• Where do humans fit in the world of living things?
• What are the characteristics of primates?
• How are humans like the other primates? How are we unique?

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A classification system based on similarities and differences
Phenetic Taxonomy = Following
Linnaeus, based on existing phenotypic features and adaptive behaviors
Cladistics = Classification system based on order of evolutionary branching

Taxonomy of Humans & Chimps
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Human
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Primates
Hominidae
Homo
Sapiens
Chimpanzee
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Primates
Pongidae
Pan
Troglodytes

Class Mammalia
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Today, 19 Orders & over 4000 Species!
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3 major subgroups:
1. Egg-laying (duck-billed platypus)
2. Pouched (kangaroo, opossum)
3. Placental
Exs. of Placental Orders other than Primates:
Rodents (rats, squirrels, beavers)
Carnivores (bears, dogs, cats)
Insectivores (shrews, moles)
Grazing-browsing (cows, hippos, deer, horses, sheep, goats)

Characteristics of
Placental Mammals
1. Body hair
2. Relatively long gestation period followed by live birth
3. Ability to maintain constant internal body temperature =
“warm-blooded”

4. Increased brain size
5. Mammary glands = origin of the term “Mammal”
6. Different types of teeth = incisors, canines, premolars, molars
7. Considerable capacity for learning and behavioral flexibility

Primate Taxonomy
PRIMATES (order)
PROSIMIANS
Prosimians
ANTHROPOIDEA (suborder)
Platyrrhini
(flat nose)
Catarrhini
(downward nose)
Cercopithecoidea HOMINOIDEA
Lesser Apes Great Apes HOMINIDAE
(family)
New World Old World Gibbons Orangutan HUMAN
Monkeys Monkeys Siamangs Gorilla (species)
Chimpanzee
Bonobo

a. Fat-tailed galago
(mainland Africa) b. Ruffed lemur
(Madagascar) c. Sifaka (Madagascar) d. Ring-tailed lemur
(Madagascar) e. Mouse lemur
(Madagascar) f. Slow loris (South
Asia) g. Aye-aye (Islands off
Madagascar)

Anthropoids a. Spider monkey (NW monkey) b. Saki monkey (NW monkey) c. Drill (OW terrestrial monkey) d. Tamarin (NW marmoset) e. Colobus (OW arboreal monkey) f. Gibbon (OW lesser ape) g. Gorilla (OW great ape)




Enhancement of free mobility of the digits, especially of the thumb (opposability) and big toe
Both used for grasping = Prehensile
Replacement of sharp, compressed claws by flat nails; development of very sensitive tactile pads on the digits

Gripping Tool Use

Prehensile Tail

Primate Characteristics:
Brain size & Smell
* Progressive shortening of the snout and reduction in the sense of smell
* Progressive expansion and elaboration of the brain, especially of the cerebral cortex

Primate Characteristics:
Vision
 Elaboration of the visual apparatus
 Development of
Stereoscopic Vision
(3-D)
 Bony sockets enclose eye nerves and muscles

* Retention of all tooth types
* Old World
Anthropoid
Dental Formula
=
2.1.2.3 x 2=32
2.1.2.3

Primate Characteristics:
Extended Gestation & Maturation
1. Primates are born at earlier stages of development than many other animals
2. Prolongation of postnatal life periods
3. Humans are born at a particularly early stage because of their larger brain; if born later, the baby’s head would be too large for the mother’s pelvis

Primate Characteristics:
Body Stance
Progressive development of upright body stance leading to bipedalism


Large brains

3-D vision, Reduced Sense of Smell

Flexible shoulder joints, Vertical Positioning of Trunk

Hands and feet with five digits

Grasping thumb


Flat fingernails instead of claws

Generalized dentition

Extended Gestation and Maturation

Strong Maternal-Offspring Bond

High Degree of Socialization

Primate Species

166 species currently identified

Most are tree dwellers

Most are herbivores (eat fruit or leaves)

Some are omnivores (eat anything)

Primate Classification
Primates are divided into two main Suborders:
1. Prosimians:
Lemurs, Lorises,Tarsiers
2.
Anthropoids:
NW & OW Monkeys, Apes,
Humans

Primate Taxonomy
PRIMATES (order)
PROSIMIANS
Prosimians
ANTHROPOIDEA (suborder)
Platyrrhini
(flat nose)
Catarrhini
(downward nose)
Cercopithecoidea HOMINOIDEA
Lesser Apes Great Apes HOMINIDAE
(family)
New World Old World Gibbons Orangutan HUMAN
Monkeys Monkeys Siamangs Gorilla (species)
Chimpanzee
Bonobo

Lemurs

Ringtail Lemurs

Lori

Aye-Aye

Aye-Aye
 The aye-aye shown here lives on the island of
Madagascar. It is a very specialized insect-eater.
 Large eyes & good climbing abilities. The aye-aye, and most other prosimians, differ from monkeys and apes in having a moist area of skin on the nose.

Tarsier

Tarsier



Large eyes, active at night
Like most of the prosimians, good grasping ability & nails
Nails on all fingers and most toes, but there are specialized claws on the feet used for grooming called "toilet claws"

Platyrrhine Monkeys
Platyrrhines




Flat noses
Nostrils point sideways
Many have prehensile tails
Live in South and Central
America

Platyrrhine Noses

Platyrrhine Monkeys:
Red-Howler & Spider Monkeys

:
Capuchin Monkey

Platyrrhine Monkeys: Tamarins

Catarrhine Monkeys

Downwardpointing nostrils

Evolved and found in Africa and Asia

Catarrhine Nose

Catarrhines
Divided into two Superfamilies:
1.
2.
Old World Monkeys


Hominoids
Lack tails, have larger skulls, & walk partially upright
Include Gibbons, Gorillas, Orangutans,
Humans, & Chimpanzees

Catarrhine Monkeys:
Mandrill and Diana

Terrestrial Old World Monkeys:
Baboon

Hominoid Taxonomy

Range of Hominoids

Lesser Ape: Gibbon

Great Ape: Orangutan

Great Ape: Gorilla

Gorillas: Knuckle Walking

Great Ape: Chimpanzee