Week 3-Primatology Flashcards
Major characteristics common to all primates.
• Movement-the ability to move
• Prehensile (ability to grasp) hands and feet- opposable thumb, nails (not
claws), sensitive pads on fingers and toes
• Clavicle-shoulder flexibility
• Lack of dietary specialization-omnivores will basically eat anything.
• Generalized dentition-mix of different kinds of teeth (pointy-ripping flay-
grinding)
• Binocular and stereoscopic vision-eyes in front of head
• Increased brain capacity-complex brain structure
• Long infant dependency-long amount of time raising young
• Dependency on learned behaviors-learn how to survive from parents/others
• Diurnal activity-usually active during the day (some are nocturnal)
Brachiation
Vertical arm swinging from trees and branches.
What are the two main hypothesis about early primate evolution?
• Theory 1: Visual predation hypothesis
o Primate characteristics are resulted from early hunting behaviors.
(Predators have forward facing eyes. It is possible that the grasping abilities
of primates adapted from the advantage of stealthy hunting. )
• Theory 2: Arboreal hypothesis
o Primate characteristics are resulted from tree (arboreal) living.
(Early ancestors relied on food from trees; in result, they developed acute color and depth perception from swinging in trees)
Prosimians
“pre-monkeys” (lemurs, lorises, tarisers)
retain most characteristics from primate ancestors
Anthropoids
o Hominoids (monkeys, apes) and hominids (humans)
o Don’t retain as many characteristics from primate ancestor
Chimpanzees
o Most studied
o Can walk bipedally (usually knuckle walk)
o Slightly larger than bonobos
o Omnivores
o Use tools
o Communities are fluid-male and females come and go
o Can organize themselves to commit violence against other chimpanzees o Can be very violent
o Strong bonds between mother and child
Bonobos
o Can walk bipedally
o Slightly smaller than chimpanzees (look a lot like chimpanzees) o Longer legs than chimpanzees
o Omnivores- eat plants, insects, meat
o Don’t use tools
o Mostly in trees
o Violence very uncommon
o Face to face sexual activity (only non-human animal)
§ Non-procreative sexual activity (heterosexual and homosexual)
Sexual dimorphism
Extreme difference in size between males and females.
o Have significant sexual dimorphism-Gibbons, Orangutans, Gorillas
o Do not have significant sexual dimorphism –Chimpanzees, Gibbons
Where are lemurs found?
Only on the island of Madagascar
Why does living in Madagascar make lemurs unique?
They are the ONLY species of primate on the island of Madagascar. (isolated)
They were able to evolve into 8 species without competition from other primates.
Who is Jane Goodall and why is she important in the field of primatology?
Jane Goodall has spent her life studying and advocating for chimpanzees. She started in Tanzania at 26 with no scientific training or degree. Jane lived in the wild with the Chimpanzees growing close with and observing them. She discovered that chimpanzees actually use tools; for example, using sticks to fish for termites. She wants to save the endangered chimpanzees, and at 76 years old she goes to congress, rock concerts, schools to raise money and awareness of chimpanzees
Sexual dimorphism
Extreme difference in size between males and females.
Have:gibbons, orangutans, gorillas
Do not have:chimpanzees
Who is Kanzi
A bonobo that can communicate with humans via lexigram board.
- can use tools
- vocalized between rooms with his sister
Lemurs
- Found only in Madagascar
- able to evolve into 8 species without competition from other primates
