Summary of Primates and Their Characteristics

Dental Formula

• Represents the number and arrangement of teeth in mammals.

• Composed of:

  • Incisors (I)
  • Canines (C)
  • Premolars (Pm)
  • Molars (M)

• Example structure:

  • Maxillary Teeth: I, C, Pm, M
  • Mandibular Teeth: I, C, Pm, M

• Symmetry:

  • Equal number of teeth on left and right sides of the maxilla (upper jaw) and mandible (lower jaw).

• General representation of dental formula: 2, 1, 2, 3/2, 1, 2, 3

  • Where:
  • 2 = number of incisors
  • 1 = number of canines
  • 2 = number of premolars
  • 3 = number of molars

Dietary Categories

• Insectivory: Feeding on insects.
• Frugivory: Feeding on fruits.
• Folivory: Feeding on foliage (leaves, vines).
• Omnivory: Varied diet including both animal and plant-based foods.

Locomotion

• Types of locomotion observed in primates:
  • Leaping: Vertical clinging and leaping techniques.
  • Running and Leaping: Combination of running with occasional leaps.
  • Quadrupedalism: Walking on all fours.
  • Arm-Swinging/Brachiation: Swinging using arms.
  • Bipedalism: Walking on two legs.

Mating Systems

• Types of mating systems:
  • Polygyny: One male breeding with multiple females.
  • Monogamy: One male breeding with one female.
  • Polyandry: One female breeding with multiple males.
  • Noyau: Single male territories overlap with multiple female territories; no stable social groups.

Primate Taxonomy

• Order: Primates

• Suborder: Strepsirhini (lemurs and lorises) & Haplorhini (tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans)

  • Infraorder: Lemuriformes (lemurs) and Tarsiiformes (tarsiers)
  • Parvorder: Platyrrhini (New World monkeys) & Catarrhini (Old World monkeys, apes, humans)

• Superfamilies:

  • Hominoidea: (apes and humans)
  • Families: Hylobatidae (gibbons), Hominidae (great apes and humans)

Chimpanzees

• Genus: Pan

  • Species:
  • Pan troglodytes (Common Chimpanzee)
  • Pan paniscus (Bonobo)

• Diet: Primarily frugivorous (fruit-based diet); also consume leaves and insects, and occasionally hunt smaller animals (e.g., colobus monkeys).

• Locomotion: Varied forms including:

  • Arm-swinging in trees
  • Knuckle-walking on ground
  • Occasional bipedalism

• Morphology:

  • Arms longer than legs
  • Stiff back with reduced lumbar vertebrae
  • No tail
  • Y-5 cusp pattern on lower molars
  • Dental Formula: 2, 1, 2, 3/2, 1, 2, 3

• Behavioral Traits:

  • Highly social animals, engage in grooming and play.
  • Known for tool use and social structures with multiple-male polygyny.
  • Territorial behaviors observed among males.

Gorillas

• Species: Gorilla gorilla

• Diet: Folivorous, primarily consisting of leaves and vegetation; does not eat meat.

• Locomotion: Quadrupedal knuckle-walking.

• Morphology:

  • Marked sexual dimorphism (males are larger).
  • Dental Formula: 2, 1, 2, 3/2, 1, 2, 3
  • Prominent sagittal crest for muscle attachment.

• Behavioral Patterns:

  • One-male polygyny structures, led by a dominant silverback.
  • Low territoriality

• Limited instances of tool use.

Orangutans

• Genus: Pongo

  • Species: Pongo pygmaeus

• Diet: Frugivorous; does not eat meat.

• Locomotion: Arboreally adapted; use slow climbing techniques in trees.

• Morphology:

  • Similar to other great apes regarding dental formula and Y-5 cusp pattern.
  • Arms significantly longer than legs with sexual dimorphism.

• Behavioral Traits:

  • Noyau mating system, with social units primarily of mothers and offspring.
  • Known for tool use, including the manipulation of sticks to access food.

Gibbons

• Genus: Hylobates, multiple species

• Diet: Frugivorous; does not consume meat.

• Locomotion: Characterized by brachiation, which allows rapid movement through trees.

• Morphology:

  • Similar traits to other apes, no sexual dimorphism in size.

• Behavior: Display monogamous relationships, territorial behavior but no evident tool use.