ANT203Y5 – BiologicalAnthropology
Lecture 23 – January 28, 2014
Strepsirhini and Tarsiers
Traditional Classification
- Prosimii is a polyphyletic grouping
- Anthropoidea is a paraphyletic grouping
Phylogenetic Reconstruction
- All monophyletic groupings
Taxonomy of the Suborder Strepsirhini
- Lemuriformes lives inAfrica ANT203Y5 – BiologicalAnthropology
Lecture 23 – January 28, 2014
Main Characteristics of the Suborder Strepsirhini
- Primitive traits.
o Moist, naked rhinarium with upper lip attached internally
o Unfused mandible
o Placenta is simple, diffuse, and nondeciduate
- Derived traits.
o Grooming claw on second pedal digit
o Incisors and canines of the lower jaw form a “grooming” comb (except in the
Indriidae and Daubentonia)
o Generally large eyes, and always a “tapetum lucidum” behind the retina,
indicating nocturnal adaptation
- Gray bamboo lemur
o Huge eyes (tapetum lucidum)
Strepsirhini Hand (Left) and Foot (Right, Showing the “Grooming Claw”)
- Aye-aye are highly endangered and highly unique having a long middle finger for eating
Dental Comb
- They use part of the comb for grooming
- Premolars have adapted more or less into the morphology of a canine
Superfamily Lemuroidea (Lemurs)
- Lemurs are restricted to the island of Madagascar, off the coast of EastAfrica.
- Let’s review the history of this fascinating island….
Geologic History of Madagascar
- Madagascar separated fromAfrica more than 120 million years ago, before the evolution
of most modern groups of mammals.
o Many species living in Madagascar are seen no where
- It is believed that, after the separation of Madagascar fromAfrica, a small number of
mammals made it to the island, probably “rafting” on floating mats of vegetation.
Among these mammals were the ancestors of Lemurs…
o
MoreAbout Madagascar
- 80% of Malagasy plants and animals are not found anywhere else in the world.
- Lemurs found many empty niches to exploit, and there was a remarkable adaptive
radiation, that gave rise to the large number of species found today in the island
(although many of them are endangered).
- Anthropoids, which otherwise would have been competing with lemurs for resources,
never made it to Madagascar.
- Here are some examples of Malagasy Lemurs.
DaubentoniidaeAye-Aye
- Aye-ayes are very unique due to their chisel teeth (1013/1003) and long middle finger,
which they use for feeding
- They are nocturnal and occupy a woodpecker niche, eating wood-boring larvae. ANT203Y5 – BiologicalAnthropology
Lecture 23 – January 28, 2014
- Aye-ayes are the most endangered mammals of Madagascar
Indriidae
- This family includes 3 living genera: Indri, Propithecus (Sifakas), andAvahi (woolly
lemurs) and 12 species. DF 2123/2023
- They have long, strong hind limbs, characteristic of leapers. Their locomotion is termed
“clinging and leaping”. On the ground, they stand upright, and usually progress by short
lips or hoops.
- They are folivorous (eating leaves, buds, fruits, nuts, bark and flowers).
- Avahi are nocturnal, indri and sifakas diurnal
Some Members of the Indriidae family
- Indri
- Sifaka
- Avahi or wooly lemur
Lemuridae (True Lemurs)
- The family Lemuridae includes 4 genera (Lemur, Eulemur, Varecia and Hapalemur) and
10 species. It comprises species showing a wide range of adaptations in terms of diet and
habitat. Some species are frugivorous, some folivorous, some include insect in their diets,
and Hapalemur feeds on bamboo. DF 2133/2133
- They are mostly diurnal.All lemurs are at least partly arboreal, but some spend plenty of
time on the ground (e.g. Lemur catta)
Lepilemuridae (Sportive Lemurs
- This family (also known as Megalapidae) has only one genus, Lepilemur with 7 species.
- They are strictly nocturnal and folivorous.
- Lepilemur adults lose uppe
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