Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009
Primates What is a primate? 13 families and 233 species Differentiating from other orders
Teeth -- bunodont, brachyodont, 4 cusps Hands and digits Tropical forest dwellers Scansorial, small to medium sized Brain size and cerebral cortex Vegetarian or omnivore Shortened muzzle region Short rostrum -- stereoscopic vision Lower reproductive rate (age of sexual maturity, life span) Plesiadapis Diet shift Social / Mating systems
Radiation Origins (NA)
Strepsirhini Evolution of primates Daubentoniidae (1 species) 90 mya--genetics Loridae (4 genera, 6 species) 65 mya—fossil record Galagonidae (4 genera, 11 species) Fig. 13.1 “Lemurs” (4 families) Fig. 11.5 Mainly Madagascar Strepsirhini Haplorhini Daubentoniidae 1 genus, 1 species -- Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascarensis)
Arboreal, Nocturnal, Insectivorous 2 kg Orbits forward (why?) Dentition -- Fig. 13.7 No canines, Flattened evergrowing incisors Diastema
Strepsirhini Strepsirhini Loridae -- Lorises and Pottos Galagidae -- Galagos or bushbabies 4 genera, 11 species 4 genera, 6 species Africa Leaping -- trees Africa and Asia Tail long, furred, balance Long hind limbs Nocturnal, Arboreal Longer rostrum 85 g to 1.4 kg Insectivorous or omnivorous Hand-over-hand climbing
Insectivorous, some frugivorous
Slender loris
1 Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009
Strepsirhini Strepsirhini
Lemuridae -- Lemurs -- only on Madagascar Megaladapidae -- sportive lemurs Madagascar Arboreal, semi-arboreal, Originally subspecies in Lemuridae terrestrial (ring-tailed lemur, Lemur catta) Now 1 genus, 7 species Longer rostrum than other primates Distinctions: No upper incisors Diurnal Unusual jaw articulation Nocturnal 2 - 4 kg Fossil species -- 80 kg 4 genera, 10 species Foliovores Golden lemur Caecum, Coprophagy
Haplorhini Tarsiidae (1 genus, 5 species) Cebidae (11 genera, 58 species) Strepsirhini Callitrichidae (5 genera, 26 species) Indridae -- Indrids Cercopithecidae (18 genera, 82 species) Hylobatidae (1 genus, 11 species) Hominidae (4 genera, 5 species) 3 genera, 5 species Madagascar only Fossils -- Omomyidae, Eosimiidae
Sub-Recent fossils Tarsiidae -- Tarsiers -- 200 kg Archeoindris Fig. 11.5 1 genus, 5 species Position questioned in past Herbivorous, arboreal, nocturnal Omomyidae 6-30 mya Oriental faunal region 1 - 10 kg Common characters: Dental similarity (no tooth comb) Sifaka video Postorbital septum Orbits and eyes -- nocturnal Carnivores -- insects, lizards
Haplorhini Atelidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae Haplorhini Cebidae -- tamarins and marmosets Neotropical, 11 genera, 58 species 0.5 to 10 kg. Neotropical, 5 genera, 26 species Origin? 120 to 380 g -- smallest Hallux (big toe) opposable Characteristics: Long prehensile tail in some Triangular molar, no 3rd molar Chisel-shaped medial incisors Generally no color vision Claws on all digits but hallux Diurnal vegetarians Omnivorous -- insects and fruit Generally foliovores, frugivores Social groups, female and males Males care for young too Gregarious (some genera)
Atelidae video
2 Mammalogy 4764 Fall 2009
Proboscis monkey Haplorhini Haplorhini
Cercophithecidae -- “Old-world monkeys” Baboons (Cercopithecidae)
18 genera, 82 species Papio, Theropithecus terrestrial Baboon Catarrhine monkeys Nostrils close, face down Cliffs instead of trees (1 species) Desert conditions Africa to Asia Colobus monkey MOW Baboon video 1.5 to 50+ kg
Longer rostrum, Nails on digits, Sexual dimorphism: Hallux opposable Male 2x female mass
Herbivorous or omnivorous 20-25 year life span Japanese macaque Arboreal or terrestrial
Haplorhini Haplorhini Hominidae -- Great apes and humans Hylobatidae -- Gibbons video Recent inclusion of Pongidae -- great apes in Hominidae Hylobates -- 1 genus, 11 species Was just 1 genus, 1 species Asia Now 4 genera, 5 species
4 to 11 kg. Pan and Gorilla -- Chimpanzees and gorillas -- Africa Pongo -- Orangutan -- Borneo and Sumatra Not sexually dimorphic Gorilla video Brachiation -- long arms
Small family groups, territorial
Haplorhini -- Hominidae Haplorhini -- Hominidae Homo -- 2 to 2.5 mya Inflated cranium Pan, Gorilla, Pongo -- Genera Larger cerebrum No rostrum 48 to 270 kg Foramen magnum Hallux (big toe) opposable -- beneath skull Forelimbs longer than hindlimbs Hands longer than feet No tails Pongo
Generally vegetarian Gorilla
Endangered or threatened -- human effect
Pan Savage and Long 1986
3