Chapter 5: Meet the Living Primates

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering primate taxonomy, anatomical traits, dental adaptations, and taxonomic groupings from Chapter 5: Meet the Living Primates.

Primitive Trait

A physical or biological characteristic inherited from a direct ancestor.

Derived Trait

A trait that has recently changed relative to the ancestral state.

Generalized Trait

An anatomical or behavioral trait that serves multiple purposes.

Specialized Trait

A trait adapted for a single, specific function.

Frugivore Dental Traits

Dental adaptations characterized by broad molars with rounded (bunodont) cusps, larger incisors, and intermediate digestive systems.

Folivore Dental Traits

Dental adaptations featuring broad molars with high, sharp cusps and shearing crests, smaller incisors, and specialized digestive systems.

Insectivore Dental Traits

Dental adaptations consisting of small, simple molars with sharp, pointed cusps, combined with simple stomachs.

Suborder Strepsirrhini

Primate suborder including lemurs, lorises, pottos, and galagos, defined by sensory traits such as a rhinarium, longer snout, postorbital bar, tapetum lucidum, and mobile ears.

Suborder Haplorrhini

Primate suborder characterized by the absence of a rhinarium, a short snout, eyes with a postorbital plate, a fovea, absence of a tapetum lucidum, and trichromatic vision in many species.

Infraorder Tarsiiformes

Infraorder of Asian tarsiers possessing derived traits like dry noses and close-set eyes, primitive traits like small size and vertical leaping, and unique traits like large eyes, grooming claws, and a faunivorous diet.

Infraorder Platyrrhini

Central and South American monkeys possessing flat noses with side-pointing rounded nostrils, a $2:1:3:3$ dental formula, highly arboreal habits, and polymorphic color vision.

Infraorder Catarrhini

Primate infraorder comprising Asian and African monkeys, apes, and humans with teardrop-shaped downward-pointing nostrils, a $2:1:2:3$ dental formula, large body sizes, and trichromatic color vision.

Superfamily Cercopithecoidea

Old World monkey superfamily characterized by a primitive quadrupedal body plan, bilophodont molars, ischial callosities (seat pads), and reproduction every $1-2\text{ years}$.

Superfamily Hominoidea

Superfamily of apes and humans native to tropical forests of Africa and Asia, featuring Y-5 molars, brachiation adaptations, lack of a tail, and reproduction every $4-9\text{ years}$.

Family Hylobatidae

The 'lesser apes' group consisting of small-bodied, pair-bonding primates with low sexual dimorphism, comprising frugivorous gibbons and folivorous siamangs.

Siamang

A member of family Hylobatidae weighing approximately $25\text{ pounds}$, characterized by a folivorous diet and large throat sacs used for vocalizations.

Genus Pongo

The orangutan genus, characterized by diurnal activity, frugivorous diet, solitary lifestyle, high sexual dimorphism, and male bimaturism.

Genus Gorilla

An African ape genus characterized by a folivorous diet, knuckle-walking locomotion, pronounced sexual dimorphism, and dominant mature males called 'silverbacks'.

Genus Pan

Ape genus comprising frugivorous knuckle-walkers living in fission-fusion social structures with moderate sexual dimorphism, split into chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus).

Homo Genetic Similarity

The degree of shared DNA between humans (Homo) and other hominoids, amounting to $>96\text{\%}$ shared DNA with Gorilla and $>98\text{\%}$ shared DNA with Pan.

Bilophodont Molars

Molars with two transverse ridges, characteristic of Old World monkeys (Cercopithecoidea).

Y-5 Molars

Molars featuring five cusps separated by a Y-shaped groove pattern, characteristic of hominoids (Hominoidea).

Ischial Callosities

Hardened skin seat pads found on the buttocks of Old World monkeys (Cercopithecoidea).