Chapter 6

Question 1

Describe common primate traits.

Answer 1

Features are not is unique to primates - generalized mammalian. (Warm blooded–Placental mammal–Generalized skeleton with 5 digit)
Arboreal existence (Tactile pads•Opposable thumbs•Rotating forearm - Nails rather than claws)
Enlarged visual centre in the brain/reduction sense of smell –Dietary plasticity—wide range of foods

Question 2

What is the skeletal struc. of primates?

Answer 2

Mobile joints–Hands and feet•Precision and power grips
Halux (big toe) bone in feet same width as other toes.
Primates have a rounded and single arch spine.

Question 3

Describe enhanced touch.

Answer 3

Dermal ridges–Nails instead of claws–Tactile pads

No hair on hands and feet

Question 4

Describe enhanced vision.

Answer 4

Forward facing eyes, enclosed or bony eye socket and post-orbital bar.

Question 5

Describe the characteristics of primate teeth.

Answer 5

Canine-premolar honing complex (sharpening) • Diastema(gap) • Sectorial premolar
Shift from Bilophodont molars (mandibular) to Y-5 molars (not in NW Monkeys or prosimians - they have dental comb - grooming + food)

Question 6

What are the social features of gestation and childhood?

Answer 6

Very spaced out births (body size + social learning) • Long Dependency–Social relationships begin with mother.
•Play is an important part of learning–Offspring learn many things in social groups.
Long infancy and childhood.

Question 7

What is the difference between primate brains and other species?

Answer 7

Primate brains are larger thus they are smarter, long infancy and childhood allows for proper brain development.

Question 8

Describe primate communication.

Answer 8

Sound–vocalization•Odour–Chemical •Body Movement–Facial expression
Different sounds mean different things.

Question 9

Describe classification of primates.

Answer 9

divided into two suborders:

• Prosimians•Lemurs, Lorises, Tarsiers
• Anthropoids•New World Monkeys, Old World Monkeys, Lesser Apes, Great Apes, Humans and their ancestors

Question 10

What is the other way to describe primates?

Answer 10

Strepsirhines (Lemurs, Lorises - lesser primates) and Haplorhines (anthropoids, tarsiers - higher primates)

Question 11

Prosimians

Answer 11

Most are quadrupeds•Vertical clinging and leaping•Compared to anthropoids–Have more mobile ears and whiskers–Longer snouts–Little facial expression

Question 12

Anthropoids

Answer 12

Platyrrhines–New World Monkeys (flat face)

Catarrhines–Old World Monkeys–Apes–Humans (downward facing nose)

Question 13

New World Monkeys

Answer 13

Distinguished from OW Monkeys–Shape of the nose–Position of the nostrils–Three premolars•2133/2133 dental formula–Some have prehensile tails–All are arboreal

Question 14

Old World Monkeys

Answer 14

Same dental formula as apes and humans: – 2 Incisors, 1 canine, 2 premolars, 3 molars • Some are terrestrial

Question 15

Anthropoids

Answer 15

Cercopithecoids–Colobines
•Arboreal• Leaf-eating
•Mixed habitat: arboreal, terrestrial•More fruit in diet
•Model for behaviour of earliest hominids

Question 16

Hominoids (apes + humans)

Answer 16

Lesser apes (hylobates) – Gibbons and Siamangs
•Great Apes (pongids) – Orangutans, Gorillas and Chimpanzees
•Hominins – Humans and their ancestors

Question 17

Hominoid characteristics

Answer 17

Relative large brains
•Fairly long arms, short broad trunks and no tails
•Flat and rounded molars
•Y-5 rather than bilophodont molar patter

Question 18

Hominoid locomotor pattern

Answer 18

Suspensory • Orthograde • Brachiation • Knuckle-walking

Question 19

Gibbons and Siamangs

Answer 19

Found in southeast Asia • Brachiators • Live in small family groups • Mate for life • Little sexual dimorphism

Question 20

Orangutans

Answer 20

Only in Borneo and Sumatra • Sexually dimorphic • Arboreal fruit eaters • Solitary

Question 21

Gorillas

Answer 21

Lowland and Mountain Gorillas from Africa • Eat plants rather than fruit • Knuckle-walking form of locomotion • Sexually dimorphic • Live in groups with a dominant male called a silverback

Question 22

Chimpanzees

Answer 22

Live in the forested areas of Africa • Primarily fruit eaters, but will eat insects, small monkeys • Arboreal and terrestrial • Slightly sexually dimorphic

Question 23

Hominins

Answer 23

Only ones today are humans.
Similar in genetics and blood proteins to chimpanzees and gorillas.
Hominids diverged from the line leading to Gorillas and Chimpanzees 6 mya.

Question 24

Models for hominin behaviour

Answer 24

Non-human primates = living model early humans + ancestors
•Either – Experimental or Specific variables can be controlled, but it imposed an artificial environment–Natural observation • Better picture of behaviour but expensive + time consuming

Question 25

Explanations of Variable Primate Adaptations

Answer 25

Body Size • Relative Brain Size • Group Size • Sexual Dimorphism

Question 26

Distinctive Human Traits

Answer 26

• Physical – Bipedalism – Large complex brain – Human sexuality
• Behavioural – Greater proportion learned – Toolmaking – language