Introduction The genus Saimiri contains all squirrel monkeys of South America. They have short and thick coats with a rounded off head a short black snout and their pelage coloration varies greatly. They also have long tails that have a black tuft at the end (Shuler and Abee, 2005). Although previously believed to all belong to the same species, the squirrel monkeys have been divided into two main categories according to the shape of the white fur above their eyes. The focus of this essay will be the Black-capped squirrel monkey which is mainly distinguished from other species of squirrel monkeys by the more rounded arch of white fur above its eyes. This feature is referred to as Roman type; the arch of other squirrel monkey species is Gothic type, meaning their arch is more pointed and dramatic (Zimbler-DeLorenzo and Stone, 2011). Taxonomic Classification Order Primates Semiorder Haplorrhini Suborder Anthropoidea Infraorder Platyrrhini Superfamily Ceboidea Family Cebidea Subfamily Cebinea Genus Saimiri (Fleagle, 2013) …show more content…
. Aggression, however, is reduced in males so they may gain access to the mixed-sex troops ran by females. Females possess a pseudo-penis they use in order to intimidate other smaller monkeys in their groups (Boinski et al., 2005). Vocalization in squirrel monkeys is very important as it enhances group coordination and cohesion. It can also be used to differentiate individuals and is a communication tool when group members cannot see each other. Vocalization is especially seen when an individual feels threatened and serves as a warning sign to other troop members. Vocalization is also important to infants as they use a wide range of sounds to communicate their wellbeing to their mother (Shuler and Abee,
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.
Lerner, E. and Lerner, B., 2008. Giraffes and okapi. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science 4
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
While there are noticeable by differences in social conduct between these two primates, I argue that they are extra of similar behaviors than most books have suggested. This book portrays several reasons that modern views of bonobo and chimpanzee cultures may not harmonize well with ground data. Bonobos are derived since their behavior has been defined lately than that of chimpanzees, and the likelihood that explanations of bonobo-chimpanzee differences are echoes of human male-female alterations.
This trait is shared by the small apes of Southeast Asia (gibbons and siamangs). However, New World monkeys do not have it. Female hamadryas baboon
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.
Snowdon, C. T., Brown, C. H., & Petersen, M. R. (1982). Primate communication. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press].
Another explanation why female monkeys and humans travel together and get along better is because of they have less pressure when it comes to hierarchy than men do. Females most definitely have a rank in the group, but the Gorilla’s, Bonobo’s, and Chimpanzee’s social groups all value the male dominant more than the female equivalent (Cawthorn). With the alpha spot generally being a male, it leaves less competition among the females allowing for a better environment to stick
Apes, like humans, are catarrhines and part of the superfamily hominoidea. Apes started to appear in the Miocene about 20 million years ago(lecture notes, week 10), under this category there are many primates that are distinguished as apes, such as, orangutans, gibbons, chimpanzees, and gorillas. These particular primates are from the old world and are native to Africa and Asia. Apes can be distinguished by the foramen magnum towards the back of the skull, having no tail, and having a hook nose (Larsen 2013, p. 150). Another characteristic of apes is that they have large brains for their body size, this is important because it shows they have a higher intelligence than other animals, and this can be connected to the relationship shared with humans.
Chimpanzees (Figure 1) are the closest living relatives to us, and they share 99 percent of our DNA (1). Chimpanzees have distinct group territoriality. Male chimpanzees “patrol” near the boundary between the two ranges, at that time they move very carefully and quietly, and they can cease to listen and observe the range of their neighbors. Patrolling individuals are likely to face cruel and violent attacks, injuries, and even deaths. Intense excitement and aggressive display can occur if the two parties of two communities encounter each other. Usually, the larger group holds its ground, and interaction between different chimpanzees communities may also lead to gang attack. Expanding the community range is necessary to their social organizations, the males cooperation can defend the territory and increase the reproductive rates of the resident females by excluding female and male competitors. Body contact is common in their social life such as grooming (1). Usually, chimpanzees groom each other as a way to show harmony and solidarity in their society (Figure 2). Grooming each other demonstrates the deep bonds and close relationship between them. In addition, they can even hug, hold hands, touch, kiss each other as a way of emotional expression (2).
Language is commonly held to be the province of humans, but other inhabitants of earth possess their own forms of communication. Birds, dolphins, and whales are some of those that have a language. Primates also use vocal communication with each other. Their utterances have varied uses and volumes, with each primate’s voice being distinct just as human voices are. These unique calls have given researchers insight into the social workings of primate groups. The very fact that primates have a language offers insight into the evolution of language and calls into question what the term human truly means.
Molecular studies indicate that humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos are very closely related in terms of their lineage, which split into hominid and Pan lines about 6-7 million years ago. Chimpanzees and bonobos share a more recent common ancestry, only about 2-2.5 million years ago. Although they are now considered an endangered species, chimpanzees are extremely successful creatures ecologically and can occupy a wide range of habitats across the African continent near the equator. By contrast, bonobos can be found in a substantially more ecologically restricted region of lowland rain forest in central Zaire (Stanford 399). For the purposes of our ...
Humans and non-human primates have many behaviors and characteristics in common. All humans and non-human primates also share physical and beha...
In the process of human infants’ development, infants start to learn how to communicate with the others at the surprising early age, for example: Newborns can follow objects to make saccades to peripheral targets (Farroni et al., 2004);Infants’ responding eye gaze behaviour increase constantly since two months old (Scaife & Bruner, 1975); Cooper and Aslin pointed out that this preference showed up as early as the infants were one month old in 1990. Infants not only can respond to eye contact, vocal cues also are used for gaining more reference information during a communication, particularly when the speech is conducted forward to the infants. It had been reported in many studies that infants show more preference to infant-directed communication
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.