Terms and Distinguishing Features

Question 1

Define Old World monkey, New World monkey, and neotropical primates

Answer 1

OWM - Genera found in Africa and Asia
NWM - Genera found in South and Central America
Neotropical primate - Interchangeable with NWM

Question 2

Define prosimian and simian

Answer 2

Prosimian - All taxa within suborders Strepsirrhini and Haplorrhini, including lemurs and tarsiers.
Simian - Monkeys and apes

Question 3

Define tarsiers

Answer 3

Tarsier - Primates of genus Tarsius that share characteristics of prosimians and simians. Like prosimians, are nocturnal, have large eyes and mobile ears, toilet claws on the foot, and a two part mandible. Unlike prosimians, tarsiers lack a naked rhinarium and dental comb. Like anthropoids, tarsiers have upright lower incisors and a dry, furry nose.

Question 4

Define monkey, macaque, and baboon

Answer 4

Monkey - Common name for all NHPs except prosimians and apes. Distinguished from apes by presence of an external tail.
Macaque - Common name for primates belonging to genus Macaca. Includes rhesus macaques and cynomologous macaques.
Baboon - Primates of the genus Papio

Question 5

Define great and lesser ape

Answer 5

Great ape - Apes in family Hominidae. Includes chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans. Distinguished from monkeys by lack of tail. Capable of bipedalism, although quadrupedal locomotion common
Lesser ape - Members of family Hylobatidae. Gibbons and siamangs. Smaller than great apes and almost entirely arboreal. True brachiators, using their arms to swing from branch to branch as their primary means of locomotion. Lack external tail.

Question 6

Define callitrichids, marmosets, and tamarins

Answer 6

Callitrichid - Describe species in subfamily Callitrichinae, including marmosets and tamarins.
Marmosets - Common name to identify NWM in genera Callithrix and Callimico within subfamily Callitrichinae
Tamarin - Common name used to identify NWM belonging to genera Saguinus and Leontopithecus within family Callitrichidae

Question 7

Define prehensile and pseudoprehensile tail

Answer 7

Prehensile tail - Some genera of NWM. Tactile pad similar to that found on fingers and palms of hand. Used as an additional appendage for clinging and handling from limbs. Not found in any OWM taxa
Pseudoprehensile tail - Some genera of NWM. Ability of animal to grasp and cling with the tail, but no tactile pad.

Question 8

Define cheek pouches, ischial callosities, sex skin, and perineal tumescence

Answer 8

Cheek pouches - Specialized pouches found in genera within family Cercopithecidae. Extension of cheeks that extend below the ramus of each mandible. Allow storage of food for later.
Ischial callosities - Specialized pads that cover the skin surface of the ischium and facilitate sitting. OWM and lesser apes, not NWM.
Sex skin - Thickening and reddening of skin in some OWM and apes. Often perineal region and upper legs, can be observed with almost any skin surface. Varies due to seasonality and cyclic hormonal fluctuations.
Perineal tumescence - Large cyclic swelling that occurs in some OWM and apes. Pronounced during the periovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. Can be confused with a pathologic process.

Question 9

What principal features are used to differentiate the parvorders Platyrrhini and Catarrhini?

Answer 9

Spacing and orientation of nares and geographic origin.

Question 10

Define catarrhine and platyrrhine

Answer 10

Catarrhine = Narrow, turned down nose. OWM and apes
Platyrrhine = Flat nose. Broadly spaced, laterally flared nostrils.

Question 11

What are distinguishing features of prosimians? (9)

Answer 11

1. Indigenous to Africa, Indica, and SE Asia
2. Possess a naked, moist snout called a rhinarium with a fissured, fixed upper lip resembling the rhinarium of dogs and cats
3. All are nocturnal (Except Lemur, Varecia, Hapalemur, Indri, Propithecus)
4. Possess a toilet claw on the second digit of the foot for grooming
5. Possess a toothcomb for grooming, which is formed from the lower incisors
6. Possess a sublingual structure for cleaning the toothcomb
7. Two part mandible joined at midline by cartilage
8. Dental formula = 2( I4, 2C, 6PM, 6M) = 36 teeth (Indridae with 30)
9. Epitheliochorial placentas except Tarsiidae, which has hemochorial

Question 12

What are distinguishing features of platyrrhine primates? (10)

Answer 12

1. Indigenous to tropical South and Central America
2. Muzzle flattened with broadly spaced, laterally flared nares
3. Some possess prehensile or pseudoprehensile tails
4. No cheek pouches or ischial callosities
5. Require Vitamin D3 in diet, ingested D2 not bioavailable
6. All have estrous cycles, except Cebus which menstruates
7. All arboreal
8. All nocturnal but Aotus (only nocturnal simian primate)
9. Dental formula Cebinae: 2 (4 I, 2 C, 6 PM, 6 M) = 36 teeth
   Callitrichinae: 2 (I 4, 2C, 6 PM, 4 M) = 32 teeth (Except Callicebus with 36 as in Cebinae)
10. Hemochorial placentation

Question 13

What are distinguishing features of catarrhine primates?

Answer 13

1. Indigenous to Africa, Asia, and extreme southern Europe
2. Muzzle elongate with narrowly spaced, turned-down nares
3. Some have ischial callosities
4. Cheek pouches in some genera of Cercopithecidae
5. All menstrual cycles
6. Some terrestrial, others arboreal
7. All can utilized vitamin D2 in diet
8. Dental formula: 2 (4 I, 2 C, 4 PM, 6 M) = 32 teeth
9. All diurnal
10. Hemochorial placentation