Primates Flashcards
What are some general primate adaptations?
Large brains relative to their body weight Infants have long dependence on mothers Late first stage reproduction Small litter sizes with ln intervals Well adapted for arboreal lifestyle 5 digits and opposable fingers and toes Generalised dentition Forward facing eyes & colour vision
What are the 2 suborders of primates?
Strepsirhines - Africa/Madagascar, Tropical Asia; lemurs, galago, slow loris, lemuriformes, predominantly nocturnal
Haplorhines - found across the tropics; ape, orangutan, gorilla etc, mainly diurnal
What are the different primate diets?
Gummivore
Insectivore
Frugivore
Florivore
All have different dental adaptations (Insectivore - sharp crests for puncturing insects, frugivore has low cusps for crushing fruit, gummivore has adapted incisors for piercing tree bark)
How do the GI tract structures differ between species?
Insectivorous - large stomach and caecum
Gummivore - long caceum and intestine
What are some pros/cons of chopping zoo food?
Pros - Enables each individual in a group to have some of each food type, reduces food competition, prevents wastage supposedly
Cons - bacterial contamination, doesnt actually do any of the above, a study found no advantage to chopping food
What are the advantages of bio-floor over sterile floor?
No sores from disinfectant but still easily raked and drained
Hiding food promotes natural foraging behaviour
Ability to scent mark and feel secure
More time spent keeping rather than cleaning
Higher immune response
What species are allowed to free range?
Callitrichidae - due to UK legislation
Have home nest and small cage but allowed to free range in nearby areas and come back to home cage in the evening
Why is lighting important to primates?
Natural daylight ensures vitamin D production
UVB rays stimulate immune response, melatonin/serotonin release, act as disinfectant
Local effects on skin lead to systemic effects of vitamin D3 in auto/paracrine function
What can come from no sunlight?
Rickets (Metabolic Bone Disorder) - UVB does not travel through glass
How is the lack of UVB solved?
Fluorescent tube / lamp (weaker form)
Mercury vapour lamp / UVB metal halide lamp (like sunbeam)
What are the risks of high power lamps?
Damage to eye from UVB / UVA either due to cataracts or photo-kerato conjunctivitis
What enrichment is used with primates?
Physical (mimic natural habitat, substrates, large space, movement of objects to become novel)
Cognitive (puzzles / tasks, training during the day, work for feed)
Social (Mixed exhibit providing more interaction
Sensory (Sight, smell, sound creates enrichment)
Feed (presentation of feed, browse and scatter feeding)
Why should Strepsirhine accomodation not be cleaned as regularly?
They scent mark, its is vital for communication and reproduction
What do Old World Monkeys need in their enclosure?
Soft spaces to sit together, high branches to flee to when in danger
How is breeding supressed in callitrichids?
Naturally - only dominant F breeds usually
Inplant/ingection preferable if needed
Not good to remove from group for spaying
Why is monitoring primate health so important?
Zoonoses are easily spread by staff to primates and vice versa
All primates have a DEFRA approved quarantine preiod of 6 months to prevent this
How is primate health maintained?
Faecal checking Identification and records Pest control Quarantine and screening Vaccinations
What is the quarantine process?
Full medical examination under anaesthetic
Haematology and blood biochemistry tests
Serum samples to produce a bank
Faecal tests
SIV, Hep B and C tests
Apes vaccinated against tetanus, measles, polio
What are some common health issues in primates?
Marmoset waste disease
Lack of folic acid/Vit B
What are stereotypical behaviours often seen in primates?
pacing, self injury (biting), self directed sexual behaviour, abnormal maternal care, abnormal feeding behaviour
