General Primate Characteristics

Question 1

What Are Primates?

Answer 1

an order of mammals and close relatives

Question 2

Primate Characteristics

Answer 2

1) grasping hands + feet

2) sensory system

3) large complex brains & associated behaviors

4) dental specializations, but generalized skeletons

Question 3

1. Grasping Hands and Feet

Answer 3

• Opposite thumb and hallux (big toe)
• Nails, not claws
• Sensitive tactile pads
• Power grip (squeeze object strongly between finger pads + palm)
• Precision grip (tip of your fingers for fine control)

Question 4

Sensory Systems (Vision)

Answer 4

• forward facing eyes
• greater reliance on vision
• dichromatic (blue, green)
• trichromatic (RGB)

Question 5

Cranial Anatomy to Protect the Eye

Answer 5

• all primates have a postorbital bar
• higher primates (haplorrhines) have postorbital closure
• non-primate mammals generally only have postorbital process

Question 6

Sensory System (Olfaction)

Answer 6

• reduced reliance on olfaction
• reduction of the snout

Question 7

Large Complex Brains

Answer 7

• large brains relative to body size
• many folds (sulci + fissures) to increase surface area
• learning/socializing (key to survival)
• greater reliance on learning linked to reduction to reliance upon instinct

Question 8

High Investment in Offspring

Answer 8

• fewer offspring, greater investment in rearing them (longer lives, birth single not litters)
• infants are relatively altricial (require nourishment)
• cling to mother
• longer juvenile development period
• tendency toward sociality

Question 9

Dental Formula: Ancestral Mammal Condition

Answer 9

3.1.4.3

Question 10

Dental Formula: Primitive Primates (New World Monkeys)

Answer 10

2.1.3.3.

Question 11

Dental Formula: Later Primates (Old World Monkeys)

Answer 11

2.1.2.3.

Question 12

Dental Formula NOTE

Answer 12

All primates have the same kinds of teeth, but species vary in how many of each kind of tooth they have

(incisors, canines, premolars, mola

Question 13

Generalized Skeleton

Answer 13

• generalized limb structure
• generalized flexible, morphology
• non-specialized physical form

Question 14

Remember These Two Points:

Answer 14

i. not all of these traits characterize all primates

ii. none of these traits is unique to primates (e.g. dolphins have large brains too, but together this suite of traits is only found in primates)