ANT101H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Grooming Claw, Fovea Centralis, Foramen Magnum
Document Summary
Primates: our contemporary relatives & the basics of primatology. The study of non-human primate biology & behavior. Do not pass through similar stages during embryonic development. Organisms do not share a common ancestor. Structures possessed by 2 different organisms that arise in a similar fashion. Pass through similar stages during embryonic development. Primate characteristics: arboreal, stereoscopic vision, binocular vision (forward facing eyes, color vision, fovea centralis, highly developed sense of touch, enlarged, complex brain, retention of less specialized dentition, primate skeleton. Reduction in the number of offspring born at one time to a female. Longer period of infant dependency on the mother. Nocturnal: haplorhini (tarsiers, monkeys, apes & humans) Bony plate at back of eye orbit. Small body; grooming claw; large ears; unfused mandible. Wide range of size, diet, ecological adaptation. Broad flaring noses with outward nostrils (platyrrhine = flat nose) 3 pms: catarrhini (old world monkey, apes, humans) Tail: balance & communication: hominoidea (apes & humans)