BIOLOGY 321 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Howler Monkey
Document Summary
Mammals, tree of life distinctions: one major distinction: Eutherian, aka placental (the vast majority: edentates: toothless mammals; many of the distinctions are based on teeth, four major clades of edentates. Primate shared characteristics: primitive body plan ; common arboreal condition [shared among non- primates]: long, flexible backbone. Generalized dental pattern; meaning they diet is not specialized, most are omnivores. Evolution of diet: started adding in small vertebrates, then flowers and other similar things, and the last specialization to develop was eating mature leaves. Still having pentadactyly, but also opposable thumb. Ulna and radius allow for palmar rotation: allows for swinging from tree to tree. Clavicles unite arms to chest to facilitate hanging. Forward facing eyes; this allows for depth perception and 3d vision; improvements in acuity and tri-color color vision: greater definition in vision led to a lesser reliance on olfaction, reduction of snout as well. Skull expansion and increased brain complexity; also leads to longer gestation period.
