Bio 1004s - Primate diversity 1. Notes

Primate diversity 1
Primate lineage is to be explained using lines of diversity
Primates- general mammals



Primate diets:
 General- lots of types of teeth- can take in a wide variety of foods, mostly vegetarian but
supplemented with other stuff- originally evolved in a tropical rainforest.
 Mutation 50 000 000 years ago that prevented them from producing vitamin C- has to
take in fruits- why we can get scurvy without Vitamin C
 Would have been weeded out if the monkeys weren’t rainforest animals that spend their
time among fruits & veggies, although some primates can actually live outside
rainforests- they’re highly adaptable
Primate locomotion:
 Ancestors were on all forms
 Arboreal quadrupedalism
 Terrestrial quadrupedalism – baboons
 Leaping
 Suspension- can hang, like chimps
 Humans- bipedal

Behaviour and life history
 Longish life spans- extended learning period- infant/ juvenile stage- long life history
 Intelligence- important strong mother-offspring bonds, single births/ twins, kinship is
important
 About investing in offspring

Social organisation reflected in sexually dimorphic traits
 Large body size, large canines, facial colouring, manes, cheek pads
 Monomorphic- not that different
 Generally monogamous if monomorphic, “Alpha male situation” if dimorphic

Phylogeny
 Strepsirrhines- small-bodied monkeys like bush babies
o Rhinarium- keeps nose moist
o Split upper lip
o Tapetum lueiduim- nocturnal
o Post orbital bar- behind the eye stuff