All about Primates

Table of Contents

What Are Primates?

Primates are a diverse group of animals that belong to the order Primates. They are divided into two suborders strepsirrhines, which include galagos, lemurs and lorisids, and haplorhines, which include simians (such as apes, monkeys and humans) and tarsians. These animals have been known to evolve from small terrestrial animals around 80 million years ago. They evolved certain characteristics such as shoulder girdles, bigger brains, clear vision and colour.

Classification

Distinguishable Characteristics

Size and Diversity

The primates vary in size from the mouse lemur, which is as small as 30 grams, to giant gorillas, which weigh upto 200 kilograms. More than 500 species of the primates are known, making them the third most diverse group of mammals after rodents and bats.

Body Features

They have an increased brain size in comparison to other mammals. Their visual perception is also enhanced along with the sense of smell. However, both these features are more pronounced in apes and humans as compared to lemurs and lorises. They also possess claws on their digits along with flat nails. The bigger toe diverges from the other toes and together they form grasping pincers. Their hands are dextrous and possess opposable thumbs. They also possess specialised nerve endings that give them enhanced tactile sensitivity.

Adaptations and Social Status

All the species of primates have arboreal adaptations, but some of them such as gorillas, apes and humans are primarily terrestrial. The primates are unique as they are the most social of all animals, forming pairs and groups. The non-human primates also have different social systems that depend upon the movement of adolescent females. They are also the most intelligent creatures and can communicate by the gestures of hands, facial expressions and voices.

Eyes and Teeth

They have forward-facing eyes such that their visual fields overlap. This feature is not special to primates but is seen in all predators. Their teeth have premolar and molar cusps that are low and rounded. This is in contrast with pointed cusps found in other placental mammals.

Locomotion

The arboreal primates living in forests can move by three methods: (a) leaping with the help of hindlimbs, (b) arm swinging with the help of forelimbs and (c) quadrupedalism with the help of both forelimbs and hindlimbs. Quadrupedalism is characteristic of baboons and apes whereas humans are bipedal.

Growth and Development

The primates have a low rate of growth and development. They are breastfed by their mother and are totally dependent on them for the initial years of their life. In some cases, the young ones are carried by their fathers for transportation. The feeding mother temporarily ceases ovulation at the time of breastfeeding but regains her reproductive capability once the infant is weaned.

Feeding Habits

Primates devour a variety of food sources. They derive food from their natural environments such as fruits and vegetables. They include lipids, carbohydrates and proteins in their diet for energy and sustenance.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

The primates tend to reproduce undergoing the following processes: breeding, gestation, birth and lactation. The primitive primates have an easy and short life cycle as compared to the advanced primates. The advanced primates have a longer gestation and juvenile period. In their juvenile period, they remain under the guidance of adults and thus get more time for the development of their brain.

The lemurs and lorises show breeding periods once or twice within a year. Their reproductive phase is known as estrous phase, while after reproduction they undergo morphological changes where the female’s external genitalia is totally sealed, known as the anestrous phase.

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