Chapter 5: Primate Ecology and Diversity Flashcards
what is a homologous trait?
a trait that is common to several groups due to a shared common ancestor in the past
define viviparity
essentially giving birth to live offspring
what is homology?
the similarity in anatomy and behaviour due to common ancestry
what is analogy?
similarity in structure and function derived independently of one another (e.g wings of a bird vs wings of a bee)
nocturnal vs diurnal vs crepuscular
nocturnal: night dwelling
diurnal: day dwelling
crepuscular: dawn and dusk dwelling
what is sexual dimorphism?
the difference in body size of mature males and females
what are some common primate characteristics?
- grasping hands and feet
- nails instead of claws
- hind-limb driven locomotion
- forward facing eyes
- reduced smell, enhanced vision
- large brains
- long gestation
- small litters
- long lifespan
- long juvenile period
what is stereoscopic vision?
the ability to see images in 3D with depth perception
what are the 4 different kinds of teeth primates have?
incisors, canines, premolars and molars
what is the dental formula of humans?
2:1:2:3
what is brachiation?
the process of swinging between trees using only arms
arboreal vs terrestrial
arboreal: tree dwelling
terrestrial: land dwelling
what is the modern range of primates?
the Americas, Africa and Asia
what is the ancient range of primates?
included Europe and North America
what is the HUMAN line of primate taxonomy?
- primates
- haplorrhines
- semiformes
- catarrhine
- hominoidea
- hominidae
- hominini
- hominina
what are the two suborders in the taxonomy?
strepsirrhines and haplorrhines
what are some qualities of a strepsirrhine?
- “twisted nose”
- wet noses with a rhinarium
- tooth combs
- tapetum lucidum (night vision)
what are some qualities of a haplorrhine?
- “simple nose”
- dry nose
- no rhinarium
- has fovea rather than a tapetum (sharp vision)
what are the 4 infraorders in the taxonomy?
lemuriforms, lorisiformes, semiformes, and tarsiformes
what are the lemuriforms?
- lemurs
- adaptive radiation
what is adaptive radiation?
a rapid increase in the number of species with a common ancestor
what are lorisiformes?
- lorises, galagoes and pottos
- arboreal
what are tarsiformes?
- small, nocturnal insect eaters
what are the two parvorders following semiformes?
platyrrhines and catarrhines
what are some qualities of a platyrrhine?
- flat noses
- NEW WORLD MONKEYS
- outward facing nostrils
- only parvorder to have prehensive tails
what are some qualities of a catarrhine?
- OLD WORLD MONKEYS AND APES
- downward facing nostrils
- no prehensile tails
- larger body size compared to platyrrhines
what are the new world monkeys?
platyrrhines
what are the old world monkeys and apes?
catarrhines
what are the two superfamilies following catarrhines?
cercopithecoidea and hominoidea
which includes the old world monkeys, cercopithecoidea or hominoidea?
cercopithecoidea
which includes the apes?
hominoidea
what are some qualities of cercopithecoidea?
- have tails (none prehensile)
- old world monkeys
- bilophodont molars (square)
what are some qualities of hominoidea?
- apes
- no tails
- large brains
- y-5 molars
what are the two families following hominoidea?
hylobatidae and hominidae
what is pelage?
fur colour
what are some qualities of hylobatidae?
- gibbons and siamangs
- long arms
- pair bonds
- territorial duets
- lesser apes
what are some qualities of hominidae?
- great apes
- quadrupedal
- relies on hands
- altricial young
what are the two subfamilies following hominidae?
homininae and ponginae
what are some qualities of ponginae?
- pongo
- orangutans
- solitary living
what are some qualities of hominae?
- no orangutans, only African apes
what are the two tribes following hominae?
gorillini and hominini
what are the two subtribes following hominini?
hominina and panina
what are the three genus?
gorilla, pan, and homo
what are some qualities of the gorilla?
- largest of the apes
- usually one male multifemale groups
what are some qualities of the homo genus?
- includes all humans and relatives since our split with chimpanzees
- behavioural flexibility
- bipedal
what are some qualities of the genus pan?
- chimpanzees and bonobos
- knuckle walking
- tool makers
what is the basal vs active metabolic rates?
basal: rate you burn energy at rest
active: twice that energy is spent when active
what are insectivores?
- eat insects
- small body size
- simple digestive systems
what are folivores?
- eat leaves
- complex digestive systems
- sharp molars
- large body size
what are frugivores?
- eat fruit
- large digestive systems
- medium body size
- flat molars
what are gummivores?
- eat gum and tree sap
- small body size
- long incisors
what are the two factors influencing territory size?
- availability of food
- seasonality of food
a less common food source could mean a ________ area inhabited
greater
what are the 3 D’s of the benefits of an increased group size?
- dilution (low individual risk of death)
- deterrence (mobbing)
- detection (more eyes)
what are the costs and benefits of primate sociality?
costs: more competition, more disease transmission
benefits: less predators, defense of food, cooperative breeding
what is a solitary group type?
- the female and her offspring, the male usually floats around (orangutans)
what is a monogamous group type?
- male, female and their offspring (gibbons)
what is a polyandrous group type?
one female, multiple males and their offspring (tamarinds)
what is a polygamy one-male group?
one male, multiple females and offspring (gorillas)
what is a polygamy multimale group?
multiples of both males and females and offspring (chimps)
what is cooperative breeding?
when an offspring is raised by multiple individuals
altricial vs precocial?
altricial: useless/dependent young
precocial: independent at birth
what is a molecular clock?
the timing of when two or more groups split in history
