diurnal and live longer.
These lesser apes are considered arboreal gymnasts
Asian Gibbons and larger siamangs
This attachment in primate skeletons is of great interests to scientist because it reveals a lot about a primate species
How the skull attaches to the spine, at the back or bottom of the skull, indicates bipedalism or quadrapedalism.