Primatology: The Living Primates

• Lecture notes on 'the living primates’ will not be tested in Term Test 1
• The subject matter of ‘the living primates’ is covered in Term Test 2

Evaluation

• Term Test I accounts for 25% of the final grade, covering material from chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
• Term Test I is on 11 February and has 50 multiple choice questions
• Term Test II accounts for 25% of the final grade, covering material from chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11
• Term Test II is on 25 March and includes 50 multiple choice questions
• The Final Exam accounts for 50% of the final grade, and is cumulative, covering all material from the above chapters, plus 6, 12, and 13
• The final examination period is from 11-25 April and includes 100 multiple choice questions

The Living Primates

• Key topics include: why study primates, common primate traits, classification, and the various primates

Why Study Non-Human Primates?

• Studying non-human primates helps one understand physical and behavioral diversity
• They're living models for interpreting hominin fossil remains, specifically in biology, social behavior, and ecology
• It's important for conservation efforts

Taxonomic Classification: Linnaeus's Order

• Taxonomic classification is based on Linnaeus’s ideas about order

Primates: Order

• Primates are classified into the order primates
• The suborders are Prosimians and Anthropoids
• Anthropoids divided into infraorders Platyrrhines found in the Americas Monkees, and Catarrhines primates outside Americas
• Platyrrhines are further classified into superfamily Ceboids
• Catarrhines are classified into Cercopithecoids and Hominoids (apes and humans)

Taxonomic Classification: Unique Primates

• Understanding taxonomic classification helps understand what makes primates unique

Kingdom Animalia Hierarchy

• Primates are within the kingdom Animalia, phylum Chordata (subphylum Vertebrates), class Mammalia (infraclass Placental Mammals)

Vertebrate Characteristics

• Vertebrates include several classes of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals
• Vertebrates have an internal spinal cord covered by bones
• They exhibit bilateral symmetry, where the left side equals the right side
• Vertebrates have the same basic skeletal design, such as the 'arms' of humans, whales, and chickens

Mammal Characteristics (Class)

• The first primitive mammals evolved around 200 mya, diverging from early reptiles
• Viviparity is a characteristic of mammals who give birth to live offspring, not eggs
• Many mammals including primates are placental, with pregnant females and connecting placenta
• Mammals have an evolutionary compromise, with energy demands limiting the number of offspring
• Lactation demands ensure offspring survival, but limit the number that can be cared for at one time
• Homoiotherms is the maintenance of a constant body temperature
• Fur coverings, blood fluctuation, and ingestion of food enable mammals to exploit a larger amount of environments
• Dentition is where mammals have two sets of teeth and are heterodonts, incisors, and molars
• The reptile teeth grow throughout life and are homodonts
• The tooth variation allows food sources, but if teeth are lost, then there is no replacement and the risk of starvation
• Mamal Skeletal Structure: Reptile limbs point to the side, so mammals have the ability to tuck in under their bodies allowing more movement

Primate vs Earlier Mammalian Ancestors

• Primates focus on prehensile hands and feet with opposable thumbs and big toes
• Primates have nails instead of claws and the tips of fingers/toes are nerve ending pads & dermal ridges
• Position of eye orbits (forward-facing), stereoscopic vision, long period of infant dependency & learning

Living Primates Characteristics

• Found in tropical, arboreal, and vegetarian environments
• Mostly found 30° on either side of the equator in Africa, Asia, Central and South America
• Japanese Macaque is a Cercopithecine is the "northernmost non-human primate" at -15C & snow

Order Primates

• There are suborders of Prosimians and Anthropoids
• Under the suborder Anthropoids there's infraorders Platyrrhines (Monkeys in the Americas) and Catarrhines (Primates outside the Americas)
• Under the infraorder Platyrrhines there's Superfamily Ceboids
• Finally under the infraorder Catarrhines there's Cercopithecoids and Hominoids(apes & Humans)

Prosimians Characteristics

• Prosimians are in Madagascar, Africa, S.E. Asia, and India
• They're small to medium size
• Nocturnal adaptation with some lemurs becoming diurnal due to geographic isolation
• Posses Vertical clinging, leaps with their hind limbs, and are quadrupeds on both ground and trees

Anthropoid Primates

• Platyrrhine and Catarrhine primates evolved separately over millions of years

Catarrhine and Platyrrhine

• Catarrhine Monkeys such as Guenons have downward-pointing nostrils and live in trees
• Platyrrhine Monkeys have broad, flat nostrils, and live in trees
• Prehensile grasping tail of Platyrrhine monkeys
• Howler Monkeys are "CEBID" and the Marmoset is a "CALLITRICHID"

Catarrhine Monkeys

• Catarrhine (Cercopithecoid) Monkeys are from Asia and Africa and are active during the day
• Colobus and Langur monkeys are COLOBINE
• Baboons are CERCOPITHECINE

Hominoids Apes & Humans

• Contains catarrhine with hylobatidae, pongidae, panidae and hominidae
• Hominoids lack tails and possesses differences in skeletal structure & shape and dentition
• Gibbons are lesser apes and are mostly “pair-bonded”
• Brachiation refers to arm-swinging to move through the trees

Orangutans

• Orangutans have “flanges,” a "semi-solitary" adaptation because of food stress
• Orangutans brachiate but can climb, and quadrupedalism
• Gorillas live in “troops” and the leader is called “silverback”
• Common Chimpanzee and Bonobo engage in knuckle walking

Primatology Pioneers

• Louis Leakey (1903-1972) and Mary Leakey (1913-1996) made significant contributions to primatology
• Dian Fossey (1932-1985) studied gorillas in Rwanda
• Jane Goodall (1934 - ) researched chimpanzees in Tanzania
• Birute Galdikas (1946 - ) studied orangutans in Borneo
• See a video called "[saving orangutans; palm oil & globalization, 8:56]" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyiqflVeTrQ
• See the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lib-c0As67o
• Palm oil is popular
• RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainabe Palm Oil)