Primates are one of the progressive orders of mammals, including monkeys, systematics of which are summarized in this article, and man.
Recent appearances on Earth, butpioneers in intelligence, intelligence and cognition of the world - these are primates. Evolution has endowed them with not only a developed brain, but also color stereoscopic vision, incredible dexterity, and long moving fingers. These traits make primates ideal for tree crowns.
Systematics of primates
To classify primates began as early as Carl Linnaeus1758, dividing the taxonomy into monkeys, half monkeys, sloths and bats. Then the man was separated from the rest of the four-armed monkeys in the two-arm suborder. However, further study of the characteristics of representatives of different species led to the need to revise the existing structure.
Modern systematics divides primates into two major sub-orders:
moss-nosed, which includes memoirs on the cartoon "Madagascar" lemurs, as well as the lesser-known Lori, Galago, Indri, and Ay-Ay;
- carrion, which include the proper monkeys and tarsiers.
The number of species among the primates is dominated by monkeys: 241 out of 369. Those that inhabit Africa and Southeast Asia are classified as narrow-headed, and inhabitants of the New World are called broad-bearing, or platyrrines.
How to distinguish a wide-nosed monkey
The sign that determined the name of this group - a broad nasal septum - is not typical for all platyrrin. But most of them have other features:
the big toe is opposed to the rest, but the same toe is not;
grasping tail with papillary patterns on the underside;
lack of sciatic corns and cheekbags;
food mainly leaves and insects;
only woody lifestyle.
Систематику обезьян подотряда широконосых зоологи they constantly revise, but traditionally distinguish two families: Tsebusovye and playnukovye. They inhabit the warm latitudes of the New World in the rainforests from Argentina to Mexico.
Cebus family: from funny capuchins to spider monkeys
Capuchins (Cebus) - the most famous ofwide-nosed monkeys. Europeans "discerned" in their appearance monastic robes and appreciated the intelligence of these little scamps, thanks to which the Capuchins are often kept in flats on a par with cats. They love to live in one place, beat nuts with stones and rub wool with any odorous substances, from formic acid to urine and expensive perfume.
Saimiri-like capuchins are similar in size to squirrels, but they are capable of crushing the campground due to the extreme degree of curiosity and the large number of schools: up to 500 individuals.
It is difficult for a person to sleep in the area wherethe howler lodged. Male resonators are so powerful that the monkey’s cry is heard over 2-3 km. Moreover, not one individual roars, but the entire community, and does so at any time of the day. In the jungles of the Orinoco at night, they also scream durukuli.
Bald short-tailed uakari cheat sadexpression of his muzzle. In fact, they are sociable and inquisitive. And spider monkeys koats are impressive in the size of their limbs and tail, the strength of which allows them to hang, folding all the paws on their chest. With a tail, koats tear down the fruit, beg for food in zoos and open the doors of unlocked cages.
Family igrenkovye: monkey with claws
A distinctive feature of martini is the presence of nails only on the thumbs of the hind legs. All other fingers are clawed, so this group is called clawed monkeys.
They are extremely small - they fit in the palm of your hand. Silky hair, original tufts of hair on the head, docile nature often makes marmosets and marmosettes similar to them as pets.
Elegant and unusual tamarins - animals the size ofcat, naughty and restless. In the systematics of monkeys, tamarins are somewhat different from the rest in the structure of society: in their small flocks only one female offspring is born, and it always gives birth to twins. The rest of the group members have the honor to care for the cubs.
Main variety of wide-nosed monkeysaccounts for Brazil. In this regard, zoologists have two problems: to understand how primates have penetrated the American continent, and to protect monkeys and animals of other species from extinction associated with the development of tropical forests.
