discuss the features of primates
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Answer:
Explanation:Primate:
A primate is a member of the mammalian order Primates, which comprises two suborders: the prosimians (lemurs, lorises, and tarsiers) and the anthropoids (monkeys, apes, and man). According to fossil records, primates originated in the Late Cretaceous (97.5 to 66.4 million years ago) as forest-dwelling creatures. Evidence that modern man is a descendant of these early primates was first provided by Charles Darwin in his Origin of Species, published in 1859.
The anatomical and behavioral features that distinguish primates from members of other mammalian orders include a lack of strong specialization in structure; prehensile hands and feet, usually with opposable thumbs and great toes; flattened nails instead of claws on the digits; acute vision with some degree of binocular vision; relatively large brain exhibiting a degree of cortical folding; and prolonged postnatal dependency. No primate exhibits all these features, and indeed the diversity of primate forms has produced disagreement as to their proper classification.
Taxonomically the primate order can be arranged in 11 families: The prosimians include the lemurs (Lemuridae), the aye-aye (a single species comprising the Daubentoniidae), galagos and lorises (Lorisidae), tarsiers (Tarsiidae), and a little-known group of arboreal creatures including the avahi, sifaka, and indri (Indriidae). The anthropoids include marmosets and tamarins (Callitrichidae), South American monkeys other than marmosets (Cebidae), African and Asian monkeys (Cercopithecidae), siamangs and gibbons (Hylobatidae, the lesser apes), orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees (Pongidae, the great apes), and man and his direct ancestors (Hominidae). The tree shrews (Tupaiidae) are included among the prosimians by some authorities but by others among the insectivores.
A wide range of size, weight, and habitat is found among members of the primate order. The smallest primates are weighed in tens of grams, while the gorilla typically weighs 140 to 180 kg (300 to 400 pounds). Nonhuman primates are found throughout the tropical areas of India, Africa, Asia, and South America. A few species also live in temperate latitudes, but lack of winter food supply limits their adaptability to these climates.
Answer
1- In general, primates are highly social animals.
2- Long gestational periods with respect to animal size.
3-Almost all primates are diurnal.