primates Flashcards
(32 cards)
plesiadapiforms
primate like mammals emerged in the late cretaceous, enlarged procumbent incisors with low crowned molars
euprimates
more modern primates, grasping hands and feet with nails, enlarged orbits and orbital convergence, post orbital bar or plate, enlarged brain
primate characteristics
reduced snout and overlapping visual fields, post orbital bar or plate, large braincase with large orbitals, advanced brain with enlarged frontal cortex
primate teeth
generalized bunodont teeth, quadrate molars, generalized omnivores
primate face
reliance on vision with forward facing eyes and binocular vision, reduction of snout and nose, large complex brains, complex social organization
primate reproduction
long gestation period, single births, slow development and long lifespans
Narrow thorax, restricted shoulder joint, forelimbs and hindlimbs similar length, short digits, reduced tail
Quadrupedal terrestrial locomotion
narrow thorax, forelimbs and hindlimbs similar length, shoulder joint allows for lateral movement, long prehensile digits and tail
arboreal quadruped locomotion
hindlimbs longer than forelimbs, long prehensile digits, long lumbar region
vertical clinging and leaping locomotion
broad thorax, forelimbs longer than hindlimbs, reduced or absent pollex, mobile shoulder joint, short lumbar region, mobile hip joint, no tail or long prehensile tail
brachiation and semibrachiation locomotion
Tapetum lucidum
reflecting layer around the retina of the eye in many vertebrates reflecting light back to the retina increasing the of light caught by the retina; improves vision in low light
native to Madagascar, nocturnal, less than 500g, quadrupedal walking and bipedal leaping
suborder strepsirrhine
family Cheirogaleidae (mouse and dwarf lemurs)
elongate cranium and fox-like face, toothcomb present, pollex and hallux opposable. wooly pelage on body and tail, herbivorous or frugivorous, some highly social
suborder strepsirrhine
family Lemuridae
nocturnal folivores, enlarged caecum for microbial digestion, coprophagy, low metabolic rates
suborder strepsirrhine
family lepilemuridae (sportive lemurs)
large short faced and wooly lemurs, folivores, bipedal leaping. Avahi is nocturnal and monogamous, propithecus is diurnal and promiscuous, indri is diurnal monogamous and highly vocal
suborder strepsirrhine
family indriidae
secretive and nocturnal, insectivores, short skull, large ears, bushy tail, greatly enlarged incisors and a diastema, long slender 3rd digit, opposable hallux with a nail
suborder strepsirrhine
family Daubentoniidae (aye aye)
sub saharan Africa, India, southeast Asia, East Indies, short rostrum and forward facing eyes, arboreal, slow climbers, short or absent tails, modified digits for grasping branches, some have a toilet claw on the 2nd digit, nocturnal and omnivorous, low metabolic rates
suborder strepsirrhine
family lorisidae (pottos and loris)
large eyes and ears, arboreal leapers, long hind limbs and tail, toothcomb in lower incisors, grooming claw on 2nd digit of the foot
suborder strepsirrhine
family galagidae (galagos)
tarsiers and anthropoid primates, have shared dental and cranial characters, a hemochorial placenta, fovea centralis, and a suite of shared molecular characters, made up of 2 superfamilies: platyrrhini and catarrhini
suborder haplorrhini
hemochorial placenta
blood has direct contact with the fetus
tropical forest of Borneo, Sumatra, some East Indian and Philippine islands, enormous forward facing eyes, digits with disk-like pads, elongated hindlimbs for arboreal jumping, arboreal and nocturnal, insectivorous, bipedal leaping, species solitary or gregarious, long gestation for single young
suborder haplorrhini
family tarsiidae (tarsiers)
2 species have chisel shaped medial incisors, may have manes , lack opposable thumbs and toes, all digits except hallux have claws, fraternal twins share a common placenta; other 2 species have long limbs and digits, long furred tails, high braincase and short rostrum, orbits face forward, broad internarial pad between the nostrils
suborder haplorrhini
superfamily platyrrhini
family Cebidae (marmosets, tamarins, capuchins, and squirrel monkeys)
nocturnal and territorial, large eyes with good nocturnal vision, no sexual dimorphism, short gestation, the adult male is the primary caregiver for offspring
suborder haplorrhini
superfamily platyrrhini
family Aotidae (night monkeys)
widely varrying pelage colors, diurnal and arboreal, forage in canopy for fruit leaves and nuts, long lived with low reproductive rates
suborder haplorrhini
superfamily platyrrhini
family pitheciidae (titi monkeys, saki monkeys, uacaris)