Primates

Prosimians	New World Monkeys	Old World Monkeys	Apes
Redfronted Lemur	Spider Monkey	Vervet Monkey	Gibbon

What do all these primates have in common and why have they been classified together?

The primates are an order of Mammalia distinguished by:

Grasping hands and feet

Five digits on hands and feet

Nails on digits

Friction pads and nails replace claws

Flexible limbs

Free mobility of limbs with unfused radius and ulna

Highly developed visual sense

Eyes look forward and overlap visual fields that give stereoscopic vision

Eyes are enclosed in a bony ring or bony socket

Reduction in olfactory apparatus especially the snout

Ear structures enclosed within a petrosal bone

And other General Characteristics

Lengthened period of maturation, infant dependency, and of gestation, compared with most mammals.

Relatively long life span

Low reproductive rate, especially among Hominoidea

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Relatively large and complex brain, especially those parts involved in vision, tactile inputs, muscle coordination and control, and memory and learning.

What kinds of environments do they live in? (Refer to your map)

· primarily equatorial zones worldwide

The Prosimians such as the loris (Lorisoidea), lemurs (Lemuroidea) and tarsiers (Tarsioidea) come from Africa, Madigascar and Southeast Asia

The New World Monkeys (Cebidae) come from Central and South America

and include the Marmosets and Tamarins (Callitrichidae)-

The Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecoidea) come from Africa and Asia

The Apes such as the chimpanzee and gorilla comes from Africa but the gibbon and orangutan come from Asia

The Suborder and Infraorder of Primates are

Ring-tailed Lemur Loris

Tarsier

What characteristics do the Prosimians share?

Toilet claw on second toe

Note Position: they are also vertical clingers and leapers

Mandibular toothcomb in most

species

Postorbital bar only (tarsiers have the complete eye socket)

Top: hedgehog

Bottom left: lemur

Bottom right: New World monkey

Lemurs such as this Lemur Macaco

· live in Madagascar and nearby islands

· 22 surviving species evolved without competition from other primates and display considerable variation

· range in size from the mouse lemur (5 inches long) to the indri (two feet long).

· Larger lemurs are diurnal and smaller are nocturnal and insectivorous

New World Monkeys differ from Old World monkeys:

- Nostrils open to the sides (not downwards) Woolly Monkey

- Prehensile tail of the Spider Monkey

And monkeys have other anatomical traits correlated with habitual quadrupedal locomotion.

Apes have other characteristics:

Broad chest

Short, stiff back

Long arms with mobile wrists, elbows and shoulders

Used for brachiating

No tail