Living Primates

1
Chapter3

• Living Primates

2
Chapter Outline

• What Is the Place of Humanity Among the Other
  Animals?
• What Are the Implications of the Shared
  Characteristics Between Humans and the Other
  Primates?
• Why Do Anthropologists Study the Social Behavior
  of Monkeys and Apes?

3
The Primate Order

• One of several mammalian orders, such as rodents,
  carnivores and ungulates.
• Two suborders
• Strepsirhini
• Haplorhine

4
Primate Characteristics

• Brain is large, heavy in proportion to body
  weight, and very complex
• Depth perception
• Intensified sense of touch
• Binocular stereoscopic vision

5
Primate Characteristics

• Generalized set of teeth, suited to insect eating
  but also fruits and leaves.
• Skeleton has adaptations for upright posture and
  flexibility of limb movement.
• Fewer offspring born to each female and a longer
  period of infant dependency.

6
Binocular Stereoscopic Vision
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Apes and Humans

• Apes are humans closest relatives.
• Apes include gibbons, siamangs, orangutans,
  gorillas, bonobos, and chimpanzees.
• Genetic structure and biochemistry reveal that
  bonobos, chimpanzees, and gorillas are closer to
  humans than to orangutans, gibbons, and siamangs.

8
Evolutionary Relationships

• Humans, bonobos, and chimpanzees are between 98
  and 99 identical.
• Bonobos and chimps have an extra pair of
  chromosomes. Of the other pairs, 18 are virtually
  identical.
• Fewer differences than gibbons and siamangs
  which, in captivity, have produced live hybrid.

9
Primate Social Life

• Most species live and travel in groups.
• Bonobos and chimpanzees - females transfer
  between groups. Sons remain with their mother for
  life.
• Gorillas - either males or females may transfer.
• In all three species, males and females are
  organized into dominance hierarchies.

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Primate Social Life

• Grooming is a sign of closeness between
  individuals.
• Elaborate systems of communication based on
  vocalizations and gestures.
• Move about within home ranges, rather than
  defended territories.

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Primate Life Cycle
12
Common Ancestors
13
Diet

• Made up of a variety of fruits, leaves, and
  insects.
• Bonobos and chimpanzees sometimes hunt, kill, and
  eat animals.
• Among chimps, most hunting is done by males and
  may require considerable teamwork.
• Once a kill is made, the meat is generally shared
  with other animals.

14
Learned Behavior

• From adults, juveniles learn to use a variety of
  tools and substances.
• Innovations made by one individual may be adopted
  by others, standardized, and passed on to
  succeeding generations.
• Practices are learned, socially shared, and often
  differ from one group to another.