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Modern Primates and Primate Behavior

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The western lowland gorilla is among the most numerous with perhaps a population ... The mountain gorilla probably have never been numerous and number about 600 ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Modern Primates and Primate Behavior


1
Modern Primates and Primate Behavior
  • A Survey of Living Primates
  • Anthropoids

2
Anthropoids (Monkeys, Apes, and Humans)
  • The anthropoid (humanlike) primates include
    monkeys, apes, and humans.
  • Although there is much variation among
    anthropoids, there are certain features that,
    when taken together, distinguish them as a group
    from prosimians.
  • Generally larger body size
  • Larger brain (in absolute terms and relative to
    body weight)
  • Reduced reliance on the sense of smell, as
    indicated by absence of rhinarium and other
    structures.
  • Increased reliance on vision, with forward-facing
    eyes placed at front of face.
  • Greater degree of color vision.
  • Back if eye socket formed by a bony plate.

3
  • Blood supply to brain different from that of
    prosimians.
  • Fusion of the 2 sides of the mandible at the
    midline to form one bone (in prosimians and
    tarsiers they are joined by fibrous tissue).
  • Less specialized dentition, as seen in absence of
    the dental comb and some other features.
  • Difference with regard to female internal
    reproductive anatomy.
  • Longer gestation and maturation periods.
  • More mutual grooming.

4
  • Suborder Anthropoidea is further divided into two
    infraorders
  • Platyrrhini (NWM) flat-nosed
  • Platyrrhini means flat nose and the noses of
    the Central and South American monkeys have
    widely spaced nostrils separated by a broad
    septum.
  • Catarrhini (OWM) monkeys, apes, and humans
    downward-facing nose
  • If you compare this with a typical OW catarrhine
    nose (nostrils close together and facing
    downward) you will see that they are comma
    shaped and close together.

5
Whitehead et al. 2005
6
Which one is Catarrhini (OWM) and Platyrrhini
(NWM)
7
Dental Formula
  • NW and OW primates have different dental
    formulas, that is, the number of each type of
    tooth in each quadrant of the mouth.
  • OW have 2 incisors, 1 canine, 2 premolers
    (bicuspids), and 3 molars
  • It is written as 2.1.2.3 ? 2 32
  • 2.1.2.3
  • Some NW anthropoids have 4 extra premolars
  • 2.1.3.3 ? 2 36
  • 2.1.3.3
  • Other NW anthropoids have 4 fewer molars
  • 2.1.3.2 ? 2 32
  • 2.1.3.2

8
  • Moreover, because NW monkeys are almost entirely
    arboreal, they have evolved long limbs, an some
    have clawlike nails.
  • Several species also have a prehensile tail
    giving them 5 grasping limbs
  • NO OW monkey has this adaptation
  • Finally, two groups of platyrrhines, the
    marmosets and tamarins, normally give birth to
    twins.

9
Howler Monkey Note the prehensile tail
10
  • The OW primates are divided into two
    superfamilies.
  • The monkeys of Europe (now limited to Gibraltar),
    Africa, and Asia make up superfamily
    Cercopithecoidea
  • All OWM
  • Apes and humans are in the superfamily
    Hominoidea, which are then divided into three
    families.
  • Hylobatidae
  • Pongiade
  • Hominidae

11
The Superfamily Hominoida
  • Contains the larger, tailless primates.
  • The hominoidsapes and humansare generally
    larger that the monkeys and have larger brains,
    both relatively and absolutely.
  • Their brains also have neocortexes, meaning that
    the hominoids are more intelligent as I have
    already defined.
  • Finally, a series of traits make the hominoids
    good suspensor climbers and hangers.
  • The traits behind this ability are a flexable
    shoulder joint, a shoulder blade that is farther
    back than in monkeys, and a stronger color bone
    (clavicle) for added support.

12
Family Hylobatidae
  • Includes the gibbons and siamangs of Southeast
    Asia and Malaysia.
  • There are 14 gibbon species and the closely
    related siamang are today found in the
    southeastern tropical areas of Asia.
  • These animals are the smallest of the apes, with
    long, slender body weighing 13 pounds in the
    gibbon and 25 pounds in the siamang.
  • The most distinctive structural feature of
    gibbons and siamamgs is related to an adaptation
    to brachiation.

13
  • Sometimes referred to as the lesser apes they
    are noted for their brachiating mode of
    locomotion
  • They have extremely long arms, long permanently
    curved fingers, short thumbs, and powerful
    shoulder muscles.
  • This highly specialized locomotor adaptation may
    be related to feeding behavior while hanging
    beneath branches.
  • The diet of both species is composed mainly of
    fruit.
  • However, both (especially the siamang) eat a
    variety of leaves, insects and flowers.
  • They also have unusual social organization for
    primates.
  • Male and female hylobatids form monogamous pair,
    though not necessarily a permanent one.

14
Grey Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri)
15
Siamangs (Hylobates syndactylus)
16
Pongidae, (great apes)
  • There are 4 species within the family
  • Orangutan
  • Orangutans (Pan pygmaeus) are represented by two
    subspecies found today only in heavily forested
    areas on the Indonesian islands of Borneo and
    Sumatra.
  • As a result of human predation, they are an
    endangered species.
  • Orangutans are slow cautious climbers whose
    locomotor behavior can best be described as
    four-handed, referring to the tendency to use
    all your limbs for grasping and support.

17
  • They are mostly arboreal, however, they do
    sometimes travel quadrupeadally on the ground.
  • Pronounced sexual dimorphism (males 200 lbs
    females 100 lbs).
  • In the wild they lead solitary lives, although
    adult females are usually accompanied by one or
    two dependent offspring.
  • They are primarily frugivorous, but bark, leaves,
    insects, and meant (on rare occasions) may also
    be eaten.

18
Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)
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20
Gorilla
  • Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) are the largest of all
    living primates.
  • They are limited to forested areas of western and
    eastern equatorial Africa.
  • Generally, there are three recognized subspecies
  • Western lowland gorilla
  • Eastern lowland gorilla
  • Mountain gorilla
  • However, molecular data suggests that only one of
    these, the western lowland gorilla is perhaps
    sufficiently genetically distinct to warrant a
    separate species.

21
  • The western lowland gorilla is among the most
    numerous with perhaps a population size of
    110,000.
  • Systematic studies of the free-ranging WLG did
    not begin until the mid-1980s thus knowledge
    about social structure and behaviors is still in
    its infancy.
  • In general, it appears that their social
    structure is simi8alr to that of mountain
    gorillas, but groups are smaller and somewhat
    less cohesive.
  • The eastern lowland gorilla is found near the
    boarder of the DRC and numbers about 12,000.

22
  • The mountain gorilla probably have never been
    numerous and number about 600
  • Live in groups consisting of 1 (or sometimes 2)
    large silverback males, a variable number of
    adult females, and their offspring.
  • Silverback refers to adult males with white hair
    across the saddle of their back (12-13 years)
  • Typically, but not always, both males and females
    leave their natal group as young adults.
  • Females join other groups while males may live
    alone for a while, or they may join an all male
    group before eventually forming their own group.

23
  • Gorillas exhibit marked sexual dimorphism with
    males (400 lbs) weighing twice as much as females
    (100-200 lbs).
  • As a result of their weight, gorillas (especially
    males) are primarly terrestrial and adopt a
    semiquadrupedal (knuckle-walking) posture on the
    ground.
  • All gorillas are almist exclusively vegetarian.
  • MT gorillas concentrate primarily on leaves,
    pith, and stalks.
  • WLG eat the same foods but also eat considerably
    more fruit.
  • Not the myth of the killer ape.

24
Right Western Lowland Gorilla
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27
Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
  • Chimps are probably the best known of the all the
    NHP
  • Chimp are found in equatorial Africa from the
    Atlantic Ocean in the west to Lake Tanganyika in
    the east.
  • Chimps are in many ways structurally similar to
    gorillas, with corresponding limb proportions and
    upper-body shape.
  • This similarity is due to commonalities in
    locomotion when on the ground (quadruped knuckle
    walking).
  • However, ecological adaptation of chimps and
    gorillas differ, with chimps spending more time
    in the trees.
  • Moreover, while gorillas are typically placid and
    quiet, chimps are highly excitable, active, and
    noisy.

28
  • Chimps are smaller than orangutans and gorillas,
    but they do exhibit sexual dimorphism, just not
    as much as orangutans and gorillas. Males just
    over 100 lbs and females around 80 lbs.
  • In addition to knuckle walking, chimps (in
    particular young) may brachiate while in the
    trees.
  • On the ground, they frequently walk bipedally for
    short distances when carrying food or other
    objects.
  • They eat a variety of food items, including
    fruit, leaves, insects, nuts, birds eggs,
    berries caterpillars, and small mammals.

29
  • They live in large fluid communities of as many
    as 50 individuals or more.
  • At the core of a chimp community is a group of
    bonded males.
  • While this relationship is not always peaceful or
    stable, these males use each other to defend
    their territory.
  • Adult females tend of forage alone or in the
    company of their offspring.
  • Their social behavior is complex and individuals
    form lifelong attachments with friends and
    relatives.
  • The bond between mother and child is strong
    lasting their whole lives
  • Chimps live to their mid-30s early 40s

30
Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) organize themselves
into complex social structures, requiring
considerable intelligence.
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32
Bonobos (Pan paniscus)
  • Are found only in an area south of the Zaire
    River in the DRC.
  • They are among the least studied of the great
    apes.
  • There are no accurate counts but it is believed
    that their numbers are around 10,000 to 20,000
  • They are sometimes called pygmy chimpanzee
    because of their strong resemblance but smaller
    size.
  • However, this title is a misnomer because in fact
    bonobos exhibit several anatomical and behavioral
    differences from chimps.

33
  • Physically
  • They have a more linear body build
  • Longer legs relative to arms
  • A relatively smaller head
  • A darker face from birth
  • Tuffs of hair on the side of the face.
  • They are more arboreal than chimps and appear to
    be less excitable and aggressive.
  • Physical violence both within and between groups
    are uncommon.
  • These groups are centered around female bonding
    not male like chimps.
  • Bonobo sexuality is different than in chimps.

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