Leaping as locomotion
The fossil record shows us that tarsiers have developed very elongated tarsals, and hind limbs (Rasmussen et al 1998). When comparing the fossil morphology to that of extant lineages of tarsier we can infer that these exaggerated features observed in the post crania have allowed for a powerful, quick movement that is highly adaptive and advantageous to predation avoidance strategies in the tarsier lineage.
When observing extant tarsiers it has been recorded that upon detection of a predator, the tarsier will push off using its specialized ankles and hind limbs to get away (Crompton and Sellers 2007). The hind leg is over 1.5 times the length of the trunk, and the femur and tibia are about twice the length of the humerus
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The elongated, flat pads of tarsiers’ hands allow for a precision grip on a small, slender branch when leaping is employed. When examining the leaping locomotion and relating it to the energy cost for a small bodied primate such as the tarsier it has been shown to be the most effective use of overall body energy (Crompton and Sellers 2007). By utilizing leaping locomotion as a form of travel, the small-bodied primates, who are usually subject to intense predation, have developed an effective way to avoid …show more content…
The extremely large eyes of the fossil tarsier have changed very little in size relative to that of extant lineages (Rossie et al 2006), thus showing that a nocturnal lifeway has allowed for not only extreme sight in which predator detection would be easier, but niche differentiation that encounters far less predators than a diurnal niche. The diet of the tarsier, the only fully carnivorous primate, is well suited to its small body size. It has adapted a form of specialized hearing (Gursky 2015), ultimately allowing a successful feeding niche of insects and small vertebrae animals, without the added competition from a diurnal neighbour such as birds of prey, lizards, or
There are contrasts in tool kits used by different groups of chimpanzees, which seem to be a result of the environment in which they live as well as information that is shared by the group. For example, in 1973 it was reported that chimpanzees in Gombe did not use hammer stones, but those of Cape Palmas did. We will explore the tool use of Chimpanzees from the wild, including Gombe, Tai National Forest, and the Congo Basin---and contrast those with Chimpanzees in captivity in locations of Zoo’s both in the United States and abroad.
I visited the Sacramento Zoo during the afternoon of April 21, 2017. The weather was wonderful, sunny, warm, and there was a slight breeze. It got a bit more breezy the longer I was there. Visiting the zoo to observe primates allowed me to become a little more aware of how primatologists study primates. Even though I’ve been to many different zoos several different times, I never realized how many primates were associated with the zoos, as well as the variety of primates in the zoos. The Sacramento Zoo has eight different primates, all in different classifications, superfamilies, or subfamilies. While observing the Chimpanzees, White-Handed Gibbon, Mongoose Lemur, White-Faced Saki, and the Wolf’s Guenon I could see the differences
Dr. Goodall is a well-known British primatologist who has discovered a substantial amount about primates in her many years of research. She has written numerous books, including one that we will be going into depth about called, “Through a Window.” Her book contains personal experiences, research findings, and even pictures to help the readers visualize her scientific breaking moments from her thirty years with the chimpanzees of Gombe. She states that there is are minor differences, and several similarities between humans and the chimpanzees. We will discuss these differences and similarities through their social behavior, intellectual ability, and emotions. To conclude, examine Goodall’s research to adopt what her findings can tell us about our early ancestors, and whether or not her study coincided to the steps of scientific methodology.
: Primates didn’t just appear among Earth, but they evolved. The coevolution has to do with flowers and fruits. Fruits were evolving to get tastier for primates to eat and as primates ate them they spread them around as well. As they ate these new evolved fruits and flowers this invited changes onto their bodies as
Primates, any placental mammal of the order Primates, normally having flexible hands and feet and, in the higher apes, a highly developed brain (“Primate”, 2016), have been one of the most popular animals and prominent attractions in zoos.
If you were to live during the tertiary period, this would be one of the things you would often see. All of the mammals that existed during that time period were terrestrial. They all were land dwelling mammals. Before J. G. M. Thewissen and colleagues’ discovery in Pakistan, many scientists believed, since the constant new discoveries twenty years ago, in what the numerous fossils from North America, Pakistan, and Egypt have revealed, “…these early cetaceans had mobile elbows and external hind limbs with articulated knees. However, they were fully aquatic, except for Ambulocetus, which was amphibious-much like sea lions” (Walking with Whales).
Vision plays a huge role in the lives of non-human primates. Non-human primates have exceptional binocular vision, due to forward-facing eyes with overlapping visual fields (Prescott). This binocular stereoscopic color vision allows primates to see the world in terms of height, width, and depth, also known as three-dimensional vision (Haviland et al. 2010). Highly developed vision allows the later arboreal primates to judge depth, distance, and location when moving at speed from branch to branch (Haviland et al. 2010). This bino...
Australopithecus afarensis existed between 3.9 and 3.0 million years ago. The distinctive characteristics of A. afarensis were: a low forehead, a bony ridge over the eyes, a flat nose, no chin, more humanlike teeth, pelvis and leg bones resembled those of modern man. Females were smaller than males. Their sexual dimorphism was males:females; 1.5. A. afarensis was not as sexually dimorphic as gorillas, but more sexually dimorphic than humans or chimpanzees. A lot of scientists think that Australopithecus afarensis was partially adapted to climbing the trees, because the fingers and toe bones of the species were curved and longer than the ones of the modern human.
Bipedalism had many advantages, but it also had many disadvantages and provided dangers to early hominids. Some of these disadvantages included i...
The Teh-Ima is 4 feet tall, being the smallest of the four and is located in lower mountain regions. The Meh-The, slightly resembling a gorilla, has a big pointed head and large square teeth, it is slightly larger than the Teh-Ima. The Duz-Teh, being the third largest, resembles a bear and is approximately six to eight feet tall. The largest of the group is the Bigfoot of North America, weighing as much as 1,000 pounds, and over eight feet tall (Gaffron, 44-46). These Bigfeet have their own characteristics and traits, each one adapting to life in its own region, and each one just as baffling as the other.... ...
Grass made up their environment around which they traveled mostly on all fours, on their feet and their knuckles. They stood erect on two feet to walk when using their hands to carry something. I wasn’t surprised to see that there was an enormous termite mound in the middle of their habitat because I had read about it in the anthropology textbook, and how chimps are adept tool users in that they not only construct them, but also use them strategically. With these tools, they reach into the termite hillock and seek out and ingest their newfound grub.
In order to show off how powerful one chimpanzee is, the male can swing, pull down the trees, drag them, throw sticks and stones, and stomp on t...
One of the most important and pivotal physical and biological adaptations that separate humans from other mammals is habitual bipedalism. According to Darwin, as restated by Daniel Lieberman, “It was bipedalism rather than big brains, language, or tool use that first set th...
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Sikes, Roberts. and William L. Gannon. "Guidelines of the American Society of Mammalogists for the Use of Wild Mammals in Research." Journal of Mammalogy 92.1 (Feb. 2011): 235-253. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct. 2011.