11. Primates

Primates

A group of mammals such as humans, apes and monkeys. We all have certain shared traits and a common ancestor. Primates have a wide range of behaviours and adaptations.

Primate Taxonomy

Primates come from the Mammalia (mammals) class, they are warm-blooded vertebrates.

What specific characteristics do primates have?

Prehensile hands and feet, nails instead of claws, forward-facing eyes/stereoscopic vision, large brains, single offspring, long period of infant dependency, diurnal, arboreal, movement in a variety of ways, variety of diets, social organisation, primate dentition.

Quadrupedal

When primates move on all four limbs

Knuckle-walking

When the primates move on the ground using their knuckles for support rather than their fingers.

Clinging

The act of holding onto branches or other surfaces using hands and feet.

Brachiation

Primate rhythmic swinging motion, swinging on branches, etc.

Bipedalism

The form of movement where an animal moves by walking or running on two limbs.

Frugivore

A diet of fruit.

Gummivore

A diet of tree gums and saps.

Folivore

A diet of leaves

Insectivore

Diet of insects

Granivore

A diet of seeds from plants

Omnivore

A diet of food from both plant and animal origin.

Monogamy

A relationship with only one partner at a time.

Polygamy

A relationship in which an individual has more than one partner.

Polygyny

A relationship where a man has several female partners.

Polyandry

A relationship where a woman has several male partners.

Incisor

Type of teeth for slicing

Canine

Type of teeth for piercing

Pre-molar

Type of teeth for grinding

Molar

Type of teeth for mashing

What is a human’s dental formula and new world monkeys?

2-1-2-3 for humans and 2-1-3-3 for new world monkeys

Strepsirhini

A suborder of primates, they have a snout-like nose, a wet rhinarium, and a heightened sense of smell.

Haplorhini

A suborder of primates, they have relatively flattened faces, forward facing eyes, dry noses, decreased reliance on sense of smell, and larger brains and body size compared to strepsirhinis. Infraorders of Haplorhinis include Platyrrhini and Catarrhini.

Hominoidea/Homnidae

Hominoidea is a superfamily within the primate order that includes great apes and humans. Includes homnidae which is a family that also includes humans (homo) and chimpanzees (pan).