The order Primates is a diverse group of mammals that includes lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans. Primates share many characteristics with humans, such as opposable thumbs, social behavior, and communication abilities. They can be found in various habitats around the world, from tropical rainforests to savannas and mountain ranges.
Non-human primates are an essential part of scientific and medical research. However, many non-human primate species are endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade.
You are reading: 3 Types Of Primates
In this article, we will explore the different types of primates, their characteristics, and their habitats.
3 Types Of Primates
Squirrel Monkeys and Capuchin Monkeys
Squirrel monkeys and capuchin monkeys are two of the most common species of primates in the world. Squirrel monkeys have slender bodies, while capuchins are more robust and have prehensile tails.
Both genera have rounded heads with flat faces and short muzzles. Squirrel monkeys have an orange-brown body and yellowish shoulders and upper arms. They have a wedge-shaped, dark brown coloration that extends from the forehead to the back of the head.
Capuchin monkeys are named for their “caps” of hair, which resemble the cowls of Capuchin monks. They are round-headed and stockily built, with fully haired prehensile tails and opposable thumbs.
Their fur coloration varies from black to brown to buff, with patches of white on chests and shoulders. Undersides are generally lighter from yellow to brown.
Squirrel monkeys are native to tropical Central and South America, inhabiting rainforests and savannas, where they feed on fruit, insects, flowers, eggs, frogs, and lizards.
They are able to exploit more resources since their smaller size and lighter weight allow them to forage on smaller branches and reach the tips of larger branches. Squirrel monkeys in Panama have been reported to spend 95% of the day traveling or foraging during the dry season.
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Capuchin monkeys are found in tropical forests from Nicaragua to Paraguay. They go about in noisy troops consisting of several adults and young. They frequent the tops of tall forest trees but roam throughout the vertical range of their habitat from forest floor to canopy.
A troop’s home range covers 50-100 hectares, and individuals travel about 3 km per day within the range. Capuchin monkeys are omnivorous, feeding on fruit, other vegetable matter, and small animals. When fruit is not plentiful in the dry season, they substitute pith and seeds for fruit and increase their insect intake.
Both squirrel monkeys and capuchin monkeys are active during the day and move single file after a leader along frequently used pathways in the treetops. At night, they sleep huddled together on branches, tails wrapped around their bodies.
Females give birth to a single baby after a gestation of about six months. The baby rides the mother’s back jockey-style for the first few weeks of life and remains dependent on the mother for a year.
African green monkey, baboon, common marmoset, coppery titi monkey, and others
African green monkey, baboon, common marmoset, coppery titi monkey, and others are some of the non-human primate species that are commonly used in scientific and medical research. The African green monkey, also known as Chlorocebus aethiops, is a species of Old World monkey native to Africa.
Baboons, belonging to the genus Papio, are also Old World monkeys and are found in Africa and Arabia. The common marmoset, or Callithrix jacchus, is a New World monkey native to Brazil. Coppery titi monkey, or Callicebus cupreus, is a New World monkey indigenous to northwest South America.
Non-human primates and humans have a high degree of biological similarity in their neurology, immunology, reproduction, and development. Therefore, non-human primates provide scientists and physicians with irreplaceable opportunities to understand, treat, and prevent human diseases and disorders.
The NPRCs maintain colonies of Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) animals, many of which are MHC typed and genetically characterized. These animals are available to support AIDS and other infectious disease-related research.
Lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans
The order Primates is a diverse group of mammals that includes lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans. Primates share many characteristics with humans, such as opposable thumbs, social behavior, and communication abilities. They can be found in various habitats around the world, from tropical rainforests to savannas and mountain ranges.
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The classification of primates has been revised over time, and currently, there are two suborders: Strepsirrhini (lemurs and lorises) and Haplorrhini (tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, including humans). Here are some examples of the different groups of primates:
– Lemurs, lorises, and relatives (suborder Strepsirrhini): This group includes lemurs, bush babies, and lorises. They are found in tropical and subtropical habitats of South America, Africa, and Asia.
– Tarsiers (infraorder Tarsiformes): Tarsiers are small primates found in parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They were once grouped with the strepsirrhines as “prosimians” because they share some primitive features, but they are now considered more advanced than lemurs and lorises and belong to a different group.
– Monkeys, great apes, and humans (infraorder Simiiformes): This group includes New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, and apes, including humans. New World monkeys are found in Central and South America, while Old World monkeys and apes are found in Africa and Asia.
It is important to note that primates have evolved over millions of years, and many species no longer exist. Others have survived, and there are now more than 350 different species of living primates.
FAQS
1. What are the different types of primates?
The order Primates includes lemurs, lorises, tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans. They are divided into two suborders: Strepsirrhini (lemurs and lorises) and Haplorrhini (tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, including humans).
2. What are some examples of non-human primate species?
Some examples of non-human primate species include squirrel monkeys, capuchin monkeys, African green monkeys, baboons, common marmosets, and coppery titi monkeys.
3. Why are non-human primates used in scientific and medical research?
Non-human primates share many biological similarities with humans, making them valuable for studying human diseases and disorders. They provide scientists and physicians with irreplaceable opportunities to understand, treat, and prevent human diseases and disorders.
4. What are some threats to non-human primate species?
Many non-human primate species are endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, and the pet trade. It is crucial to protect and conserve these animals and their habitats.
5. What are some characteristics that set primates apart from other animals?
Primates have larger brains relative to their body size than other animals, and males tend to be larger than females. They tend to have relatively shortened snouts, rely more on vision than smell, have five fingers and toes and have nails instead of claws. Primates also have opposable thumbs that allow them to grab and manipulate objects.
6. What are some common primate social systems?
Primate social systems vary widely, but some common types include one-male groups, multi-male/multi-female groups, and solitary living.
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