Scheme 2 shows 6 families, 23 genera. These are lower primates, which, according to a number of characteristics, stand “on the border” between monkeys and other, in particular insectivorous, mammals. While retaining some primitive features (a small brain with a small number of grooves and convolutions; often claws along with nails; special glands for secreting odorous secretions; a bicornuate uterus; often not a pair of mammary glands, but more, etc.), they are still in many ways signs remain unmistakably primate.

Most species of prosimians are small animals, but there are also medium-sized ones, about the size of a dog. They all have tails, most often long or medium, but there are also small ones. The facial part of the skull often protrudes forward or is poorly developed. In some species of prosimians, the lower teeth do not grow upward, but forward, forming a dental “comb”, which is used for scraping gum (resin) from tree trunks, as well as for grooming. Sometimes a fold of skin stretches along the forelimbs of prosimians, which resembles a flight membrane (indriiformes).
All prosimians are covered with thick hair of various colors. The number of groups of sensitive hair (vibrissae) is four to five. The study of prosimians began in the 18th century, but even now information about them is sparse. Prosimians live only in the Old World - in Africa, South and South-East Asia. There are especially many prosimians in Madagascar, where 12 genera and more than 20 species (three families) of prosimians live. All of them are under threat of destruction.
Many species of prosimians lead night look life. Most prosimians give birth to two or three blind young.
The suborder of lower primates is relatively heterogeneous. It includes three sections, or infraorders: Lemuriformes, Lorisiformes and Tarsiiformes. Only the first of the named sections is divided into superfamilies; the rest do not have a similar taxon. The lemuromorphic section includes three superfamilies: Tupainidea, Lemuroidea and Daubentonioidea. The superfamily Tupaiaceae includes one family described below.

The inclusion of tupaya in the order of primates has been controversial for many years. Based on the characteristics of reproduction, the structure of the nasal cavity and partly the brain, tupayas can indeed be classified not as primates, but as insectivores. But according to many anatomical features (arterial system, dental formula, structure of the skull, limbs, muscles), according to the principles of thermoregulation, and according to immunological and biochemical indicators, these are still primates. Being on the border of the detachment, they are for the most part biological features the overwhelming number of primatologists are now classified as primates.

These are small (about the size of a squirrel - hence their Malay name tupaya) animals with an elongated muzzle, five-fingered limbs, the fingers of which, however, are crowned with claws. A kind of bushy tail. The brain is quite primitive - without grooves or convolutions. The dental formula is also primitive: at the top - two incisors, one canine, three premolars, three molars; almost the same below, where there are three incisors; only 38 teeth. They usually live in trees. The coat color is brown, brown with various shades. They are active in the morning and evening, some at night, and there are also daytime forms. Tupai communities are diverse - from single and paired animals to polygamous associations, in which territoriality, herd hierarchy, and leadership are important. Tupai can be quite aggressive, especially males towards each other. They call to each other at dusk, like birds. They mark the territory with odors from the throat, chest and abdominal glands, as well as urine; The composition of gland secretions depends on the level of hormones in the blood. The cubs are nursed in nests.
Tupaiformes are divided into two subfamilies: bushy-tailed animals (Tupaiinae) and feather-tailed animals (Ptilocercinae).
The subfamily Tupaiinae includes four genera. The genus proper of Tupaia (Tupaia) unites greatest number species, in the diagram there are 12 of them (and, accordingly, subspecies), which vary both in body size and in habitat areas (comparatively). Thus, the dwarf tupaya (T. minor) can be 10–17 cm in size (head-torso), with a tail of 14–16 cm, and the largest tupaya-tana (T. tana) can reach 25 cm (and the tail is 14–20 cm). The common tupaya (T. glis) is perhaps the most studied. It lives on the western islands of the Philippines, on many islands of Indonesia, in China, India, and in the countries of Indochina. Typically, these animals are common in secondary rain and montane forests. The fur is brown, sometimes dark red with black spots along the body. There is evidence that these primates are omnivores, but mainly eat fruits, insects, and small vertebrates. They prefer to feed on open spaces, avoiding eating on branches. Common tupai have two or three pairs of milky nipples. The duration of pregnancy, according to various authors, is 41–48 days, more often 43–45 days. Usually there are two or three cubs in a litter. The weight of newborns is 13–15 g, sexual maturity occurs on the 90–100th day of life. Adult males weigh on average 155 g, females - 138 g. Double number of chromosomes in different types tupai - 60–68.
Due to the suitability of tupaya for experimental research, in particular in the field of infectious pathology, experiments are currently underway to breed these primates in captivity. Reports of similar attempts in Japan and Germany indicate very positive results.
Genus Anathana. The only species of this genus lives in Northern India - the Elliott, or Indian, tupaya (A. ellioti). In many ways they are similar to ordinary tupai. Dimensions 16–18.5 cm. The tail is slightly longer than the body. Red and gray-brown animals with black spots. Rare in zoos.
The genus Urogale includes the largest representatives of the subfamily Tupaya - the only species of Tupaya (U. everetti). It is also called Philippine tupaya. Lives on the island of Mindanao. Males reach a weight of 355 g. Dimensions range from 18–24 cm, tail 15–17 cm. The diploid number of chromosomes is 44. The gestation period is 50–56 days. The coat is usually dark brown. According to Napier, they have never been kept in zoos.
Genus Dendrogale. Sometimes called mountain tupai. Includes two species: the northern or mouse tupaya (D. murina), living in Indochina, and the southern tupaya (D. melanura), living in the mountains of Kalimantan. Small insectivorous animals measuring 10–15 cm (head - body) with approximately the same tail. The coat color is dark gray.
The subfamily of feather-tailed tupai (Ptilocercinae) is represented by only one genus (Ptilocercus), which includes a single species - the feather-tailed tupai (P. lowii). Small prosimian gray the size of a rat (head - body 12–14 cm, longer tail, 16–18 cm). This primate is distinguished by its unique bare tail, on the final third of which there are scales on both sides, like on a bird’s feather. Protruding ears and long whiskers on the muzzle distinguish them from other prosimians. Well-developed toes of the front and hind limbs make these animals clearly primates in appearance. The thumb, although not opposed to the rest, is long and mobile. They live in the tropical rain forests of Southeast and South Asia (Malacca, Sumatra, Kalimantan and other islands).
Nocturnal and crepuscular animals. They meet in pairs. Extremely rare in captivity.

Hello, my dear friends who are curious people. I recently learned that in addition to “ordinary” monkeys, some “semi-monkeys” also live on our planet. Did you know about this?

Do you think they look like this?

But no! These animals look like monkeys, but at the same time, they are not quite monkeys.

There are a lot of such animals (about 50 species). They are not at all similar to each other amazing creatures. These include touching lorises, jumping long-tailed galagos, big-eyed tarsiers, strange Madagascar bats, and various lemurs. Prosimians live in Africa, South and Southeast Asia, but most of them are on the island of Madagascar. Unfortunately, we have to admit that almost all species of prosimians are rare or endangered.

Let me introduce you to some semi-monkeys.

Look this Philippine tarsier.

It is small in size (about 10 cm). But his tail is quite long ( longer than body). The first thing that attracts attention in the appearance of tarsiers is their huge eyes. And he needs such eyes to see clearly in the night forest while hunting. Also, this animal is unusual in that its head can turn more than 180 degrees in both directions, that is, the tarsier can easily look behind its back. The toes on the front and hind limbs are very long. The tarsier can jump sharply and far both when in danger and when moving from tree to tree. And he jumps very far - several meters (and this is for such a baby)! Tarsiers are predators and, above all, insectivores, although they can eat small lizards, birds, etc. They are probably the only primates that feed exclusively on animal food.

Now look at this strange creature. No, this is not the goblin from a fairy tale - this is the Madagascar cranium (also called Ai-Ai)

He has an elongated body with a length of 36 to 44 cm. A chic fluffy tail is much longer than the body and head combined - more than 60 cm. Ai-Ai weighs no more than an ordinary domestic cat - only 3 kg. He has a rather large head with huge ears and big eyes. The entire body of the arm is covered with thick and stiff hair of black or brownish-brown color. Only ears and middle finger the forelimbs are hairless. It's funny that this very finger plays the role of an absolutely irreplaceable tool. With its help, Ai-Ai cleans his fur, drinks water (after dipping him in liquid) and, of course, gets food for himself.

When searching for beetles and larvae hidden in the bark of a tree, the little arm first taps the trunk with its finger, finding suitable prey, then gnaws through the bark (here they use sharp teeth), and finally sticks his middle finger into the hole formed, pricks the larva onto his claw and puts it into his mouth.

Watch and listen to how Aye-Aye does it.

These daylight strange creatures They are afraid, but after sunset they actively play with each other, and then go hunting. It's funny that animals build several daytime shelters and use them in turns.

Lemurs are also prosimians.

These animals live only in the forests of Madagascar. IN Ancient Rome the word “lemur” meant the evil and vengeful “spirits of the dead.” Most likely, these animals received such a terrifying name because of their nocturnal lifestyle, the eerie screams they make in the night forest, and their strange appearance. Lemurs are different. All types of lemurs are very different from each other. The size of these animals ranges from a mouse to a small dog. They have grasping paws with well-developed strong fingers, with which lemurs cling to branches or irregularities in the bark. They are good at climbing, running and jumping on tree branches. These primates feed on fruits, berries, leaves, flowers, some also bark, insects, and their larvae. Most Lemurs are active at night or at dusk, and during the day they sleep in hollows or nests. They live alone, in pairs, in small groups of 4-10 individuals, or even in herds (up to 60 individuals).

Ring-tailed lemur

The ring-tailed lemur is found only in the south and southwest of the island. Madagascar. This animal is comparable in size to an average domestic cat: average weight about 3.5 kg, body length 40-45 cm, but the tail length can reach 60 cm! The lemur's luxurious tail looks like a traffic cop's baton and is decorated with 13 black and 13 white rings.

This tail is of great importance in the life of a lemur - it is visible from afar when the animal moves on the ground, serves to transmit signals between relatives, is indispensable during the “smelly fights” of the mating season and serves as a balancer for the animal when jumping from branch to branch and climbing trees.

Ring-tailed lemurs are predominantly vegetarian. The basis of their diet consists of various fruits (figs, bananas and others); they also eat flowers, young foliage and bark, herbaceous plants, some types of cacti, but occasionally they can also feast on insects. Lemurs pick small fruits and hold them in their front paws while eating; they prefer to bite off pieces of large ones simply on the tree.
Pregnancy for a mother lemur lasts about 7 months (more precisely, 222 days), as a result, from the end of August to the end of October, one, rarely two cubs weighing 80-120 g are born. Immediately after birth, the cub clings tightly to the fur on the chest or the mother’s stomach, then eventually moves to her back.

Mouse lemur

Mouse lemurs are small animals, the size of a child's fist, that live in trees and are nocturnal. They feed on fruits, leaves, insects, small birds and possibly honey. During drought, these lemurs can hibernate. The source of energy during hibernation is fat, which lemurs accumulate in their tail. The mouse lemur rarely builds nests, preferring to live in unfurnished hollows.
The smallest lemur is the mouse microcebus. Its length is only 13 cm, but its tail-rudder is much longer than its body and catching up with such a “mouse” is not so easy! The baby weighs only 60 g, and the microcebus baby is simply weightless - 3-5 g!

The gray mouse lemur's exceptionally varied diet includes leaves, fruits, resin, honey, flowers, spiders, insects (beetles, moths, mantises, crickets and cockroaches). Sometimes these little ones even prey on small vertebrates: tree frogs, geckos and chameleons. Mouse lemurs run quickly and fussily along tree branches; they can jump up to 3 meters, using their tail as a balance. Lemurs rarely descend to the ground - only to hunt insects or cross an open area on the way to the right tree. With a quick dash through the leaves, the lemur grabs an insect or other prey and carries it in its mouth to a tree, where it slowly and calmly eats it.
And these cute guys - Laurie.

There are many types of them and in appearance they are very different from each other. But all lorises move very slowly and carefully, moving paw after paw and freezing for a long time at the slightest sign of danger. This makes them invisible to both enemies and prey. Lorises almost never leave the treetops. They move on all fours, walking slowly along the branches, and when moving from tree to tree, stretching between the outer branches. However, during the hunt, these charming animals are capable of a swift attack, during which they rush forward to grab the prey with both hands, that is, with their paws. The fur of all lorises is thick and soft, colored gray or Brown color. They have large eyes, typical of nocturnal animals, small ears hidden in the fur and a short tail. All of the loris' toes are equipped with nails, with the exception of the second toe. It is surprising that these cunning, slow animals have adapted to eat the most tasteless and poisonous invertebrates, which no other animals eat. They find slow-moving or stationary insects by smell, happily eating even poisonous beetles, ants, centipedes and caterpillars covered with thick irritating or poisonous hairs.

By the way, the fat loris is a poisonous animal. The poison is secreted by glands on the forelimbs (near the elbow). Mixed with saliva, the poison is either smeared on the head to repel predators, or is kept in the mouth, allowing the loris to bite especially painfully. The poison of slow lorises can cause suffocation and death not only in small animals, but even in humans.

In fact, it’s impossible to tell about all the species of prosimians!

But, now you know about some of them. I hope you liked them.

Children's cartoons often depict funny small animals with huge sad eyes. These are small prosimians. This suborder includes several families, one of them is the prosimian of the Loriidae family. It is about them that our story will go.

Who are half-monkeys?

Prosimians are primate mammals. These include animals of six families:

• tarsiers;
• tupai;
• arms;
• lemurs;
• indri;
• lori.

They are distinguished from ordinary monkeys by the structure of their brain, which is less developed. The large hemispheres have few convolutions or are completely smooth. The prosimian of the Loriidae family is just one of fifty species of prosimians.

Appearance

The family has two equivalent names: Loriaceae and Lorisidae. The animals themselves are not large. The minimum length of the body of an adult, depending on the species, is 22 cm, the maximum is 40 cm. Weight ranges from 300 g to 2 kg. The prosimian of the Loriidae family may have a short tail or be completely tailless. She has very big eyes. Many people have black circles around their eyes, and between them there is a white stripe. Actually, thanks to these circles, the semi-monkey of the Loriidae family, whose name is often shortened to Lori, got its name. Loeris translates from Dutch as “clown”.

In small primates, both hands and feet are capable of grasping movements. The second carpal finger is very short and is considered vestigial. And on the second toe there is a strong, so-called toilet claw, with which primates tidy up their fur. The other fingers are protected by nails.

All members of the family have soft but thick fur. The color of different species does not match. The fur coat can be different shades of gray and brown colors. The back of animals is almost always darker.

The prosimian of the Loriidae family has several pairs of nipples. Most often 2 or 3. Mating season in females it occurs once a year, and pregnancy lasts about 190 days. Females give birth to no more than two cubs. The offspring are born sighted. Babies have a well-developed grasping instinct, which allows them to hold tightly to their mother’s fur.

Habitat

Little Lorises are divided into 2 subfamilies:

• Loria Lemurs.
• Galagoid Lemurs.

There are 11 subfamilies within various types. So, where is the prosimian of the Loriidae family found? The answer is simple: in tropical forests different continents. The main places of residence are Asia, Africa and India.

Lifestyle

Prosimians prefer a nocturnal lifestyle. The animals move slowly and carefully. They move from branch to branch, rather than jumping. Strong and tenacious paws allow you to securely cling to branches. IN natural conditions Loriids almost never descend to the ground, but lead an arboreal life.

Loria prosimians often gather in birth groups, but they can also live alone. The life expectancy of these animals is quite high; they can live up to 20 years.

The diet consists of various insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates. However, animals also enjoy juicy fruits. Some species lick tree sap, which is released after cutting off the bark.

Suborder Prosimians

Former naturalists considered animals about which we're talking about, real monkeys and therefore united them into one order, but we separate prosimians from real monkeys and believe it necessary to form a separate suborder from them. In fact, prosimians, which can also be called lemurs*, bear little resemblance to four-armed ones. The structure of their body is completely different, and their teeth have almost no resemblance to the teeth of monkeys.

* Lemurs are only one of the families of the suborder. Prosimians differ from monkeys in having a more primitive small brain with a small number of convolutions, an elongated facial part of the skull, and a bare upper lip.

Description common features prosimians are quite difficult to make. The height, size of the body and limbs, teeth and skeleton of these animals are very diverse. The size of the body fluctuates between the height of a big cat and a rat**.

* * The largest semi-monkey - indri - reaches 71 cm in length (without tail) and weighs 6 kg.

In most species the body is thin, in others even thin; some have a muzzle somewhat similar to that of a dog or fox, others have a head similar to the head of a dormouse, flying squirrel or owl. The hind limbs are for the most part noticeably longer than the forelimbs; the magnitude of the former is sometimes very significant. In some animals of this group the foot on the hind limbs is quite short, in others, on the contrary, it is long. The structure of the arms and legs is quite diverse. Most prosimians have both hands and feet similar to arms. The fingers on all four limbs are similar to each other; the thumb is separated from the other fingers, and all of them have nails except the second, which has a visible claw. However, this structure of the limbs is not found in all prosimians; slight differences in length, thickness, as well as in location are noticeable thumb***.

* * * Forefinger on the hand it is often reduced in prosimians to a small tubercle.

The size of the tail can vary: for many it is longer than the body, for others it is very short, sometimes not even noticeable, for some it is fluffy, for others it is almost naked. Big eyes, well-developed auricles and thick, soft fur, which in only a few consists of coarse hair, indicate that prosimians should be classified as crepuscular or nocturnal animals. The location, shape and number of teeth are more varied than in monkeys. The skull is characterized by a strong rounding of the occiput, short but narrow frontal bones and large eye sockets that lie close together and are surrounded by prominent bones. In the spinal column we notice, in addition to 7 cervical vertebrae, 9 dorsal, 9 or more lumbar, from 2 to 5 sacral and 8-30 caudal. In contrast to monkeys, prosimians have nipples not only on their chests, but also on their stomachs****.

* * * * In addition to the pectoral nipples, there may be abdominal and even shoulder nipples. The habitat of prosimians is Africa, mainly Madagascar and neighboring islands, then India and the Sunda Islands. Here they are most often found in dense forests rich in various fruits.

All these animals live exclusively in trees, some of them never descend to the ground. Some prosimians are distinguished by their dexterity and lively movements on the branches, while others have quiet, deliberate movements, as if mysterious and unnoticeable; only a few of them move during the day, while the majority begin their activity only at night, and fall asleep in the morning. Some feed on various fruits, buds and young leaves, others on insects, small vertebrates, as well as plant matter. These animals do not cause noticeable harm, but they are of little benefit either. Despite this, the natives are not indifferent to them and consider some of them to be sacred and inviolable animals, while others are looked at as dangerous creatures that can cause harm to humans. The natives do not allow travelers and naturalists to hunt prosimians, sometimes they even interfere with the hunt and do not allow observations of these animals. This should be seen as the reason why prosimians are rarely found in our menageries and zoological gardens, although in their homeland they are quite common and sometimes live in large herds. Capturing them alive is not particularly difficult, and caring for them in captivity is very simple. Most species tolerate captivity much better than monkeys and, with proper care, will even reproduce in cages. Those of the prosimians who are distinguished by their lively disposition are more understanding than others, they easily get used to the people caring for them.

Life of animals. - M.: State Publishing House of Geographical Literature.

A. Brem.

1958. See what “Suborder of prosimians” is in other dictionaries:

This suborder includes the most primitive representatives of the primates, tupai, lemurs, and tarsiers. Sometimes tupai and lemurs are grouped together as strepsirrhine primates, which have comma-shaped nostrils that open to... ... Biological encyclopedia

- (Prosimii), suborder of primates. Known from the Lower Eocene North. America and the Upper Eocene of Europe (France). Diverse in size and structural features. Most hind limbs are longer than the front ones. The hair is thick, soft, there... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Suborder of mammals of the primate order. Body length is 13-70 cm, most have a long tail. Unlike monkeys, the cerebral hemispheres are smooth or have a small number of grooves and convolutions. 6 families: tupayas, tarsiers, lemurs, bats,... ... Dictionary Ozhegova. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Suborder of mammals neg. primates. Body length is 13-70 cm, most have a long tail. Unlike monkeys, the cerebral hemispheres are smooth or have a small number of grooves and convolutions. 6th semester: tupai, tarsiers, lemurs, bats, indris and... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

Prosimians- a group of primitive primates that are usually classified as suborder Prosimii or Strepsirhini Primates squad. In different systematic schemes, prosimians include lemurs, indris, bats, loriids and, sometimes, tarsiers, and even tupai.... ... Physical Anthropology. Illustrated explanatory dictionary.

Ov; pl. [from lat. prīmātes superior] Zool. A detachment of the most highly organized mammals of prosimians and monkeys and humans. * * * primates order of mammals; 2 suborders: prosimians and monkeys. Over 200 species from lemurs to humans,... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Primates Friedman Eman Petrovich

Suborder Prosimii, or lower primates

Scheme 2 shows 6 families, 23 genera. These are lower primates, which, according to a number of characteristics, stand “on the border” between monkeys and other, in particular insectivorous, mammals. While retaining some primitive features (a small brain with a small number of grooves and convolutions; often claws along with nails; special glands for secreting odorous secretions; a bicornuate uterus; often not a pair of mammary glands, but more, etc.), they are still in many ways signs remain unmistakably primate.

Most species of prosimians are small animals, but there are also medium-sized ones, about the size of a dog. They all have tails, most often long or medium, but there are also small ones. The facial part of the skull often protrudes forward or is poorly developed. In some species of prosimians, the lower teeth do not grow upward, but forward, forming a dental “comb”, which is used for scraping gum (resin) from tree trunks, as well as for grooming. Sometimes a fold of skin stretches along the forelimbs of prosimians, which resembles a flight membrane (indriiformes).

All prosimians are covered with thick hair of various colors. The number of groups of sensitive hair (vibrissae) is four to five. The study of prosimians began in the 18th century, but even now information about them is sparse. Prosimians live only in the Old World - in Africa, South and Southeast Asia. There are especially many prosimians in Madagascar, where 12 genera and more than 20 species (three families) of prosimians live. All of them are under threat of destruction.

Many species of prosimians are nocturnal. Most prosimians give birth to two or three blind young.

The suborder of lower primates is relatively heterogeneous. It includes three sections, or infraorders: Lemuriformes, Lorisiformes and Tarsiiformes. Only the first of the named sections is divided into superfamilies; the rest do not have a similar taxon. The lemuromorphic section includes three superfamilies: Tupainidea, Lemuroidea and Daubentonioidea. The superfamily Tupaiaceae includes one family described below.

From the book Fundamentals of Animal Psychology author Fabri Kurt Ernestovich

Lower vertebrates The first movements of fish embryos, according to a number of researchers, also arise spontaneously on an endogenous basis. Back in the 20s, it was shown that the movements of organ rudiments appear in strict sequence, depending on maturation

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

Order II Prosimians, or lemurs (Prosimii) Most previous naturalists saw in the animals to which we now proceed to review real monkeys and therefore combined them with the latter into one order: we, on the contrary, distinguish prosimians into an independent order,

From the book Biology Tests. 7th grade author Benuzh Elena

SUBKINGDOM LOWER PLANTS. GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS ALGAE Choose the correct answer.1. Unicellular algae include: A. ChlorellaB. Chlamydomonas B. LaminariaG. Spirogyra2. In fresh water bodies lives: A. SargassumB. PorphyraV. SpirogyraG. Volvox3. Algae cell

From the book Primates author Fridman Eman Petrovich

Lower plants 23. Choose the correct statement. Main characteristics of plants: 1. Capable of photosynthesis2. The presence in cells - chloroplasts, of pigments - chlorophyll and carotenoids.3. The physiological processes of the plant are controlled by phytohormones.4. Cell wall

From the book Animal World. Volume 5 [Insect Tales] author Akimushkin Igor Ivanovich

Suborder Anthropoidea, or higher primates. 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

From the book Animal World. Volume 2 [Stories about winged, armored, pinnipeds, aardvarks, lagomorphs, cetaceans and anthropoids] author Akimushkin Igor Ivanovich

Family Cercopithecoidea, or lower narrow-nosed monkeys The only family of the superfamily of lower narrow-nosed monkeys(Cercopithecoidea). Small and medium-sized primates. The forelimbs are either equal to the hind limbs or somewhat shorter. The foot is longer than the hand.

From the book Mammals author Sivoglazov Vladislav Ivanovich

Lower, or primary-winged, insects There are many insects that are wingless from birth to death, at all stages of their existence. Lice, for example, fleas, lice. However, it has been proven that their distant ancestors had wings. Primary wingless insects, whose ancestors never

From the author's book

Primates There are 194 species in the order of primates: humans, 70 species of monkeys in the tropical forests of the New World, 70 in the Old World, and here there are 53 species of prosimians.

From the author's book

Marsupials, or Lower Animals Most species live in Australia and the adjacent islands, some live in South and Central America, and one species lives in North America. In marsupials, the placenta is poorly developed or completely absent. In this regard, intrauterine

From the author's book

Suborder Toothless whales The largest whales belong to this group. The body is streamlined, elongated, with a huge head. They have no teeth; numerous horny plates hang from the upper jaw - whalebone, which forms a giant sieve that retains

From the author's book

Suborder Toothed whales Unlike baleen whales, they have single-peaked teeth, a small mouth and tongue. They navigate underwater and find food mainly using echolocation and excellent hearing. They use complex sound signaling. Most toothed whales -

From the author's book

Suborder Ruminant artiodactyls These are deer, antelopes, wild bulls etc. These are slender mammals of large or medium size. The skin is covered with thick hair. Most have antlers, but only males have antlers. They feed on grass, leaves, berries, and some -

From the author's book

Suborder Non-ruminant artiodactyls This suborder includes the wild boar, hippopotamus, etc. All representatives of this order have a massive body, a short neck and a small tail. The limbs are small, four-fingered, ending in hooves. They feed on plant foods, among them there are

From the author's book

Suborder Prosimians This group includes lemurs, tarsiers, and others. Lemurs (lemur vari, ring-tailed lemur etc.) are common in Madagascar and some neighboring islands. They have a somewhat elongated muzzle, large, golden eyes, a tail longer than the body,

From the author's book

Suborder Monkeys Most of them live in tropical forests, some choose rocky mountains. All of them are well adapted for climbing, many have a grasping tail, which is used as a rudder when making a long jump. In addition, using the tail

From the author's book

The lower narrow-nosed monkeys The lower narrow-nosed monkeys have a somewhat elongated muzzle, the nostrils are close together and separated by a narrow septum. Some monkeys have a long tail, although it plays a minor role in climbing, others have no or short tail. Limbs or equal