The order of higher primates belongs to the order. Primates Squad

Primates Squad

Primates are usually placed by zoologists somewhere in the middle of the list of mammal orders; predatory and ungulate animals are undoubtedly better adapted to life than they are. However, many primates have the highest level of mental activity among animals. The name of the squad comes from Latin word prima- “first”, “best”.

The body sizes of primates range from 15 cm to 2 m; weight gorillas can reach 200 kg. The hairline is well developed. The tail is long, but there are short-tailed and tailless forms.

The head is relatively small, especially the front part, and the cranium is large in volume. Primates have well-developed hemispheres forebrain , the bark of which forms numerous folds, convolutions . Due to their adaptation to life in trees, the most developed sense organs are vision (in monkeys - color binocular) and hearing, but the sense of smell is weakened. Five-fingered limbs grasping type , with well developed fingers, big opposed the rest have nails on their fingers. All primates are characterized by the presence of a clavicle and complete separation of the radius and ulna, which provides mobility and a variety of movements of the forelimb. When moving on the ground, primates rely on their entire foot.

The eyes are more or less directed forward, and the orbits are separated from the temporal fossa by a periorbital ring ( tupai (1), lemurs (4-6) ) or bony septum ( tarsiers (9-10), monkeys ). On the muzzle of lower primates there are 4-5 groups of tactile hairs - vibrissae.

Well-developed cerebral hemispheres with abundant grooves and convolutions are characteristic only of higher primates. The lower representatives of the order have a smooth brain or have few grooves and convolutions.

Primates mainly eat a mixed diet with a predominance of plants, and less often are insectivores. Due to their mixed diet, their stomach is simple. There are four types of teeth - incisors (2 pairs), canines, small (premolars) and large (molars) molars; molars with 3-5 cusps. There is a complete change of teeth - milk and permanent.

Primates reproduce all year round, a female usually gives birth to one (in lower forms- sometimes 2-3) cub. As a rule, primates live in trees, but there are terrestrial and semi-terrestrial species. The lifestyle of primates is diurnal, gregarious, less often paired or solitary; they live mainly in tropical and sub tropical forests Africa, Asia and America, are also found in high mountain areas.

The squad includes two suborders: prosimians And monkeys. The first include families Tupayevs (1) , lemurs (4-6) , indrieves (2) , hand-footed (3) , Loriaceae (7,8) And tarsiers (9-10) .

All prosimians (1-10) have a primitive brain and are not very similar to real monkeys. There are about 50 species in Madagascar, in tropical Africa And Southeast Asia. Stupid (1) Some zoologists classify them as insectivores or separate them into a separate order.

Monkeys(about 170 species) live in tropical forests South America (broad-nosed monkeys; 2 families - marmosets (11) And prehensile-tailed (12, 13) ) and Africa and Asia ( narrow-nosed monkeys). The latter are divided into marmosets (15 -26) , gibbons (27, 28) , pongid (great apes ) (29-32) And hominid .

Family Monkeys (15 - 26) - the most numerous in the squad. It includes macaques (17), marmosets (25), baboons (21 - 23) etc. Monkeys and macaques live in groups, climb trees well and run on the ground. They are herbivorous and have cheek pouches. Baboons are large animals with a long snout. They spend most of their time on the ground. They live in prides (groups) in which there is a strict hierarchy (subordination). Well developed methods of communication: sound signals, facial expressions, gestures.

Family Great apes (pongids) (29-32) combines species that have greatest resemblance to a human: these are chimpanzee (31, 32), gorilla (30), orangutan (29) . They have a wide, flat face and small ears, well developed and similar to humans. facial expressions . There are many common traits with a person and internal structure. For example, the skeletons of chimpanzees and humans consist of the same bones, which have a similar structure. Like humans, these monkeys have 4 known blood types.

Eating apes mostly plant foods. They move on all fours, resting on the backs of their hands. The hind limbs are plantigrade. When excited and threatened, they often rise to their hind legs. At night they make nests from branches. They live in groups of 15-20 individuals. There is a strict hierarchy in these groups. They begin to reproduce at the age of 8-12 years. They give birth to one calf, which stays with the mother for up to two years. Life expectancy is 35-40 years.

In many anatomical and biological traits, man belongs to the higher primates, where he constitutes a separate family of humans (hominids) with family man (Homo) and one look - modern reasonable person(N. sapiens recens) .

The ancestors of primates were insectivores Cretaceous, similar to tupayami (1) . The monkeys themselves came from tarsiers (9, 10) (and independently in the Old and New Worlds). Fossil apes appeared in the Oligocene.

The practical importance of primates is very great. As living and funny creatures, monkeys have always attracted human attention. They were hunted and sold to zoos and for home entertainment. The meat of many monkeys is still eaten by the aborigines. The meat of semi-monkeys is considered very tasty. The skins of some species of primates are used to make some things.

IN recent years monkeys all higher value acquired in biological and medical experiments. In many anatomical and physiological characteristics, monkeys (not only apes, but also lower apes) show striking similarities with humans. They are even susceptible to many human diseases (for example, dysentery, tuberculosis, polio, diphtheria, measles, tonsillitis), which generally proceed in the same way as in humans. Sometimes great apes die from appendicitis.

All this indicates the morphological and biochemical similarity of the blood and tissues of monkeys and humans. That is why some organs of monkeys are used in the treatment of people (for example, the kidneys of macaques, green monkeys and some other monkeys serve as a nutrient medium for growing viruses, which then, after appropriate processing, turn into a vaccine against polio).

human DNA and chimpanzee match almost 100%.

High level mental development apes makes it easy to tame and train them. So, chimpanzees (31, 32) They are curious, amenable to learning based on imitation, and have developed social behavior. In communication, they use a variety of facial expressions and gestures, as well as about 30 sounds. Chimpanzees can be taught to use simple tools.

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It is assumed that primates evolved from primitive insectivores in the Upper Cretaceous in Asia, from where they subsequently spread to other continents. Now the order includes about 200 species, distributed in the tropics of Asia, Africa and America and divided into two suborders: prosimians(Prosimii) and great apes(Anthropoidae).

Suborder Lower primates, or Prosimii (Prosimii)

This suborder includes the most primitive representatives of primates - be stupid , lemurs And tarsiers . They are common in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Madagascar and tropical Africa. Currently 53 species are known.

Relatively small animals with a body length from 9 to 106 cm. The tail is often long (in some species it is 2 times longer than body), but not grasping, densely pubescent. Not for all species first finger clearly opposes other fingers. Most fingers are armed not with nails, but with claws. The surface of the brain is smooth or grooved.

Family tupai (Tupaiidae) - the most primitive of the prosimians. Small animals (body length 10 – 22 cm) with a long fluffy tail. Outwardly, they look like small squirrels. Their first fingers are not opposed to the rest. Distributed in the forests of Southeast Asia.

Family species lemurs (Lemuridae) - inhabitants of Madagascar and its neighboring islands. These are nocturnal arboreal animals that feed on fruits and insects, many are omnivores. Their body is covered with thick fur, and their tail is also long and fluffy. The lifestyle is gregarious. Common lemurs are active creatures, easily tamed, and are often found in zoos. Known vary lemurs (Lemur variegatus), katta (L. catta), mouse (Cheirogalens). Close to lemurs hand-footed or aye-aye (Daubentonidae), lorisidaceae (Lorisidae).

To the family tarsiers (Darsiidae) belong to peculiar animals, slightly larger than a rat, with huge forward-facing eyes, very long hind legs and short front legs. The fingers are equipped with suction pads. Arboreal nocturnal animals that feed on insects. Distributed on the islands of the Malay Archipelago. Representative - tarsier – ghost (Tarsius spectrum).

Suborder Greater primates, or Apes (Anthropoidea)

Monkeys are larger than the species of the previous suborder, their body length is from 15 to 200 cm. No tail or developed into varying degrees; in many South American species it prehensile. First fingerclearlyopposed to others. All fingers are armed nails. The brain is relatively larger than that of prosimians, and anterior hemispherebrain in the vast majority of specieshave numerous grooves and convolutions.

The suborder includes three superfamilies: broad-nosed(American), monkeys (Ceboidea), narrow-nosed(Afro-Asiatic) monkeys (Cercopithecidae) and higher(Hominoidae). About 140 species of monkeys are now known. Broad-nosed New World monkeys are distinguished by a wide, cartilaginous nasal septum and outward-facing nostrils.. The tail is long, tenacious, grasping, the lifestyle is arboreal.

Family marmosets , or marmosets monkeys (Callithricidae), includes the smallest representatives of the great apes. Their body length is 15–20 cm. The tail is long, but not grasping.

Family prehensile-tailed monkeys, or cebidaceae (Cobidae) includes small and medium-sized species (body length 24 – 91 cm). The tail in all species is well developed: in many it is prehensile. Among the species of this family we mention spider monkeys(genus Brachytelos), capuchins (Celebus) And howler monkeys (Alonatta).

Species of both families are forest, arboreal animals. Their food is mixed, but mostly plant-based. They often live in family groups. Distributed in Central and South America.

Superfamily lower narrow-nosed monkeys (Cercopithecidae) unlike American have a narrow nasal septum And protruding facial part of the skull. They are common in Africa and South Asia.

Family monkeys (Cercopithecidae) is the most numerous group of narrow-nosed monkeys. They have highly developed cheek pouches; usually there is long tail And developed ischial calluses. Biologically very diverse. Actually monkeys(Cercopithecus) are predominantly African species that inhabit tropical forests and live in herds. They mainly lead wood image life. Herbivorous. Baboons (Papio) are also common in Africa, usually live in rocky mountains and make nests in caves. Their diet is mixed. Some species attack mammals. Macaques(genus Macaca) are predominantly South Asian monkeys. They lead both arboreal and terrestrial lifestyles; often, like baboons, they live in the mountains, adhering to rocky slopes. Best known rhesus macaques (M. mulatta), common in South Asia and the Himalayas (from Nepal to Burma). They live in large herds. Common in zoos around the world.

Superfamily higher, or anthropoid, primates (Hominiodae) unites gibbons , great apes And person .

In the family gibbons (Hylobatidae) seven species characterized by very long forelimbs: when erect, they reach the feet of the hind limbs. Distributed in the tropical forests of Northeast India, Indochina, the islands of Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. Typical inhabitants of tree crowns. Swinging on their front legs, they jump from tree to tree at a distance of 10 m or more. The largest species gibbon hoolock (Hylobates hoolck), found in India and Burma.

In the family great apes four types. In terms of their anatomical structure and a number of physiological indicators, they are closest to humans. The braincase of the skull is especially highly developed. The forebrain hemispheres have complex sulci and convolutions.

Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a large (1.5 m high) hairy monkey of a reddish-red color, with elongated jaws, very long forelimbs and small ears. Distributed on the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. Leads an arboreal lifestyle and rarely descends to the ground. Orangutans live alone or in family groups. The cubs are born in a nest in a tree. Their numbers have declined sharply and continue to decline. The species is included in the IUCN Red List.

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). They live in tropical forests of Africa. The lifestyle is mainly arboreal, but they come down to the ground regularly. Their dimensions are about 1.5 m. General color black; the face is bare; The ears are relatively large, very similar to human ears. The front legs are relatively shorter than those of an orangutan. Mostly vegetarians. They live in families, sometimes gathering in small herds.

Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) is the largest of the great apes (2 m high). The forelimbs, like those of chimpanzees, are not very long. They walk on the ground bent over, leaning (like chimpanzees) on all four limbs. They feed on fruits, nuts and roots. Distributed in the forests of equatorial Africa.

Family people (Hominidae) includes one living species, Homo sapiens ( Homo sapiens). There are many characteristics that distinguish humans from anthropoid apes. The human brain, with a well-developed cerebral cortex, is more than three times larger than the brain of an ape. The hairline is reduced. The forelimbs are relatively short, not reaching the knees. The body position is vertical and hands are freed from supporting the body. Hind limbs straightened in knee joint And lost grasping function. Due to the vertical position of the body wide pelvis, serving to maintain the insides and highly developed gluteal muscles. The chin has a characteristic protrusion associated with a large and complex tongue.

Order Primates

This order includes the most diverse appearance and lifestyle of mammals. However they have a number common features: a relatively large skull, the eye sockets are almost always directed forward, the thumb is opposed to the rest, and most have claws on the fingers. When moving on the ground, primates rely on their entire foot.

The brain is significantly developed, especially the large hemispheres of its anterior section, on the surface of which there are numerous grooves and convolutions. Most lead an arboreal lifestyle, and therefore the organs of vision and hearing are highly developed. Primates see the same object with both eyes at the same time.

They feed on a mixed diet with a predominance of plants; many also eat small animals, such as insects. They breed all year round, females give birth to 1–2 young.

Primates are common in tropical and subtropical zones Earth. About 200 species are known.

There are two suborders in the primate order: the Lesser Primates, or Prosimians, and the Greater Apes, or Monkeys.

From the book Animal Life Volume I Mammals author Bram Alfred Edmund

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Chapter 2. On distant approaches: primates, monkeys, hominoids The origin of primates The appearance of the first primates on the evolutionary arena occurs at the turn of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras, and this is not accidental. The fact is that at the end of the Cretaceous period, ending the Mesozoic, from the face

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II. Modern primates

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From the book Mammals author Sivoglazov Vladislav Ivanovich

Suborder Anthropoidea, or great apes We move on to the description of the most interesting and highly developed primates - to the top of the animal kingdom. The suborder Anthropoids includes monkeys and humans: seven families, 33 genera. This includes small, medium, and large

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Section narrow-nosed primates (Catarrhina) We continue the description of higher primates. This section includes not only the lower apes, as in the previous one, but along with one superfamily of the lower apes (Cercopitliecoidea) - also the superfamily of hominoids, or higher apes and humans

From the author's book

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4. Primates Row 10 gives the EQ of the first primates (0.75), which appeared approximately 60 million years ago after the extinction of the dinosaurs. The EQ value of the first primates was approximately the same as that of the average mammals and birds that lived at that time. In lines 11 to 15

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Order Insectivores This order includes hedgehogs, moles, and shrews. These are small animals with a small brain, the hemispheres of which do not have grooves or convolutions. The teeth are poorly differentiated. Most insectivores have an elongated muzzle with a small proboscis.

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Order Lagomorpha These are small and medium-sized mammals. They have two pairs of incisors in the upper jaw, located one after the other so that behind the large front ones there is a second pair of small and short ones. There is only one pair of incisors in the lower jaw. There are no fangs, and incisors

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Order Primates This order includes the most diverse mammals in appearance and lifestyle. However, they have a number of common characteristics: a relatively large skull, the eye sockets are almost always directed forward, the thumb is opposed

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Many people have a special interest in the order of mammals known as primates, for the simple reason that Homo sapiens are themselves closely related to primates. In this article, you will discover 10 interesting facts about primates, a widespread group of animals that includes monkeys, lemurs, tarsiers and humans.

1. The word primates means "first"

Perhaps this name hides human egocentrism. Primates means "first" in Latin, a not-so-subtle reminder that man considers himself to be the pinnacle of evolution. From a scientific point of view, there is no reason to believe that monkeys, tarsiers and lemurs, representing the order of primates, are more advanced in terms of evolution than birds, reptiles and even fish. They just took a different evolutionary path millions of years ago.

2. There are two main suborders of primates

Until recently, naturalists divided the order into prosimians (Prosimii) and anthropoid primates (Anthropoidea). Today, the classification of primates has undergone significant changes. The squad is now divided into the following two sub-detachments:

• wet-nosed (Strepsyrhini), including lemuriformes and lorisiformes;
• dry-nosed (Haplorrhini), dividing into tarsiforms and apes.

We humans belong to the suborder of dry-nosed animals.

3. Primates have larger brains than other mammals.

There are many anatomical characteristics that distinguish primates from other orders of mammals, but the most main feature- this is their brain. Monkeys and other members of the order have larger brains relative to body size than other animals. Why do primates need big brains? To process the information necessary for effective use(depending on the type) of their opposed thumb, prehensile tail and sharp binocular vision.

4. The first primates evolved at the end of the Mesozoic era

Fossil evidence is still disputed, but most paleontologists agree that the first primates appeared between the mid and late Cretaceous period. Early candidates for the role of the first primate include the North American purgatorius, and then, ten million years later, Plesiadapis appeared, living in the vastness of North America and Eurasia. After this, an important evolutionary split occurred between prehistoric and modern world primates. It is unclear exactly when this event occurred, but most likely during the Eocene epoch.

5. Primates are quite social animals.

Perhaps because they rely more on their brains than on their claws and teeth, most primate species tend to seek protection in communities such as clans, monogamous male-female pairs, and even distinctly human-like families. . However, it is important to understand that social associations Primates are not oases of peace and comfort. Murder and abuse are distressingly common, and some species even kill the newborn young of their own clan.

6. Primates Can Use Tools

You could write an entire book about “tool use” in the animal kingdom. Suffice it to say that naturalists no longer consider such behavior to be a characteristic of primates (for example, some birds use branches to pull insects out of trees). However, primates use many more tools than any other animal group. Sticks, stones and leaves are used for various difficult tasks (for example, cleaning ears or picking dirt out from under toenails).

Of course, Homo Sapiens was the best at using the tools, thanks to which we were able to build modern civilization!

7. Development in primates occurs more slowly than in other mammals

Big brains are something of a blessing and a curse: they help with reproduction, but also take longer to develop. Newborn primates, with their immature brains, are unable to survive without the help of one or both parents, or social group, for several months or years. In addition, like humans, most primates give birth to only one young, which entails a large investment of parental resources (and sea ​​turtle can afford to ignore its offspring because only one in twenty hatched turtles will make it to deep water).

8. Most primates are omnivores

One of the reasons why primates are so widespread across the planet is the fact that most species (including apes and chimpanzees) are omnivores. However, tarsiers are considered the only primates that are exclusively carnivores, and some species of lemurs, howler monkeys and marmosets are vegetarians.

9. Primates are sexually dimorphic

This is not a hard and fast rule, but many primate species exhibit sexual dimorphism, a tendency for males to be larger and more dangerous than females. Males of some primate species also have different coat colors and larger teeth than females. Oddly enough, the manifestation of sexual dimorphism in humans is one of the most subtle of all primates on the planet, with men outweighing women by an average of only 15% (although you can draw your own conclusions about the aggressiveness of men relative to women).

10. Some primate species have yet to be discovered

Of all the orders of mammals on Earth, primates might be the best studied: after all, most human naturalists have a special interest in tracking down our closest relatives. But given the tendency of small primates to hide in remote areas of the rainforest, we are only fooling ourselves if we think we have discovered all the species. As recently as 350 species of primates were identified in 2001, today there are about 450, meaning about half a dozen new species are discovered every year.

Primates mainly live in trees, for which their limbs are adapted to move. They are long and thin, and the hands and feet are of a grasping type: the thumbs are usually opposed to the others. The limbs rotate easily at the hip and shoulder joints; the front ones and, to a lesser extent, the back ones can be turned with the palm and sole inward and even upward. The teeth of more primitive primates (in particular, tupai and lemurs) are covered with sharp tubercles and are adapted for grinding, in addition to plant food, also the hard coverings of insects. Their muzzle is elongated and pointed. Monkeys have a shortened snout; the two branches of the lower jaw in front are fused without a seam, and the teeth bear rounded tubercles and are adapted for crushing the soft parts of plants. The upper canines are usually well developed, especially in males, and are used in fighting.

The reproductive system of primates is similar to humans, with the exception of small details. In many monkeys the placenta is double discoid, but in tarsier and apes it is formed by a single disc, like in humans. Lemurs have a diffuse, permanent placenta. As a rule, one cub is born.

The sense of smell in primates, unlike most mammals, is poorly developed, but their vision and hearing are acute. The eyes are located in the front plane of the face, which provides a wide binocular field, i.e. stereoscopic vision. Monkeys, especially apes, have a well-developed brain; it is similar to a human one, but its structure is simpler.

Zoologists divide the order of primates in different ways. In the system proposed here, the order is divided into two suborders: prosimians and great apes, i.e. monkeys and humans. Each suborder is divided into three superfamilies, which in turn include one or more families.

Prosimiae (prosimians)

Tupaiidae

Tupai are often classified as insectivores, but most likely they are close to the ancestral form of all primates and can be considered a special superfamily of prosimians. They have claws on their paws, and their five toes can move widely apart. The chewing surface of the molars bears a W-shaped ridge. The eye sockets are surrounded by a continuous ring of bone, like those of lemurs. Fossils of tupaiaceae close to modern forms were found in Mongolia and date back to the Lower Oligocene.

Lemuroidea (lemurs)

The oldest lemur-like primates are known from the Paleocene and Eocene of North America and Europe. The lemur family Lemuridae includes the lemurs of Madagascar. Only there the only species of the family Daubentoniidae, the aye-aye, is found. Fossils found in France dating back to the Eocene showed that the family was earlier more widespread. Lorisidae include loris, pottos and galagos, found in Southeast Asia and tropical Africa.

Tarsioidea (tarsiers)

This important superfamily is currently represented by only three species in the Malay Archipelago, but in the Eocene similar forms were widespread in Europe and North America. In many ways they are close to the higher primates.

Anthropoidea (great apes, monkeys)

Ceboidea (broad-nosed, New World monkeys)

It is possible that this superfamily, independently of other apes, descended from ancient lemuroids. Their nostrils are separated by a wide septum, and there are three premolar (double-apex) teeth. In marmosets (Callithricidae), except Callimico, the last molars on both jaws are absent, and the fingers, except the first toe, are armed with claws in all species. Capuchins (Cebidae) have flat nails on all fingers, but the tail in many cases is tenacious and grasping; the thumbs are often very small or even absent. One fossil species from the Lower Miocene of Patagonia is very similar to modern forms.

Cercopithecoidea (lower narrow-nosed or dog-like monkeys)

Old World monkeys from the family Cercopithecidae have only two premolars, and their tails are never prehensile. Marmosets, mangabeys, macaques, baboons and other marmosets (subfamily Cercopithecinae) have cheek pouches. They feed on plants, insects and other small animals. Gverets, langurs and other representatives of the subfamily of slender-bodied monkeys (Colobinae) do not have cheek pouches. They feed primarily on leaves and their stomachs have three sections. The ancestors of Old World monkeys appeared no later than the early Oligocene.

Hominoidea (humanoids)

This superfamily includes three families of tailless primates: Hylobatidae (gibbons), Pongidae (apes), and Hominidae (humans). The similarity between them is no less than within the canine and broad-nosed monkeys: dental systems, brain structure, placenta, embryonic development and even serological reactions are very similar. Fossil forms that may have given rise to the entire superfamily are known from Egypt and date back to the Lower Oligocene ( Propliopithecus); the oldest remains of gibbons were discovered in the Miocene deposits of Central Europe; early anthropoids are represented by many finds of Miocene and Pliocene age ( Dryopithecus And Sivapithecus), and gender Paleosimia, very similar to modern orangutans, is described from the Siwalik Formation (Upper Miocene) of northern India.