study guide 3 Flashcards
Give examples of each of the following taxa and describe their distributions: Procyonidae,
Viverridae, Prionodontidae.
Procyonids – 15 species • Original lineage extinct, 7.5 mya • Neotropical, from 2nd invasion, 2.5 mya • Include the kinkajou, coati, olingo – Key characteristics • Pointed faces, long tails – Kinkajou has prehensile tail • Banded tails and facial markings – Missing in Kinkajou • Nocturnal arboreal & ground hunters – Trophic role • Omnivores (including bird eggs) & frugivores • Kinkajous and olingos, arboreal frugivores, Kinkajous facultative nectivores
Viverridae – 30 species of bearcat, palm civet, and genets – Asia and Africa – Key Characteristics • Size range of 1 – 55 lbs • Cat-like features, including whiskers • Retractable or partially retractable claws • Medium-sized nocturnal, arboreal or ground hunters – Trophic role • Opportunistic omnivores on small vertebrates, insects and fruits • Important seed dispersers of palms
Asian Linsangs (Prionodontidae) – 2 species (Prionodon) • 1 is tropical, SE Asia – Not a civet, Sister to Felidae – Key Characteristics • Nocturnal, arboreal and terrestrial hunter • Carnivorous on small vertebrates & birds • African Linsang – 1 species (Poiana - Viverridae) • Congo, with subspecies in West Africa – Not a linsang, Civet • Arboreal, omnivorous in insects, fruits, birds
Discuss some of the continental differences in the presence of tropical Felidae.
India & S. E. Asia • 10 forest species, 2-200 kg – Largest of all cats - Tiger – Fishing cat has partially webbed feet • Nocturnal ground hunters – Feed on large vertebrates including domesticated species
Neotropics • 6 species, 3-120 kg – Originated from N. American in GAI • Most smaller species both ground & arboreal hunters
Africa
• 2 forest species - Leopard, Golden cat
What percent of primate species occur in tropical forests?
90%
Give examples of primates in each of the 4 major primate radiations: Prosimians, Great
Apes, Old World Catarrhine Monkeys, and New World Platyrrhine Monkeys. Describe some
morphological differences between apes and monkeys. To which of the latter taxa do
humans belong?
Prosimians = aye-aye, lemurs, indris, sifakas, lorises, bushbabies
Old World Catarhine Monkeys = macaques, mangabeys, mandrills, baboons, colobines, langurs, probiscis monkeys, leaf monkeys
New World Platyrrhine Monkeys = marmosets, tamarins, capuchins, squirrel monkeys, night monkeys, ukaris, sakis, howlers, spidr monkeys, woolly monkeys
Great Apes = gibbons, orangutans, chinmpanzees, bonobos, humans, gorillas
Apes are biger with bigger brains. Prolonged period of infant dependence. Single births spaced at long intervals. No tail, wider torso and stiffer lumbar region. Mobile rotary shoulder. Don’t sleep laying down
. For each of the following taxa, list the major tropical region in which it occurs and provide a unique characteristic that distinguishes it from other primates: Gorillas Orangutans Mandrills & Baboons Macaques & Mangabeys Lorises Howler Monkeys Aye-Ayes Tarsiers Lemurs Uakaries Gibbons & Siamangs Indris & Sifakas Capuchins & Squirrel monkeys Tamarins & Marmosets
Gorillas: live in Africa. Biggest primate. lives 30-50 yrs. multimale groups with one alpha. knuckle walking and sleep nesting. sleep in low canopies. diurnal, ground dwelling folivores
Orangutans: in Borneo and Sumatra. prefer lowlands. eaten by tigers, Arboreal, predominantly frugivores with some omnivory– will eat figs, dipterocarp seeds, and lorises. Males have multiple families. Mature males are flanged and they stay in trees in one place more. Bipedal in trees, but knuckle walk on ground. Sideways knuckles
Mandrills and Baboons: live in Africa. Troops of 5-800. Bright colors. Diurnal, ground dwelling omnivores. Baboons = omnivores and mandrills = frugivores/insectivores
Macaques and Mangabeys: widespread throughout Asia. cheek pouches. some are pollinators. elaborate calls. Mangabeys live in troops of 10-40 and have white eyelids. Macaques live in troops of 25-60 and have cast-like hierarchy
Lorises: slender lorise in Africa; slow lorises in Asia. live 14 yrs. 2 oz to 2 lbs. Solitary or mall fam gps. Nocturnal, arboreal insectivores. Slow lorises have gland under their arm that releases toxic alkaloids –> also in their bite –> tooth comb
Howler monkeys: South America. dark fur. troops of 20. diurnal foraging, but nocturnal vocalizing (cathemeral). Quadrupedal in trees. Single and multiple male social gps. Trichromatic vision. only exclusive folivores in neotropics
Aye Aye: Madagascar. elongated digits with claws. solitary male and female maintain separate territories. rodent like incisors. nocturnal exclusively aboreal insectivores. tap on trees to find insects
Tarsiers: Phillippines, Sulawesi, Borneo, Sumatra. 10-15 cm. over 180 day gestation and females carry baby in mouth. giant eyes, long legs, suction pads on hands. foveate vision: ensitive to light –> nocturnal insectovores, but will eat small vertebrates
Lemurs: Madagascar. gps of 2-30. non-prehensile tails. Cathemeral, ground dwelling frugivores (except dwarf and mouse which are nocturnal, arboreal omnivores). Diurnal ones have smaller eyes than nocturnal ones
Uakaris: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru prefer gallery or swamp forests and tall trees. mixed gps of 5-30
Gibbon and Siamangs: Asia. form pair bonds and small family groups. may show sexual dimorphism in coat color. Loud territorial. Diurnal arboreal frugivores who supplement with leaves. boll in socket wrist joint. swing thru trees with long arms. knuckle walk
Indris and Sifakas: Madagascar. Indri is largest primate in madagascar. specialized leapers. gps of 2-15 (male dominated). diurnal arboreal folivores
Capuchins and Squirrel monkeys: South America. white facial hair/eye masks. Eat ants which is weird bc they’re big. Use tools. Capuchins are the most intelligent new world primate and live in male dominated gps of 6-10. Squirrel monkeys live in multi male gps of up to 500
Tamarins and Marmosets: South America. under 1 kg. Squirrel-like with long tails (not prehensile). small claws. Monogamous or facultatively polyandrous (men help with kids). Diurnal, arboreal, insectivores and frugivores who specialized on certain sap
Australia and New Guinea vary considerably compared to other tropical regions in their
tropical carnivore and primate faunas. Describe some of these differences and provide
examples of organisms that fill the same niches as rodents, carnivores, and primates in their
rainforest habitats.
Australia and New Guinea lack native primates, but Macaques were introduced
Niches for ungulates filled by marsupials, including “rat kangaroo” (0.5 kg)
Lack Carnivora, had carnivorous marsupials
– Possums & Tree kangaroos
– Water rats & Dunnarts
– Echidna
Madagascar also varies considerably in its mammal faunas when compared to other tropical
locations. Describe some of these differences and provide the names of taxa that are
unique to their rainforest habitats. Provide the name of the taxon of birds, of rodent-like
mammals, of carnivores, and of primates that have radiated in this region.
Primates: Indris, Sifakas, lemurs, Aye-aye
Rodent-like mammals: tenrecs
Carnivores: Eupleridae (fossa)
Birds: mesites, the ground-rollers, the asities and the vangas
Some anthropologists believe sociality evolved as a way for primates to avoid predation.
Discuss some ways in which predation alters how and where primates forage and if they
participate in social interactions.
o Predation effects choice of where to live, eat, rest, or sleep
Lemurs can be terrestrial due to lack of predators
Most species have above-ground shelters Because they have big brains, so they need sleep, even in large species
• Proportion of nests at lower heights & on ground increases in areas with loweror absent predation
• Evolutionary losses of use of nests are concentrated among social taxa
Activity patterns switch to diurnal activity with evolution of sociality
• Predation effects body size of primate communities
o Smaller primates more likely to be consumed
o Higher predation levels = larger primates & shift in food (frugivory AND folivory)
• Predation results in evolution of different defense mechanisms
o Warning Calls
Different calls for different predators
Multi-species cooperation in vocalizing
• Predation results in evolution of different resource capture mechanisms
o Social hunters
Diminishing returns problem
o Collective defense of territory
Balance of power problem cheaters
Discuss some relationships between primate body size and diet (i.e., how do large and small
primates differ in the types of foods they consume and in their caloric needs?).
Body size and metabolic rate • Kleiber’s law: o larger animals need more food overall o smaller animals need more calories per pound • Body size correlates to food choice • Smaller spp concentrate on higher calorie foods (e.g. insects) • Primates focus on 1 fod but include variety • Monkeys: o Carbs from fruit and leaves o Protein from young leaves o Old world monkeys include meat eating • Prosimians o Carbs from sap and fruit o Protein from insects • The larger you are, the more likely you are to be a folivore; the smaller you are, the more likely you are to be a frugivore or insectivore • Trends in vegetarian: o Colobus = folivores o Spider monkeys (small) = frugivore o Medium size Logothrix = granivore
Although primates that are primarily folivorous are rare, they can have dramatic effects on
forests. Discuss a few ways in which leaf-eating primates can impact tree survival.
Primate folivory: ecosystem engineers
• Eating the leaves/bark of trees to the extent that they kill the tree
• Feeding on trees to the degree that they slow their growth relative to nonpreferred spp
• Eating the flowers of spp to the extent that it does not set fruit
• Feeding on plants in such a way as to increase their productivity and abundance (capuchins)
• Modifying nutrient cycling in forests
How do boids and pythons differ from coral snakes and vipers in terms of prey capture and
venom? Describe adaptations of snakes that assist them in capturing and digesting prey
that is larger than their own body size.
Coral snakes and vipers have venom and front facing fangs with which they bite their prey
Boid and pythons kill their prey by constriction and are not venomous
• Not gape limited can detatch jaw relies on quadrate bone with some elasticity
o Vertebra aren’t attached at front, so can eat giant prey
- can also alter metabolic rate
Approximately how many different times has gliding evolved in vertebrates? Explain the 3
proposed hypotheses for why gliding is more prominent in Southeast Asian rainforests.
At least 6 different evolutionary origins
Hypothesis for why it’s mostly in SE Asia
o Tall tree hypothesis = dipterocarps provide more opportunities for gliding
o Broken forest hypothesis = lower density of lianas creates need to glide or move to ground to move bt trees
o Food desert hypothesis = dipterocarp masting combined with lower densities of small vertebrates, insects, and spiders increases need to move in search of food
. For each of the following taxa, provide a unique characteristic that distinguishes it from
other anurans: Hylidae, Centrolenidae, Dendrobatidae.
Hylidae “tree frogs” • > 800 spp • Tree frogs and monkey frogs • Not in Africa or SE Asia • Forward facing eyes binocular vision • Arboreal and terrestrial, nocturnal hunters • Toes with cartilaginous suction cups
Centrolenidae “glass frogs” • Glass frogs (many have clear skin) good for camoflouge o Look super bright if you can see in ultra violet • > 50 spp • Neotropical distribution • 3-7 cm • Forward facing eyes • Arboreal, cloud forest foragers • Transparent ventral skin • Worm-like tadpoles
Dendrobatidae
• Dart or arrow frogs
• 178 spp in Neotropics
• Arboreal and understory diurnal foragers
• Small (<2 in)
• Brightly colored skin to indicate toxicity
• Typically live in bromeliads
• Males guard eggs, females transport offspring to new bromeliad
What evidence is there that phytotelmata can be considered an “environment”? (Explain
how phytotelmata meet all of the following criteria: 1) they consist of predictable subsets
of species that co-occur together are unique to those habitats and 2) species in
phytotelmata have traits that promote association with that habitat or species within that
habitat or show evidence that they have co-evolved with phytotelmata.)
• Heliamphora mosquitos in Venezuela use these plants as site for larval development
o Same with flies
• Diving beetles have suction cups on tarses that allow them to walk up these bromeliads and eat mosquitos (when they’re larva), but can eat tadpoles and frogs when they’re adults
• Mites are spread via hummingbird bills to bromeliad flowers
• Ostracod travel via frogs from bromeliad to bromeliad
• Celia travel on ostracods?
• Some pitcher plants lower their water level so much that bats are able to roost inside provide nitrogen to the plant through feces
Describe some adaptations of carnivorous plants for capturing nutrients and digesting prey.
What types of organisms have adapted to live within carnivorous plants without being
consumed and what types of adaptations do they have for using these habitats and
dispersing between them?
• Must have specialized structures to lure, capture, digest, and absorb nutrients from prey
o Capturing methods include sticky or slippery substances, water with digestive enzymes, “window structures”, chemical attractants, suction traps, touch-sensitive cells
• Includes Poales, Oxalidales, Caryophyllales, Ericales, and Lamiales
o Have water at bottome, but also digestive enzymes
o Wings along side help to trap water, but may also be somewhat glandular and secrete a sticky substance
o Waxy zone on outer lip
o Lid may attract and provide housing for ants ants can then protect the plant
Mosquito larva live in helimorpha in venezuala and eat microorganisms in the plant
Same with blood worms
