ORDER: PRIMATESMonkeys, Apes, Prosimians, and Us
Primate Evolutionary History
Primate Evolutionary History
The origin of the order is commonly given as 65 MYA (million years ago)
Some estimates go back to 85 MYA
Purgatorius unio
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Purgatorius_BW.jpg
Purgatorius unio
55-65 MYA Lived in N. America and Europe Its fossils first discovered in Montana Member of a Genus called the
plesiadapiforms
Primate Evolutionary History
About 50 MYA, pretty soon after the dinosaurs go extinct, there is an explosion in the number of primate species—about 6000 species arise.
The 200 species now living are the what remains of this differentiation. (Lewin 2005:64)
Primate Classification
Linnaean classificationTAXON EXAMPLE: YOUR PUPPYKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataSubphylum VertebrataClass MammaliaOrder CarnivoraFamily CanidaeGenus CanisSpecies C. lupus
Linnaean classification Note: When writing the binomen of a
species, use italics, and capitalize the name of the Genus!
Linnaean classificationTAXON YOUR PUPPY YOUKingdom Animalia AnimaliaPhylum Chordata ChordataSubphylum Vertebrata VertebrataClass Mammalia MammaliaOrder Carnivora PrimatesFamily Canidae Great ApesGenus Canis Homo Species C. lupus H. sapiens
The Primates, a quick tour…
The Primates, a quick tour…The most basic groups to think about:
Prosimians Monkeys Apes and humans
Prosimians: LORIS
Prosimians: LEMURS
Prosimians: TARSIERS
OLD WORLD MONKEYS: MANDRIL
OLD WORLD MONKEYS: SNOW MONKEYS
OLD WORLD MONKEYS: BABOONS
NEW WORLD MONKEYS: SPIDER MONKEYS
NEW WORLD MONKEYS: SQUIRREL MONKEY
APE: ORANGUTAN
APE: GORILLA
APE: GORILLA
APE: CHIMPANZEE
APE: H. sapiens
APE: GIBBON
Typical Primate Characteristics
Adapted from Jurmain et al. (1998)
Primate characteristics Limbs and locomotion:
› Erect or semi-erect posture› Generalized limb structure allows a variety
of locomotive behaviors.
SIFAKAS
Primate characteristics Limbs and locomotion:
› Prehensile hands and feet. Five digits Opposable thumbs and big toes Fingernail instead of claws
. SLOW LORIS
Primate characteristics
Generalized diet and teeth
Primate characteristics The senses and the brain:
› Color vision (diurnal primates only)
Primate characteristics The senses and the brain:
› Stereoscopic vision (depth perception) Eyes to the front Visual information from each eye
transmitted to visual centers in both hemispheres in the brain
Visual information processed by specialized brain structures
TARSIER
Primate characteristics The senses and the brain:
› Large and complex brains Visual information processing Large areas involved with the hand
Primate characteristics Maturation, Learning and Behavior
› Long gestation› Single births instead of litters› Delayed maturation› Tendency to live in mixed-age groups› Dependence on learned behavior
Gua and Donald Holding Hands.
http://www.psy.fsu.edu/history/wnk/ape.html