ANHB1101 Lecture 22: Primates
12 Jul 2018
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Document Summary
Humans belong to a particular group of mammals known as primates. =humans and apes such as chimps, bonobo, gorilla, monkeys. =many of the features relate to living in trees, as an aboreal life style presents different challenges to a terrestrial environment. =the 2 major characteristics of primates that account for their success in the trees is their ability to use hands and feet to grasp (rather than digging in with claws) and the ability to perceive distance and depth. Grasping hands= 5 digits on hands/feet, prehensile (capable of being used to grasp objects), in many primates they can grasp with their feet, humans have lost this. Expanded tactile pads> sense of touch>manipulating objects. Nails instead of claws= nails protect the sensitive skin and don t disrupt grasping. Specialized structures= used in a highly specific way compared to generalized structures= can be used in a variety of ways, the flexibility in primates is obtained by having a generalized skeletal structure.
