Primate diversity

Question 1

Strepsirrhines vs Haplorrhines

Answer 1

rhinarium vs no rhinarium
split upper lip vs continuous upper lip
tapetum vs no tapetum lucidium
post-orbital bar vs post-orbital plate
tooth comb vs no tooth comb

Question 2

Lorisiformes

Answer 2

• SE Asia & Africa
• small (< 2 kg)* solitary
• nocturnal
• largely arboreal
  galago (bush baby)

Question 3

Lemuriformes

Answer 3

• Madagascar & nearby islands
• adaptive radiation
• variable in size & behaviour
• variable dental formulae

Question 4

Chiromyiformes (aye-aye)

Answer 4

• Madagascar
• ~2.5 kg (worlds largest nocturnal primate)
• unique rodent-like dentition (only 16 teeth)
• specialised adaptation of middle finger (woodpecker niche)

Question 5

Tarsiiformes
(tarsiers)

Answer 5

• SE Asia
• 100-150 g
• arboreal
• nocturnal predators (owl niche)

Question 6

Simiiformes (Anthropoids)

Answer 6

• larger bodies
• larger & more complex brains
• more complex social structure
• almost all diurnal (except one)
• more visually-oriented

Question 6

Platyrrhines (e.g. American monkeys)

Answer 6

Platyrrhines (e.g. American monkeys)
* South & Central America only
* many have prehensile tails
* arboreal
* polymorphic trichromatic vision

Question 7

Trichromatic colour vision

Answer 7

• Three visual pigments (short, medium, long) responsible for primate colour vision
• Wavelengths closely correspond with colours humans perceive as blue, green and red
• S pigment gene located on chromosome 7
• M & L are very similar to each other (differ in 3/364 amino acids) and located on the X chromosome

Question 8

American monkeys/apes vs. Afro-Eurasian monkeys

Answer 8

• Afro-Eurasian monkeys and apes – full trichromatic colour vision
• American monkeys – polymorphic trichromatic colour vision
• 1 gene location (locus) on X chromosome, 3 gene variants (alleles) – M, L, and something in between
• AM males two colours; some females (ML heterozygotes) three colours
• Probably the ancestral condition, and a precursor to full trichromacy (achieved through gene duplication)

Question 9

Adaptive benefits

Answer 9

• Improved colour discrimination
• Improved foraging efficiency (identification of ripe fruits; new edible leaves)
• Predator & poison detection
• Identification of skin/hair colour differences (sexual selection; sensing the emotions/states of others)

Question 10

Cercopithecoids vs Hominoids

Answer 10

Tails vs no tails
Smaller brain sizes vs Larger brain size
4-cusped molars vs 5-cusped molars
Adapted for quadrupedalism vs Adapted for suspensory locomotion

Question 11

Family: Hominidae, a.k.a. Large-bodied apes and humans

Answer 11

4 genera (Pongo, Gorilla, Pan, Homo)8 species

Question 12

Genus: Pongo Orangutan

Answer 12

SE Asia
* red/brown hair
* fat pads in males
* males 80-90 kg; females 33-45 kg
* hanging (fist-walking on ground)
* solitary social system

Question 13

Genus: Gorilla

Answer 13

• Equatorial Africa
• blackish hair (some red on head)
• males 180 kg; females 90 kg
• knuckle-walking on ground
• small one-male groups

Question 14

Pan troglodytes

Answer 14

• Equatorial Africa
• highly variable faces and overall appearance
• males 50 kg; females 40 kg
• knuckle-walking on ground
• both terrestrial and arboreal (varies by culture)
• large communities (50+)
• adult male bonds, fluid dominance (size, strength, intelligence)

Question 15

Pan paniscus (bonobo)

Answer 15

• highly variable morphologically
• knuckle-walking
• large communities
• matriarchal social structure
• strongest bonds between females
• sex part of the societal fabric
• adept bipeds