Week Seven Notes: The Stepsirhines: Lemurs and Lorises Prosimians(Same thing as Stepsirhines): Lemurs, Lorises, Tarsiers: Most primitive of the primates Exhibit the fewest derived traits (as a group) of all primates Ancestral Characteristics (ie. Inherited from mammals) • Rely more on olfaction • Moist noise and long snout • Eyes slightly more lateral Classification of Prosimians: Lemurs, Lorises, and Tarsiers Order- primates Suborder: Strepsirhines (used to be Prosimians)…
The White-Nosed Coati (Nausa Narica) belongs to the Procyonidae family and is a relative of the raccoon. The most prominent feature that distinguishes Nausa Narica is it’s long tail, which extends to about 50 cm in length, and accounts for approximately half of its total body span. The white-nosed coati inhabits dry and moist forests all throughout South America where climbing trees are an important aspect of their day-to-day life. The main predators of the white-nosed coati, boas and hunting cats and birds of prey, are also adapted to arboreal life making efficient climbing and balance while climbing crucial for the coatis survival. The length of their tail thus presents itself as an acquired trait that enables them to maintain balance as they climb trees in addition to its uses in the social organization of the species. As Hass and Valenzuela (2002) observed in Nausa narica their tail has uses in the social organization within a population against the threat of predators. The length of their tail allows them to be seen over tall grasses and vegetation when on the ground, enabling them to communicate with each other as well as communicate to the predator that they have been identified as a potential threat. It has not yet been established whether the white-nosed coati would have the same survival and reproductive success in their environment with their existing predators if their tails were shorter in length resembling that of its close relative the raccoon, although it seems plausible. The length of the white-nosed coatis (Nausa narica) tail is an adaptation in response to the external threat of predators that affects their survival within their environment.…
One of the most interesting primates living on this earth is the Siamang gibbon. I first found these primates interesting while I was at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago years ago because of their unique sound they make with their giant throats that sounds like a howl but has rhythm like a song. They have distinct features unlike other gibbons and they sure know how to make a scene or at least noticeable to visitors. Although my visit was very vague, these primates are still imprinted in my memory.…
The New World monkeys (Platyrrhines) can be divided into two families: the Cebidae and the Callitrichidae (the Callimico is also a Platyrrhine and shares many of the characteristics of the callichitrids, but the position of the Callimico within the Platyrrhines will not be considered here). The Callitrichidae family includes the marmosets and the…
The sciencemag.com article “Anti-Alzheimer’s Gene may have Led to the Rise of Grandparents” by Kelli Whitlock Burton talks about the how the protective variant of the CD33 gene may explain why humans have grandmothers that help with child rearing. The article explains the “grandmother hypothesis” that says humans live such long and healthy lives even after they are no longer able to reproduce because they help with child rearing. The CD33 gene plays a big role in Alzheimer’s disease and scientists Ajit Varki and Pascal Gagneux discovered that there are two variants of it: a protective allele and a damaging one.…
This change moves tarsiers (Under the new classification, tarsiers would now be moved to monkeys and apes due to genetic data. )…
No matter what they plan to make their next meal, monkeys have developed adaptations that help them hunt their food. Prehensile tails, large family groups and the use of tools all make sure monkeys have a full belly. Prehensile means they are able to use their tail almost like a third hand, using it to help them hang or climb from branches. The head and body of adult howler monkeys range from twenty-two to thirty-six inches long and their tail adds twenty-three to thirty-six inches. Other monkeys such as capuchins and howler monkeys use their tails to get around in their homes, which is trees. Since most of their diet contains leaves, having a prehensile tail makes reaching almost all parts of the tree for a meal a breeze. They also use their tails to hang from branches while…
Before Jane Goodall’s discovery scientists believed that non-human primates lived simple life. It turns out that they are highly intelligent, emotional creatures that live in complex societies. This new discovery lead people to feel compassion and concern for the animals. Leakey’s once said “new we must redefine tool, redefine man, or consider chimpanzees as humans”. We now see that we are not alone with being advanced that there are other non-human primates that also are advancing.…
Dian Fossey felt it was important to protect apes because of so much poaching and killing of the apes. Fossey was determined to save them as best as she could. “Dian Fossey brought Rwanda’s mountain gorillas to fame’’. (Stephan Laugren). With help by others she managed to create a foundation and zoos to save the “gentle giants”. She had made this gorilla fund a great positive way to making a step for the species and their survival. Her care for the gorillas was great because we were concerned of the issues of having to gorillas killed or hurt in any possible way. People saw animals everywhere can be helped as well just like the gorillas because it was a concern to save…
These gibbons are commonly found in the rain forests of Southeast Asia (Golden-Cheeked Gibbon plaque, 2018). Although they are heavily arboreal, they do not possess a tail nor a prehensile tail. There does not seem to be any sexual dimorphism present amongst the male and female. Their form of locomotion is brachiation which means they rely on their upper limbs to move from tree limb to tree limb. The cage at the zoo consisted of only two adult individuals.…
On Saturday, February 27, 2016, an absolutely beautiful day in Houston, Texas, the opportunity came to mind to make a trip to the Houston Zoo. Arriving the smell of fresh planted herbs and assorted roses, in magnificently worked landscapes, blended with a diversity of people with enough laughter to bring a smile, to put one at ease. This trip my intentions were focused on hopefully sharing, quality time with a primate. Observing their life through glass windows in the day room, moving to the outside containment, where there were two Western Low back Gorillas, napping under large distant shade trees. The outside containment was clean, but limited their ability of freedom. Parking myself where one could evaluate and…
The first type of primate I observed was a Bolivian Grey Titi Monkey which is a type of new world monkey species found in areas of eastern Bolivia and also can be found in Brazil. The scientific term for this species is Callicebus donacophilus. These types of monkeys have medium sized body structures and do not exhibit sexual dimorphism between male and females. The Grey titi monkey is diurnal making them mostly active during the day. They are also arboreal, which means that this species spends most of its life living in the trees. I noticed that this type of monkey is able to travel around on the ground and move throughout the trees very quickly. Since they are able to move around so quickly and have a sustainable life in the trees, I think that is how they avoid potential predators or larger animals that would be a threat on lower levels. The form of locomotion that they mostly use is walking, using all four limbs to support their bodies, which makes them quadralpedlic. Their diet primarily contains of fruits, leaves and insects that they forage by searching on the ground and using their hands to reach in the trees to obtain it. There is a strong bond between adults mating pairs. Evidence of the bond was observed through their behavior and proximity of the pair, while resting on a branch, I observed the pair with their tails intertwined with one another. When separated to communicate within the small range of their cage, I noticed that both used high pitch squeaks to call and find their partner. While observing…
Primates are one of the most interesting mammals on earth, not only because of their complex social structures, but because they hold so many similar characteristics to humans. Primates are often cited as our closest living relatives and on two separate occasions I observed four separate species of primates at the San Diego Zoo that can justify their use of their physical characteristics and behaviors that may be similar as well as different to the other primates and ours.…
The closest living relative to humans are primates. The study of primates and their behaviors is primatology. Primatology provides a better understanding of the many aspects of the research, preservation and conservation of primates. The field of primatology has been fortunate to have several outstanding scientists, among them Jane Goodall, the late Dian Fossey and Birute Galdikas. Each of them has accomplished considerable works documenting and interpreting the lives of chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.…
There is a lot I learned studying the primates. Primates are very fascinating and I think there is a lot more to learn about them. Primates have many different characteristics and because of this they are classified in different groups of species. I did my observation on prosimians, monkeys, and apes as well. The observation was conducted at the Sacramento Zoo of nine primate species. Out of the nine there are three primates that caught my attention and it’s the Ring Tail Lemur, White Faced Saki, and the Chimpanzee. All the observation took place almost in the afternoon during their feeding time and they were not that active but were still able to observe their behavior.…