Primates and Cetaceans Flashcards
What is ethology?
the scientific and objective study of animal behaviour, usually with a focus on behaviour under natural conditions, and viewing behaviour as an evolutionary adaptive trait
How many species are there of primates?
80
What are the key cognitive features that characterize most primates?
- Large Brains
- Hand-eye coordination
- Few Long-Dependent Young
- High Social
- Playful
What are the two major divisions of primates?
Prosimians and Anthropoids
True/False: Prosimians do not have opposable thumbs.
FALSE; All primates have opposable thumbs
True/False: Anthropoids are the closest to the original, ancestral primates.
FALSE; prosimians are the closest to ancestral
Where are the prosimians found?
Madagascar, Australia, and Africa
What facial features do prosimians have?
projecting snout, wet noses, tethered lips
What is the latin name for the gorilla?
Gorilla gorilla (ITALICIZED)
What do the prosimians’ facial features mean about their behavior?
wet noses = depend more on smell than NHPs
tethered lips = less facial expression than other NHPs
True/False: Prosimians are smaller brained than other primates.
TRUE
Describe the behavior and sleeping patterns of prosimians.
Some are social others are relatively solitary, and most of these are nocturnal
What do prosimians eat?
insects; they are insectivores
What are anthropoids sometimes called?
True monkeys
(True/False) Anthropoids are not social at all.
FALSE; most are highly social
What are the two major divisions of the of the Anthropoids?
- New World Monkeys
2. Old World Monkeys and Apes
What are the physical features of anthropoids?
flat aces, dry noses, and more dexterous hands
Where are the New World Monkeys typically found?
Mexico, Central and South America
What is a unique tail trait that New World monkeys have?
Prehensile tails; hook grip and capable of grasping
True/False: All New World monkeys are diurnal (active during the day).
TRUE; except for owl monkey
True/False: No New World monkeys are arboreal.
False; All New World monkeys are arboreal.
What is unique about the Capuchin monkeys?
- largest relative brain size (per body weight) of any New World Monkey
- only NWM that regularly uses tools
- forms social coalitions and other complex social relationships
- Best NW dexterity
What do capuchins eat?
patchy, ripe fruit; places higher cognitive demands than all-leaf diet
What niches are New World Monkeys found in?
variety of niches: follivory, frugivory, insectivory, etc.
What is the latin name for Capuchins?
Cebus (italicized)
Which Anthropoid division do humans belong in?
Old World Monkeys and Apes
Where are the OWMs found?
Africa, Asia (Humans are everywhere)
What are ischial callosities and why are they important?
butt pads that OWMs have; allows them to sit up and use hands
True/False: OWMs have better opposability and better precision grip than NWMs.
TRUE
What physical feature distinguishes OWMs?
long nostrils; malleable faces
Where do OWMs live?
many arboreal, some terrestrial
What characteristics distinguish the Hominoids or the lesser and Great Apes?
- largest brains
- large bodies
- no tails
What is the latin name for Orangutans?
Pongo pygmaeus (ITALICIZED)
What is the latin name for chimps?
Pan troglodytes (ITALICIZED)
What is the latin name for bonobos?
Pan paniscus (ITALICIZED)
What are examples of lesser apes?
gibbons and siamangs
What are characteristics of lesser apes?
monogamous, canopy dwellers
What are characteristics of Pongids (Great Apes)?
- larger-bodied, larger brains than Lesser Apes, some species sexually dimorp[hic
- longest-dependent young, nurse 4-6 years
- these apes most closely related to humans
Which has the bigger brain, monkeys or prosimians?
monkeys
What are two special qualities that primates have?
bipedal, opposable thumbs
What is the primary primate sensory modality?
vision
What type of eye do primates have? What makes this different?
forward facing eye; different because other species can have lateral eyes
Why is depth perception important for primates?
navigating environment and identifying and manipulating objects
Who has the largest EQ: Ape, Monkey, or Prosimian?
Ape
What is encephalization quotient (EQ)?
brain to body ratio
Who is most closely related to humans: ape, monkey, or prosimian?
Ape
Who is most similar to the original ancestral primate: ape, monkey, or prosimian?
Prosimians
What type of primate is a pygmy marmoset?
monkey
Where are pygmy marmosets from?
New World
What is the social structure of pygmy marmosets?
monogamous, nuclear families
How many offspring do pygmy marmosets tend to have?
often have twins
What type of primate are spider monkeys?
monkeys
Where are spider monkeys from?
New World
How is the spider monkey’s tail different from the other primates?
prehensile; furlous pad on the bottom of tail for hanging off branches
What is the spider monkey’s social structure?
split off into little groups and come back together; keep track of everyone; fission fusion
What type of primate is a guenon?
monkey
Vervets are also a type of guenon–what do we know about them?
alarm calls, different ones for different predators
Vervets live on the African savannah–do the other guenons?
live lots of different environments: jungles, forest, swamps
How might where they live make the vervets’ behavior differ?
different places, different predators, different calls, different diets
What type of primate are mangabeys?
Monkey
What micro-habitat do mangabeys inhabit?
canopy
How does the mangabey tail help in their habitat?
balance, swing between branches
What is the function of the Mangabeys’ ischial callosities?
frees hands, allows them to sit up
What is the Black Mangabey’s claim to fame?
vocalization, “woop gobble”
What type of primate is a mandrill?
monkey
What use do Mandrills make of color?
social standing, show of strength and sexual signals
What hint does the Mandrill’s appearance give to their social structure?
size shows whether male or female
How does the mandrill’s social structure differ from that seen in Olive baboons?
olive baboons don’t have harem-like social structure
Which is more likely to show reciprocity: Mandrills or Olive baboons?
Olive baboons
What character from “The Lion King” is a mandrill?
RAFIKI
What type of primate is the Francois Langur?
Monkey
Where are the Francoi Langur from?
Vietnam, China, (Old World)
What is the Francois Langurs’s primary food?
follivorous (herbivore, eats leaves)
What are some possible cognitive implications of the Francois Langur’s diet?
follivorous: less cognitive abilities, long gut, small brain
What type of primates are the orangutans?
Ape
What does the orangutan’s name mean?
man of the forest
What is the organutans’ social structure in the wild?
harem; sexual dimorphism
What do we know about their cognitive abilities?
great imitators
_____ is a famous orangutan involved in what kind of research?
Chantek; sign language studies
What type of primate is a gorilla?
ape
What is the gorilla’s social structure
harem, silverback = dominant male in group w/ multiple females
Is the gorilla’s diet frugivorous or follivorous?
follivorous
______ is a famous gorilla involved in what cognitive research?
Koko; sign language
What type or primate is the black and white colobus?
monkey
Is the black and white colobus’ diet more frugivorous or follivorous?
follivorous
Red Colobus’ are sometimes cooperatively hunted by whom?
male chimpanzees
What type of primate are bonobos?
apes
What is the bonobos’ social structure?
alpha female anchors a bonobo group; multi male, multi female (males and females abou t the same size)
What physiological feature distinguishes Bonobos?
female sexual swellings; prominent t/o hormonal cycle, all month long
How do the female sexual swellings impact the bonobos’ social structure?
males and females always together, always social, can have reproductive sex
How does the female sexual swelling impact the bonobos’ use of eye gaze?
male face to face; eye gaze is bonding, connection thing
______ is a famous bonobo involved in what cognitive research?
Kanzi; comprehend some English (spoken and keyboard studies)
What type of primate is the lion tail macaques?
Monkey
Where are Macaques from?
Asia and Africa (Old World, India)
To what medical term do Rhesus lend their name?
Rh blood factor
Which macaque is most despotic and which is most egalitarian?
Rhesus = despotic
stump tailed = egalitarian
____ is a famous Macaque (Japanese, not Lion-tail) involved in what cognitive research
Imo; she started washing her potatoes; behavior started passing on except for old males, example of culture
What type of primate is the Gibbon?
lesser ape
What is the Gibbons’ primary mode of locomotion called?
brachiation; arm swinging, arboreal locomotion
What is the Gibbon’s social structure?
monogamous, bonded in pairs
How is the gibbon’s social structure reflected in their localizations?
very loud calls to claim territory, duet during courtship to defend territory
What type of primate is the Cebus Monkey?
monkey
What type of primate is the slow loris?
prosimian
Describe the “two headed display” of the cebus monkey and its implications?
one will get on top of another and gie angry faces to scare off predators
How did the Cebus monkey earn their nickname?
“ape of the new world”; smartest New World monkeys with highest brain to body ratio
How does the Cebus’ monkey object use differ from most other monkeys?
only New World tool user, i.e. rocks to attack nuts
Why is the slow loris sleeping?
nocturnal
In what ways are the slow loris’s associated with hunting?
orangutans hunt them for food
What is unique about the congitive mapping in primate’s brains?
can develop entirely visually; i.e. through visual simulation
Primates have ____ _____ for food finding and reading facial expressions
high acuity
Primates have the ability to see _____ which is important to see ripe fruit and understand social signals
color
Primates have sophisticated visual representational abilities including ______ _____
face perception
Why is face perception important to have for primates?
abilitiy to recognize individuals and see head/eye direction
True / False : Primates have a small sensorimotor cortex
FALSE; have a large
Why is having good motor feedback in control important for primates?
good for manipulating food and social interaction, allow for facial expressions
Who has more face musculature, apes or prosimians?
apes, prosimians have tethered lips which restrict
The primates’ ______ and ______ are richly enervated for articulate action
mouth and face
Primates have a(n) ______ vestibular system for _____ and _____
excellent vestibular system for balance and movement
True/False: Primates have excellent Olfaction
FALSE
Olfaction in primates is heavily linked to _____ and ______
emotion and motivation
_____ % of the primates’ somatosensory cortex is dedicated to hands, the rest is to the mouth
20
Where is touch sensitivity most sensitive on a primate’s body?
hands and tongue
What was the importance of truncal uprightness for primates?
allowed to climb, swing from trees, led to freeing of hands and bipedalism
What is the primates’ hand activity organized around?
objects
What is important about hand-eye coordination in primates?
ability to see hands is well developed to maneuver through and manipulate environment
Which species has the largest relative brain size of all New World monkeys?
cebus
For cetaceans, the world is represented in ____ while for primates it’s in ______
sounds, vision
What key cognitive features characterize cetaceans?
highly social, large brains, acoustic, few long-dependent young, playful, collaborative
Cetaceans can nurse from ______ years
2 to 5
Some cetaceans do not reach sexual maturity until ______ years old
10 to 12
Where are cetaceans raised?
multi age schools: lots to learn, many to learn from
True/False: Cetaceans have the largest brains on the planet
TRUE
True/False: Cetaceans are mammals.
TRUE
What are some characteristics of mammals?
warm-blooded, breathe air, nurse young
Cetaceans have ____ offspring at a time
1
What are some characteristics of the cetacean brain?
- huge cerebellum
- expansive, convoluted cortex
- well developed social areas
- wired for sounds
True/False: Cetaceans evolved from another primitive sea animal
FALSE; evolved from land animals: two toed, hoofed predators
What are the two different groups of cetaceans?
odontocetes and mysticetes
TRUE/FALSE: Some cetaceans eat meat, some cetaceans eat plants in the sea.
FALSE; cetaceans = carnivorous creatures, predators
What are some characteristics of odontocetes?
small brain
complex sound system
large teeth
When did Mysticetes branch off from Ondotocetes? Why do we think this?
~35MYA
Mysticete fetus has then loses teeth
What do mysticetes have instead of teeth?
filters
How do mysticetes eat?
strain seawater, catch small crustaceans, small fish, squid, krill, etc.
What are some characteristics of mysticetes?
- very large bodies
- all marine
- have two nares (each with its own nasal plugs)
What are the variable feeding strategies of mysticetes and give an example of each.
- Roquals (Humpack Whales) = Gulpers, throat sacks expand like an accordion
- Skimmers (Right and Bowhead Whales) = open mouth slightly as swim along “grazing”
- Bottom feeders (Grey Whale) stir up bottom and sift out water and sand
Which have better sound production/reception, mysticetes or odontocetes?
odonotocetes
Which are bigger, mysticetes or odontocetes?
odontocetes are generally smaller
What is the only giant odonotocete?
Sperm Whale (Moby Dick)
Mysticetes emit and are most sensitive to _______ frequency sounds
low
How do odontocetes eat?
hunters, opportunistic feeders,. hunt cooperatively
What is the latin name for bottlenose dolphin?
Tursiops truncatus (Atlantic) and T. aduncus (indian ocean)
ITALICIZED
What is the Beluga Whale’s latin name?
Delphinaperterus leucas
ITALICIZED
What is the latin name for the sperm whale?
Physeter catodon
ITALICIZED
Echolocation allows odontocetes to discriminate what?
size, distant, content, shape, material, of targets
What are some other perceptual motor constraints of cetaceans?
somatosensory can be very sensitive, tacto-acoustics, vision quite good but no fovea, no color, sensitive to motion, high contract
True/False: Cetaceans rely on smell to find prey
FALSE; Olfaction absent in cetaceans but do have minimal taste receptors
What are some examples of cetaceans’ limited body language?
can expose teeth/not, can tilt exposing light underside, dolphins can do aggressive S posture with body, jaw snap, wiggle when play
True/False: The skeletal hands of cetaceans are 5 fingered.
TRUE
What are examples of Great Apes?
human, bonobo, chimp, gorilla, orangutan
What is an example of a lesser ape?
gibbon
Baleen Whales have ____ blowhole(s)
2
Odonotocetes have _____ blowhole(s)
1
What are some interesting social behaviors of the humpback whale?
- social displays, like breaching
2. males produce elaborate songs that change each season (hangs down head while singing)
What is the latin name for Pacific Ocean Bottlenose Dolphin?
Tursiops gilli
