Primates

Primates

1. Explain why primates are not easily distinguished as a taxonomic group and give a specific example.

Other than having human beings in the order of primates, the taxonomic unit includes lorises, monkeys, lemurs, apes, and tarsiers. The order cannot be distinguished easily because cardinal has got more than three hundred species, which makes it the third most diverse order of mammals after the rodents and the bats. For instance, primate can be classified as mammals in the taxonomic units instead of being recognized as an independent group of classification.

2. Describe the arboreal hypothesis as a reason primates took to arboreal living as an adaptive niche.

The arboreal theory is a concept that describes the history of the primates as it notes that the unique set of characteristics in primates is an adaptation to live in trees. Grasping hands and feet became vital to maintaining the tree branches; binocular vision-enabled greater depth of awareness to determine the gap between the tree and the ground, the scent was no longer needed to uncover foodstuff and superior knowledge.

3. Explain the visual predation hypothesis as a reason primates took to arboreal living as an adaptive niche.

The visual predation hypothesis has been elaborated as an approach that tries to explain the origin of primates as it demonstrates that unique primal characteristics developed as an adaptation to preying on insects and small animals.

4. Explain the hypothesis suggested by Sussman in 1991, cited as the reason primates took to arboreal living as an adaptive niche.

Conventionally, the morphological characteristics of primates were thought to be modifications to the arboreal way of life. Nevertheless, Cartmill [ 1972] points out that many other arboreal animals do not have a variety of morphological traits typical of primates. This argues that angular convergence and gripping extremities suggest that the original separation of primates required perceptual predation.

5. Describe (A) brachiationas a formof locomotion and (B) semi-brachiation. Include the primates used in these types of locomotion.

Also known as arm swinging, brachiate is one form of arboreal locomotion where the primates swing from one tree to the other with the aid of their arms. During this entire process, its body is supported under every forelimb as this is the primary mode of locomotion for small siamangs and gibbons in Asia. Whereas semi-brachiation is a form of movement pattern that involves the extensive application of the prehensile and the hands to dangle and locomote the body.

6. Review Figure 6-5. Describe the term dental formula.

In each half of the upper and lower jaw, the dental formula reflects the arrangement of teeth where the whole formula is compounded by two to indicate the complete number of teeth. Through each of the upper jaw and the lower jaw contains two incisors, one canine, and two molars and premolars are missing in milk teeth and, therefore, none.

7. The text states that Primates rely heavily on sight and less on smell compared to other mammals. State the reflecting of this statement. Include a brief description of each change.

Conservative knowledge articulates that those who are impaired in one context-such as vision or hearing-often become more severe in another. As explained by Yoav Gilad and his collaborators at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthology in Germany and the Weizmann Institute in Israel reported a link between the lack of olfactory receptor (OR) genes; and his which are the chemical source for scent sense and absolute trichromatic color vision in primates.

8. Consult the classification scheme for primatesoutlined in Figure 6-9. Follow the dark blue-purple line. Listall of the taxonomic categories to which humans belong in a sequence (Entries B-J) from the most inclusive category to the most exclusive category in the scheme. The first category has been completed for you. Spelling counts! 

9. The lemurs and lorises are considered the most primitive (i.e., least derived) of the primates. Explain this statement.

Prosimians, which consist of the galagos, lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers are known to be the most primitive primates because their brains are not outstandingly large compared to other mammals.

10. Considering the Tarsiers as a group. Describe their 1) geographic location and 2) ecological characteristics.

Also known to be generally nocturnal, Tarsiers are closer to simians compared to other prosimians even though they are still considered prosimians. One of the outstanding traits that differentiate the tarsiers from other prosimians is their dry nose, as well as their strong hide legs used to jump after the prey. Additionally, they have enormous brains that equate their large eyes that they cannot manage to turn or roll them, but they can turn their heads all round just as owls.

11. Identify the unique (among primates) feature of the tarsier′s vision.

The most distinguishing feature about the tarsiers is their eyes because each eye is very big similar to the brain of an animal and also rivals the eyes of orangutans for size. The reason why tarsiers have big eyes is that first, they are nocturnal hunters, and their large bulging eyes assist them in minimalizing the available light to trap their prey.  Second, the vision helps them to be aware of its predators such as lizards, cats, and snakes.

12. List ten (10) physical (structural/anatomical) characteristics of the anthropoids that distinguish them from the lemurs and lorises.

Anthropoids are pretty large relative to the prosimians, and also their brains are fused as compared to lorises and lemurs. Another distinctive feature in anthropoids is the eye socket or the orbit as theirs is closed but open in the prosimians. While lemurs and lorises have a sprucing talon on the index finger of the rear foot, the anthropoids have nails. Their teeth are also another remarkable difference because prosimians have several teeth sets as their incisors are almost horizontal or otherwise considered as grooming comb. After all, they custom it to clean while anthropoids use it for feeding.

13. 1 Compare the geographic distributions of the New World and Old World monkeys.

The Old World monkeys inhabit a wide variety of habitats in South and East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and even Gibraltar at the southern tip of Spain. Many species live in tropical forests, while others live on arid grasslands and even mountainous areas with heavy winter snows. Wheras the new world monkeys, which comprises the five families of primate that are located in the tropical region of the south and central Mexico and the United States

14. Pretend you are at the zoo and are observing a primate exhibit featuring monkeys. What traits could be used to determine whether the show features a New World or Old World monkey species?

New World monkeys have long noses with a thick septum dividing outwardly focused nostrils, whereas Old World monkeys, including apes and humans, have small noses with a thin septum and downward-facing nostrils. Old World monkeys are on the buttocks with rough, flat “sitting pads” (ischial callosities); these are absent from New World monkeys. Most Old World monkeys have thumbs that can be compared to the other fingers and thus accurately manipulate small objects. None of the primates in the New World have that manual dexterity. Nevertheless, the critical difference between the index and middle fingers is in the hands of many animals; in a few species, the thumb is either diminished or even missing.

15. In your own words, define sexual dimorphism and provide an example

Sexual dimorphism, the distinctions in appearance among guys and females of similar species, for instance, in shading, shape, size, and structure that is brought about by the legacy of either sexual example in the hereditary material. Among humans, development is also correlated with many sexually dimorphic behaviors. Examples include the priming of the genitalia for sexual intercourse, and taking a traditional posture when having sex (female lordosis, male mounting).

16. For the orangutans, list (1) the geographical range, (2) locomotion; (3) ecological niche; and (4) sexual dimorphism.

The geographic range – Orangutans are now present only on the Borneo and Sumatra islands, with the Sumatran population limited to the northern part of the island. Sumatran orangutans are split into nine distinct groups, all situated in the Aceh and North Sumatra provinces of Indonesia.

Locomotion – Orangutans are the world’s largest arboreal species, spending more than 95 percent of their time in the forest. Their bodies are suited to their unique arboreal locomotion system – called quadrumanous scrambling. “Large, slender hands and feet of the orangutans are particularly useful for grabbing branches

Ecological niche – Bornean orangutans have an imperative task to carry out in seed dispersal, particularly for bigger seeds in which littler creatures are not ready to scatter. Truth be told, because of their essential job in seed dispersal, they are classified “plant specialists of the backwoods.”

Sexual dimorphism – Orangutans are distinguished by deep dimorphic masculinity. Males are twice as heavy as females, ranging about 60—80 kg.

17. For the gorillas, list (1) the geographical range, (2) locomotion; (3) ecological niche; and (4) sexual dimorphism.

Geographical range – Gorilla living space ranges from montane timberlands to swamps. Eastern gorillas possess montane and submontane backwoods somewhere in the range of 650 and 4,000 m (2,130 and 13,120 ft) above ocean level. The western lowland gorillas occupy Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo, and Equatorial Guinea (West Africa) coastal areas. The eastern lowland gorilla inhabits the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s tropical forests.

Locomotion – Like chimpanzees, gorillas usually move with their knuckles on all fours-this is called ‘ knuckle-walking. ‘ Occasionally gorillas rear up to walk for short distances on their two hind legs, especially when they show up.

Ecological niche – Western swamp gorillas are herbivorous, bolstering predominantly on leaves and stems, although they never strip one site totally. The western subspecies takes a greater extent of organic product—a progressively restricted asset—which seems to confine troop size to 5–10 people. A niche of Mountain Gorilla is to diminish the plant population. Mountain Gorillas reproduce at a slow rate.

Sexual dimorphism – Lowland gorillas show the most considerable dimorphism, having a bodyweight ratio of 2.37 for males/females. Orangutans also exhibit strong dimorphism (male / female ratio = 2.23), while bonobos and chimpanzees have a more average rate (1.36 and 1.29).

18. For chimpanzees, describe the (A) physical attributes, (B) geographical range, and (C) ecological adaptations of the common chimpanzee.

Physical attributes – The chimpanzee has a body that is thick with long arms, short legs, and no tail. Long black hair covers much of the body, but the face, ears, fingers, and toes are bare. They have hands that can hold firmly, enabling them to pick up objects.

Geographical range – Chimpanzees have by a wide margin the most extensive geographic dissemination of any extraordinary gorilla, with a scope of over 2.6 million km² (got from IUCN shapefiles). They have a spasmodic circulation from southern Senegal over the forested belt north of the Congo River to western Tanzania and western Uganda, somewhere in the range of 13 ° N and 7 ° S.

Ecological adaptations – Chimpanzees have various physical and social adjustments to assist them with keeping away from predators, discover nourishment, and remain safe in African rainforests. Such modifications incorporate long arms, restricting thumbs, large toes, and conduct changes, for example, living in troops, utilizing devices, and home rest.

19. Compare and contrastbonobos with chimpanzees

The significant difference between the two is how each rules their civilizations: chimpanzees are guided by an alpha male and strive to maintain law and order through violence, whereas bonobos are governed by females and keep the peace by race.

20. Explain the dental formula 2.1.2.3.

For example, formula 2.1.2.3 for the upper teeth indicates two incisors on one side of the upper mouth, one canine, two premolars, and three molars.

21. List the three main reasons why nonhuman primate populations endangered. 

• Shifts in-ground use, global market preferences, and deforestation powered by the business.
• Logging, mining, and the extraction of fossil fuels.
• Fragmented and depleted habitats and minimal resistance of primates and other anthropogenic stressors

22. 22. What specific human activities threaten the existence of nonhuman primates in the wild? What can you do to help save nonhuman primates from extinction? 

Although some of the nonhuman primates have died out, others are on the brink of extinction. Many causes pose a threat to the disappearance of nonhuman primates due to colonization by predatory species, such as deforestation, animal trafficking, and competitiveness. One of the simplest and perhaps most efficient methods of helping wild animals is to protect the environment the animals are raised in.