Primate Adaptations and Evolutionary Trends

Mammary glands

Produce milk to nourish young primates.

Homeothermy

Maintain constant body temperature across environments.

Fur

Insulation for warmth; sweat glands for cooling.

Heterodonty

Different types of teeth for various functions.

Neocortex expansion

Increased brain area for advanced cognitive functions.

Placenta

Supports extensive gestation and live birth.

Maternal care

Prolonged dependency of young on mothers.

Petrosal bulla

Bony middle ear structure unique to primates.

Grasping ability

Facilitated by opposable thumbs and big toes.

Nails

Replaced claws for enhanced dexterity and touch.

Stereoscopic vision

Forward-facing eyes for depth perception.

Large brain

Relative to body size, supports complex cognition.

Trichromatic color vision

Ability to see blue, red, and green colors.

Visual processing

Neocortex specialized for complex visual information.

Olfactory bulbs

Smaller in primates, indicating reduced smell reliance.

Olfactory pseudogenes

High percentage in haplorhines, indicating smell reduction.

Rhinarium

Absent in most haplorhines, unlike some mammals.

Opposable thumbs

Allow precise manipulation and effective climbing.

Sensitive tactile pads

Enhance touch for environmental interaction and grooming.

Dietary strategies

Variety reflects adaptability in food consumption.

Extended ontogeny

Long developmental periods for social learning.

Complex social structures

Stable groups requiring communication and cooperation.

Visually-guided reaching

Brain regions coordinate hand-to-mouth movements.

Face recognition

Dedicated brain areas for recognizing faces and expressions.

Slow life histories

Long gestation and infancy enhance maternal investment.

Lifespan

Long lifespans support learning and social interaction.

Unique Adaptations

Traits that distinguish primates from other mammals.

Cognitive Functions

Advanced mental processes for problem-solving and learning.

Social Behaviors

Complex interactions within primate groups.

Taxonomy

Classification of primates into suborders and infraorders.

Strepsirhini

Suborder including lemurs and lorises, 'wet-nosed' primates.

Haplorhini

Suborder including tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, 'dry-nosed' primates.

Grooming Claw

Modified nail for personal grooming in strepsirhines.

Tooth Comb

Forward-projecting teeth for grooming and feeding.

Rhinarium

Moist skin around the nose aiding in scent detection.

Nocturnal Activity

Active at night, enhancing low-light vision.

Dispersed Social Structures

Solitary foraging with group sleeping behaviors.

Infant Parking

Leaving infants in nests while foraging.

Diverse Diets

Varied diets including fruits, insects, and small vertebrates.

Lack of Tapetum Lucidum

Haplorhines rely on other vision mechanisms.

Fused Lower Jaw

Haplorhines have a fused mandible structure.

Extended Ontogeny

Long developmental periods in haplorhines, especially apes.

Infraorder Tarsiiformes

Includes tarsiers, sharing traits with both suborders.

Large Eyes

Adaptation for nocturnal hunting in tarsiers.

Vertical Clingers and Leapers

Tarsiers adapted for impressive leaping abilities.

Infraorder Simiiformes

Includes monkeys and apes, divided into two groups.

Platyrrhini

New World monkeys with flat noses and prehensile tails.

Diverse Social Structures

Varied social arrangements in primate groups.

Catarrhini

Old World monkeys, apes, and humans group.

Downward-Facing Nostrils

Nostrils are closer and face downward.

Larger Body Size

Typically larger than New World monkeys.

Tail Loss in Apes

Apes do not possess tails unlike monkeys.

Enhanced Cognition

Great apes show advanced cognitive abilities.

Superfamily Hominoidea

Includes lesser and great apes.

Larger Brain Size

Associated with advanced cognitive functions.

Suspensory Locomotion

Adaptations for arm swinging in trees.

Extended Juvenile Period

Long dependency for learning and socialization.

Frugivory

Dietary adaptation focused on fruit consumption.

Folivory

Dietary adaptation focused on leaf consumption.

Insectivory

Dietary adaptation focused on eating insects.

Evolution of Primate Sociality

Social structures evolved for resource defense.

Resource Defense Model

Groups defend valuable, clumped resources effectively.

Predation Defense Model

Group living reduces predation risk.

Reproductive Asymmetry

Differences in reproductive strategies between sexes.

Female Strategies

Females invest heavily in offspring and mate selection.

Male Strategies

Males seek multiple mating opportunities and compete.

Intragroup Competition

Increased group size raises resource competition.

Intergroup Competition

Larger groups excel in territorial disputes.

Primate Diets

Diverse diets reflect ecological niches.

Major Threats to Primates

Various factors endanger primate populations.

Great Apes' Social Patterns

Complex social behaviors among great ape species.

Dominance Hierarchies

Established through aggressive and submissive interactions.

Primate Diets

Diverse diets influence social structures and behaviors.

Folivores

Primates that primarily consume leaves.

Frugivores

Primates that primarily consume fruits.

Insectivores

Primates that primarily consume insects.

Home Range

Area where a primate group forages and lives.

Resource Defense Model

Group living aids in defending valuable resources.

Predator Defense Model

Group living reduces predation risk through safety in numbers.

Great Apes

Includes orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos.

Orangutans

Generally solitary, social during fruiting seasons.

Gorillas

Live in groups led by a dominant silverback male.

Chimpanzees

Exhibit fission-fusion dynamics based on resource availability.

Bonobos

Known for tool use and coordinated hunting.

Habitat Loss

Deforestation reduces living space and food resources.

Hunting and Pet Trade

Poaching and illegal trade threaten primate populations.

Diseases

Infectious diseases spread easily in social groups.

Climate Change

Alters food resource availability for primates.

Solitary Primates

Example: Orangutans, females with offspring, males solitary.

Pair Living

Example: Gibbons, little sexual selection, strong bonds.

One-Male, Multifemale Groups

Example: Hamadryas Baboons, males compete for females.

Mating Systems

Influenced by social structures and resource distribution.

Social Structures

Diverse arrangements affecting primate mating strategies.

Sexual Selection

Process influencing mate choice and reproductive success.

Multimale Groups

Larger female groups not monopolized by one male.

Multifemale Groups

Groups where multiple females interact with males.

Male Dominance Rank

Hierarchy affecting male reproductive success.

Sexual Selection

Natural selection enhancing mating success traits.

Intrasexual Selection

Competition among same-sex individuals for mates.

Sexual Dimorphism

Physical differences between sexes in a species.