Lecture: Primate Adaptations

Living in trees

What is Primates’ adaptive niche?

The specific environment to which they are adapted

Define Adaptive Niche

Spend some time in the trees

What is true about all Primates (except humans)

Completely arboreal (tree dwelling)

Some species are what towards trees?

Mostly terrestrial (on the ground

Other species are…(spend little time in the trees)

Good depth perception and ability to hold on the branches

What does it require to live on the trees?

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Generalized Skeleton

What have primates retained from mammalian ancestors?

Lose mammalian orders

What was required to keep many primitive characteristics?

5

How many digits are on hands and feet of primates?

Tactile pads rich in nerv endings for better grip

What do each digit end with?

Allow them to grasp branches and other objects

Hands and feet of a primate are flexible and prehensile, what does that allow them to do?

Enhance grasping ability and preventing injury

Nails have replace claws on fingers and toes, what does that allow the primate to do?

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Their complete clavicle extends from the sternum to the shoulder blade

What allows primates to have a stable shoulder joint

A reliance on smell to a reliance on vision

What has change among primates senses overtime?

It disperses in all directions, making it hard to track predators or food

Why is scent less useful on trees for primates?

A shorter snout, forward-facing eyes

What physical adaption was made in reflection of the sensory shift (relying on vision over smell)

Overlapping fields of view and a depth perception known as stereoscopic vision

What does “forward-facing eyes” allows primates to do?

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active during the day

Diurnal primates

Color vision

Dirurnal primates have evolved to what in their vision?

Identify ripe fruit and safe leaves

What does color vision allow Diurnal primates to do?

Distinguishing ripe from unripe fruit or safe from toxic leaves becomes difficult

What happens if Diurnal primates did not have color vision?

Postorbital bar

The eye orbit among Diurnal primates has become enclosed by a bony ridge, called what?

A complete eye socket as the eyes moves forward

Eventually what does the postorbital bar forms into?

Four

Primates have a generalized dental pattern with how many types of teeth?

cutting

1. Incisors is for….

Fighting and tearing meat

2. canines is for…

Tearing food

3. Premolars with two cusps is for…

Mashing or shredding food

4. Molars with three or more cusps is for

Supports a diverse diet within each species

What opportunity does having these varied types of teeth allow for primates?

A panoramic radiograph of a 9 year old in mixed dentition, wisdom teeth buds can be seen distol to the unerupted 2nd molars. 

What does this photo display?

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Largest brain-to-body size ratio among species

What does all primates increase brain size and complexity results?

Even comparing large animals like elephants or bears, primates brain size is still larger, relative to their body size

What does this ratio means?

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Due to their larger brains requires more growth time

Why do primates have a longer gestation period compare to other mammals of similar size?

Learned behaviors

What do primates depend on to survive

Primate Culture

What concept is learned behaviors?

Leads to a long period of infant dependency, during which young primates stay to their natal group and learn from older members. Primates also tend to live longer than other mamals of similar size

What does primate culture leads to?

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Solitary primates and nocturnal primates

What is a rare trait, among primates?

100

Most primates live in a social groups ranging from a family units to a large goup of how many individuals?

Multi-male, multi-family, one-male harem with bachelor herds

Primates groups can be what?

Remain in the group year around, help raising offspring

What does the Adult males in the group do?

Maintaining bonds, reducing stress, and facilitating communication within the group

What is crucial for social grooming?

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In Varying degrees

How much of these traits do primates share?

Classification

In taking account to these traits serve the purpose of?

Grooming Claw

All primates have nails, but some have a single claw on each hind called a what?

Strepsirrhine group of primates

The primitive trait grooming claw found for what group?

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