Primate Diversity and Taxonomy

Primates

• Primates are diverse in diet, social structures, and activity patterns.
• Primates are mammals with diverse characteristics.

Geographic Distribution

• Primates are distributed across the globe.

Primate Taxonomy

• Traits that define Primates include an opposable thumb, flat nails, reduced olfactory apparatus,stereoscopic vision, large brains, and a postorbital bar.

Now this is cool. Primate Life History

• ' Primates have longer gestation periods and maturation rates compared to other mammals.
• Longer gestation and maturation rates signify greater parental investment.

Strepsirrhine Characteristics

• Strepsirrhines have a dental tooth comb, moist rhinarium, unfused mandibular and frontal symphases, tapetum lucidum, and a postorbital bar.
• Strepsirrhines are divided into two superfamilies: Lemuroidea and Lorisoidea.

Lemuroidea

• Found in Madagascar and the Comoro islands.
• They are typically arboreal quadrupeds and leapers.
• Many small-bodied species are nocturnal.
• Female dominance is common.
• Their diet varies.

Lorisoidea

• Found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
• Arboreal quadrupeds.
• Nocturnal.
• Varied diet.
• Often exhibit toxic bites.

Haplorhine Characteristics

• Haplorhines have a dry nose, retinal fovea, postorbital closure, fused mandibular and frontal symphases, and are divided into two infraorders: Anthropoidea and Tarsiiformes.

Tarsiiformes

• Contain only the Tarsius genus.
• Found in Southeast Asia.
• Small in size.
• Have relatively large eyes with fused lower leg bones.
• Entirely faunivorous (meat-eating).

Platyrrhines

• Found in Central and South America.
• Diverse in body size.
• Includes several families: Cebidae, Atelidae, Aotidae, and Pitheciidae.
• Some species have prehensile tails.
• Predominantly arboreal.
• Share a dental formula.

Catarrhini

• Distributed in Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia.
• Wide range of body sizes.
• Includes Cercopithecidae, Hylobatidae, and Hominidae.
• Display diverse adaptations, diets, and social structures.

New World Monkey and Old World Monkey (and Apes) Differences

• New World Monkeys have 2133/2133 dental formula while Old World Monkeys have 2123/2123.
• New World Monkeys, some species, possess prehensile tails while Old World Monkeys do not.
• New World Monkeys have a tympanic ring fused to the auditory bulla, while Old World Monkeys have a tympanic tube.
• Parietal bone meets the zygomatic bone in New World Monkeys, but not in Old World Monkeys.

Primate Dentition

• Variation in dental structures between primates reflects their adaptations for consuming different diets.

Body Size

• As an animal doubles in size, its weight increases eight times.
• Smaller animals lose heat faster than larger ones.

Kay’s Threshold

• Kay's threshold describes the relationship between body size and the tendency to be diurnal or nocturnal in primates.

Primate Evolutionary Ecology

• Primate evolution and behavior are driven by a combination of bottom-up and top-down processes.
• Predation pressures significantly impact primate evolution.

Primate Habitats

• Primates live in a variety of habitats including tropical rainforests, dry forests, deserts, and savannas.
• Primates occupy specific ecological niches within these habitats.

Primate Ranging Patterns

• Primate ranging patterns can be described using concepts like daily path length, day range, home range, core area, and territory.

Why Do Primates Live in Groups?

• Living in groups can provide numerous benefits for primates, such as increased protection from predators, enhanced foraging opportunities, and improved access to mates.