Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are the traits that distinguish platyrrhines from catarrhines?
What are the traits that distinguish platyrrhines from catarrhines?
Platyrrhines feature a 2:1:3:3 dental formula, flat nose nostrils outward, prehensile tail (not all platyrrhines have a prehensile tail but if you see a prehensile tail, you know that it is a platyrrhine), exclusively arboreal.
When do platyrrhines first appear in the fossil record? From where do they likely originate? How did they most likely get to the New World?
When do platyrrhines first appear in the fossil record? From where do they likely originate? How did they most likely get to the New World?
Oligocene (26 mya) deposits in Bolivia; likely originated in Africa; most likely by rafting across the south Atlantic from Africa to South America.
To what family does the white-faced saki belong? What type of diet does it have, and what adaptation does it have for this food resource?
To what family does the white-faced saki belong? What type of diet does it have, and what adaptation does it have for this food resource?
Pithecia; It is granivorous and has large incisors and flat molars. The adaptation is that their incisors jut forward in order to crack seeds.
To what family do capuchins belong? What behaviors are these monkeys known for?
To what family do capuchins belong? What behaviors are these monkeys known for?
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To what family do owl monkeys belong? What is unique about owl monkeys?
To what family do owl monkeys belong? What is unique about owl monkeys?
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To what family do marmosets and tamarins belong? What anatomical adaptations and aspects of social behavior make these monkeys unique?
To what family do marmosets and tamarins belong? What anatomical adaptations and aspects of social behavior make these monkeys unique?
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To what family do spider monkeys belong? How have they converged behaviorally on apes, and how is this reflected in their skeletons?
To what family do spider monkeys belong? How have they converged behaviorally on apes, and how is this reflected in their skeletons?
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To what family do howler monkeys belong? What is unique about these monkeys compared to other primates?
To what family do howler monkeys belong? What is unique about these monkeys compared to other primates?
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What shared derived traits distinguish catarrhines from other primates?
What shared derived traits distinguish catarrhines from other primates?
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What family represents Old World monkeys? What shared derived traits distinguish this family from other primates?
What family represents Old World monkeys? What shared derived traits distinguish this family from other primates?
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Where are Old World monkeys found, and what is outstanding about their distribution compared to other living non-human primates?
Where are Old World monkeys found, and what is outstanding about their distribution compared to other living non-human primates?
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When do Old World monkeys first appear in the fossil record, and what is an example of an early family/member of this group?
When do Old World monkeys first appear in the fossil record, and what is an example of an early family/member of this group?
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What are the two major groups of living Old World monkeys? What distinguishes them from one another?
What are the two major groups of living Old World monkeys? What distinguishes them from one another?
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To which Old World monkey group does the macaque belong? What is extraordinary about macaques regarding their geographic distribution?
To which Old World monkey group does the macaque belong? What is extraordinary about macaques regarding their geographic distribution?
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To which Old World monkey group does the mandrill belong? What is a distinguishing feature of the mandrill when compared to other primates?
To which Old World monkey group does the mandrill belong? What is a distinguishing feature of the mandrill when compared to other primates?
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To which Old World monkey group does the gelada baboon belong? Where are modern gelada baboons found?
To which Old World monkey group does the gelada baboon belong? Where are modern gelada baboons found?
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What is unique about the leaf-eating monkey infant/neonatal coat pattern?
What is unique about the leaf-eating monkey infant/neonatal coat pattern?
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To which Old World monkey group does the proboscis monkey belong? What distinguishing feature does the proboscis monkey have?
To which Old World monkey group does the proboscis monkey belong? What distinguishing feature does the proboscis monkey have?
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To which Old World monkey group do the colobus monkeys belong? Where are colobus monkeys found?
To which Old World monkey group do the colobus monkeys belong? Where are colobus monkeys found?
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Given the lack of fossils for the living colobus monkeys, how do we know when they diverged back in time?
Given the lack of fossils for the living colobus monkeys, how do we know when they diverged back in time?
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Study Notes
Platyrrhines vs. Catarrhines
- Platyrrhines have a 2:1:3:3 dental formula, outward-facing nostrils, and often possess prehensile tails, primarily living arboreally.
- Catarrhines possess a 2:1:2:3 dental formula, with downward-facing nostrils and a temporal tube.
Origin and Early Fossil Record
- Platyrrhines first appeared in the Oligocene epoch, approximately 26 million years ago, in Bolivia, with fossils resembling modern forms found in mid-late Miocene deposits in Patagonia.
- They likely originated in Africa and migrated to South America via rafting across the South Atlantic Ocean.
White-faced Saki
- Belongs to the family Pithecia.
- Granivorous diet supported by large incisors and flat molars, with incisors adapting to crack seeds.
Capuchins
- Part of the Cebinae family.
- Known for high intelligence, tool use (e.g., hammerstones for cracking nuts), and living in close proximity to humans, aided by dexterous hands and large brains.
Owl Monkeys
- Members of the Aotidae family.
- Unique as the only nocturnal New World monkeys, featuring large eyes and lacking a tapetum lucidum.
Marmosets and Tamarins
- Belong to the Callitrichidae family.
- They exhibit primitive traits such as claws on digits and small body sizes, and often give birth to twins, leading to significant paternal care.
Spider Monkeys
- Part of the Atelidae family.
- Behaviorally similar to apes, with a suspensory locomotion reflected in their ape-like thorax shape and rib cage.
Howler Monkeys
- Also belong to Atelidae.
- Known as the loudest land mammal due to specialized hyoid bones; they are the only folivorous New World monkeys.
Catarrhine Characteristics
- Catarrhines have raised, rounded noses and a bilophodont dental pattern, with shared derived traits including the temporal tube.
Old World Monkeys
- Represented by the family Cercopithecidae, characterized by ischial callosities (butt pads) and bilophodont molars.
Distribution of Old World Monkeys
- Found in diverse environments across Asia and Africa, exhibiting the widest distribution among non-human primates, including habitats like snow (Japanese macaques) and high altitudes (baboons).
Fossil Record of Old World Monkeys
- First appearing around the early Miocene, with modern families like Victoriapithecus found by the mid Miocene, inhabiting Africa and Eurasia.
Divisions of Old World Monkeys
- Divided into Colobines (leaf-eating monkeys) and Cercopithecines (cheek pouch monkeys), distinguished by dietary preferences.
Macaques
- Classified under Cercopithecines with an extraordinary geographic distribution, primarily in Asia but also found in Africa, holding the widest range of any genus.
Mandrills
- Part of the Cercopithecine family; they are renowned for being the most brightly colored primates, with males typically twice the size of females, showcasing intersexual selection.
Gelada Baboons
- Belong to the Cercopithecine group, found in Ethiopia's highlands. They have a unique grass-based diet and large social groups, engaging in vocal grooming.
Leaf-eating Monkey Infants
- Have distinct coat patterns that differ from adults and transition to adult coloration as they mature.
Proboscis Monkey
- A Colobine species recognized for its large nose, an intersexually selected trait aiding in sound amplification.
Colobus Monkeys
- Found in Africa; divergence from ancestors is estimated using molecular clocks, assessing mutation rates to determine evolutionary timelines.
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Description
This quiz covers the distinguishing traits of platyrrhines and catarrhines, including their dental formula and evolutionary history. Test your knowledge on the origins and characteristics of these primate subfamilies.
