Comparing Primates

LEMURS (POSIMIANS/STREPSIRHINI)

1.   ENVIRONMENT: Lemurs are petite prosimians that are native to the island of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. They reside in rainforests and spend the majority of their time on tree tops or in the forest midlevel, with the exception of the ring-tailed lemur that spends most of its time on the ground. Madagascar’s harsh seasonal climate forces lemurs to adapt to survive. For example, they store fat, have strict mating seasons, and hibernate when food sources are scarce. Ring-tailed lemurs, brown lemurs, and sifakas live in groups, stay awake during the day, and sleep at night. Mouse lemurs, Aye-Aye lemurs and dwarf lemurs stay awake at night and sleep during the day.

2.   LOCOMOTION: Being quadrupedal, lemurs use all four limbs for locomotion. Their strong hand and fingers help them climb trees while their muscular legs are useful for jumping from tree to tree.

3.   ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE ON LOCOMOTION: Since lemurs are located in the forest, they’re locomotor patterns have adapted rather well. They’ve developed sufficient arm and leg strength allowing them to climb and jump from tree to tree.

     SPIDER MONKEY (NEW WORLD MONKEY/PLATYRRHINI)

1.   ENVIRONMENT: Spider monkeys reside in tropical rainforests located in Central and South America and are sometimes seen in Mexico. Some species even live in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil. They’re most efficient in evergreen and mangrove forests. These monkeys live on the highest parts of trees and prefer not to be disturbed so they almost never come down.

2.   LOCOMOTION: Spider monkeys have very flexible and strong tails used as extra limbs to climb trees. They also have very long fore and hind limbs, hook-shaped hands, and extra mobility in their shoulder joints. Their three common locomotions are:

a)   Quadrupedal- Use all four limbs when walking or running.

b)   Suspensory- Swinging of their arms going one branch to another and maintaining a tail hold.

c)    Bipedalism- Use two limbs when leaping, walk and run on two legs, and travel mainly by swinging.

Other forms of movement are scurrying along tree limbs and taking leaps between small gaps between trees.

3.   ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE ON LOCOMOTION: The spider monkeys strong tail is one of its most beneficial body parts when it comes to its environment. It allows them to gather food with two hands while hanging off its tail. Since they stay on high tree tops, their strong grip and locomotion abilities gives them access to obtaining bird eggs, nuts, leaves, and spiders.

BABOON (OLD WORLD MONKEY/CERCOPITHECIDAE)

1.   ENVIRONMENT: Living in Africa and Asia, Baboons prefer savannas and other semi-arid habitats. Very few baboons live in tropical forests. They spend most of their time on ground but sleep in tall trees or cliff faces.

2.   LOCOMOTION: Baboons are digitigrades quadrupedalists; they walk on their toes and don’t let their heels touch the ground. Spending most of their time on the ground they primarily only climb trees to avoid predators, find food, or sleep. They do not have the ability to grip things with their tails.

3.   ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE ON LOCOMOTION: Since baboons spend most of their time on the ground, they walk on their digits (toes) so the soles of their feet don’t get damaged. Being on the ground so frequently also eliminates the need for them to develop a strong tail which New World Monkeys use to grip onto tree branches while collecting food. Baboons also have ischial callosities (rough areas on their buttocks) which allows them to sit for a long amount of time on the hard ground.

GIBBON (LESSER APE/HYLOBATIDAE)

1.   ENVIRONMENT: Gibbons reside in subtropical rainforests from Northeast India, Indonesia, and Southern China. Being arboreal animals, they spend almost no time on the ground, they move tree to tree by swinging their arms between branches.

2.   LOCOMOTION: Gibbons are brachiators; swing tree to tree in a hand over motion. Their long arms and curved fingers help them sing from tree to tree. They’re brachiating ability is so far developed that they can go as fast as 35mph.

3.   ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE ON LOCOMOTION: Since gibbons live spend 99% of their time in trees; the adaption of their arms is the most helpful to them. Their arms are strong, elongated, and have curved fingers giving them exceptional grasping abilities for when they’re brachiating from tree to tree.

    CHIMPANZEE (GREAT APE/HOMINIDAE)

1.   ENVIRONMENT: Chimpanzees live in social areas located in African rainforests, grasslands, and woodlands. They are primarily vegetarians sometimes but the males sometimes eat insects, eggs, and meat.

2.   LOCOMOTION: Chimpanzees are quadrupedalists and they “knuckle walk”. They also show signs of bipedal locomotion by standing and walking up straight. Chimpanzees also have elongated arms used for brachiating when they’re swinging from tree to tree.

3.   ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE ON LOCOMOTION: Having multiple locomotive abilities, chimpanzees can “knuckle walk” at a high speed to avoid predators and use their elongated arms to travel when brachiating. Their bipedal abilities also allow them to search for food and collect at the same time. 

SUMMARY

          Environmental circumstances greatly influence behavioral and physical traits. All five of the primates analyzed are all so alike. The main difference is their locomotion patterns. Their locomotion patterns are a direct correlation of the environment they live in. Arboreal environment ® brachiating is used as the main type of locomotion and the primates normally have elongated arms. Terrestrial environment® quadrupedal and the primate’s arms are proportioned to their legs. So, as you can see from the previous two sentences, the environment in which these five primates live in affect their physical traits.