What is a Primate?
A Mammal that has certain characteristics such as:
Flexible fingers and toesOpposable thumbs
Flatter face than other mammalsEyes that face forward and spaced
close togetherLarge and complex cerebrum
Social animals
What are the groups of mammals that are classified as
Primates?LEMURS
MONKEYS
BABOONS
ORANGUTANS
GORILLAS
• CHIMPS
• HUMANS
Examples of Mammals that aren’t Primates?
Insect –Eating Mammals
Toothless Mammal
Gnawing Mammal
Flying Mammal
Trunk-nosed Mammal
Rodent-like Mammal
Flesh-Eating Mammal
Hoofed Mammals
Water-dwellingMammal
How can you tell the difference between primates and other
mammals?
Primates have:Flexible fingers and toesOpposable thumbsFlatter face than other mammalsEyes that face forwardLarge and complex cerebrumSocial animals
What’s so special about flexible fingers and toes?
• Fingers can grip onto things
• Toes can bend for greater balance
• Grab onto trees, play the trumpet, type, all sorts of actions
What’s an opposable thumb?
• Thumb that’s opposite the other fingers and is able to move toward them and touch them.
• Enables primates to grasp objects, large and small
As primates evolved and became more complex their face became rounder and
the snout became shorter, giving them an unobstructed view of things
Large and complex brain
• As primates evolved their brain became larger making them the most intelligent mammals.
• They can comprehend and use language
• Make decisions• Problem solve
Stereoscopic Eyes• Both eyes face
forward and can judge distances, and see in 3-D versus non-primates who have eyes on the sides of their head
Gorillas, orangutans and chimps, like humans are very social animals
They care for their young, feel sadness, happiness, loneliness, jealousy and
every emotion that you feel
Which primates are the most closely related to humans?
Orangutans-
Gorillas
Chimpanzees
These primates are genetically the closest relatives of humans. They’re very intelligent, can use tools, communicate with one another, and carry out complex tasks. Chimps share 98.4% of human DNA.
Orangutans, gorillas and chimps are all on the endangered
species list, their population dwindling each day.
Presently there are only 50,000 gorillas left in the wildCurrent estimates account for only 27,000 orangutans left in the wildChimp population is estimated at 100,000-200,000