Primate Characteristics Flashcards
Primates have less of their brain (relative to other mammals) dedicated to olfaction. This is due to…
The reduced reliance on smell
Primate locomotion describes…
How the primate moves, and how long their limbs are relative to others because of how they move
Primates have adapted to eating a wide variety of foods. Which main primate characteristic does this fall within?
Dietary plasticity
What is the primitive mammalian dental formula?
3.1.4.3
What are exceptions to the opposable thumb and big toe characteristics in primates?
Not all New World monkeys have opposable thumbs
Humans do not have opposable toes
Primates have behaviorally and anatomically adapted (by way of natural selection) traits that ensure fitness while living in trees. Which main primate characteristic does this fall within?
Arboreal adaptations
What is an exception to the “nails instead of claws” feature in primates?
Some prosimians retain claws
What does “prehensile” mean?
Adapted for grasping (wrapping around an object)
What are the 4 main categories of primate characteristics?
Generalized morphology
Arboreal adaptations
Dietary plasticity
Parental investment
The type of locomotion that is characterized by very long hindlimbs relative to forelimbs and is typical of Prosimians is called…
VCL (vertical clinging and leaping)
Where are living primates found?
Tropical and semitropical areas in the New and Old Worlds
What does the dental formula describe?
The number of incisors, canines, premolars, and molars (in that order) in each quadrant of the mouth
What is the importance of having tactile pads?
Enhanced sense of touch (helps to offset reduced sense of smell and hearing)
What is the name for a tail that can grasp (only found in some New World monkeys)?
Prehensile tail
Being that primates do not have claws, what do they use to climb trees?
Their prehensile ability
What does binocular vision mean?
The eyes have overlapping fields of vision, allowing for enhanced depth perception (also necessary for 3D imaging)
Primates have a tendency towards what type of posture?
Erect
What does stereoscopic vision mean?
The information from both eyes is processed on both sides of the brain, increasing depth perception (allowing for 3D image processing)
What is the purpose of studying non-human primates?
To test evolutionary hypotheses, learn about biology and ecology, as a last chance to understand many species, and to learn about humans - specifically, what characteristics are unique to us and what characteristics are because we are primates.
What do all primates have to help protect their eyes that other mammals do not have?
A post-orbital bar or post-orbital plate
Parental investment is necessary because of the primate’s dependence on what type of behavior?
Flexible, learned behavior - the parent must teach the child the behaviors that are important for survival, rather than the child exclusively relying on instinct
All diurnal primates have what type of vision?
Color
Compared to other mammals, the primate brain is…
Large (relative to body size) and more complex
An important arboreal adaptation in primates is the presence of what type of vision?
Binocular and stereoscopic
