Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Comparative Primate Assignment


Week 4 Assignment

Dentition
Lemurs
A.) Lemurs are found in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean. It is the fourth largest island in the world. It has a tropical climate with a rainy season lasting from December until April, and a dry season from May to November. It's terrain is very diverse ranging from coastal beaches and lagoons, to mountains, rivers, grasslands, and desert. 
B.)The Dentition pattern for Lemurs is: 2.1.3.3
C. )Lemurs have teeth that are perfectly adapted for shearing leaves and crushing seeds. In the tooth comb of most lemurs, the bottom incisors and canine teeth are procumbent (face forward rather than up) and finely spaced, thus providing either as a grooming or feeding tool.

Spider Monkey
A.) They found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil. Spider monkeys live in the upper layers of the rainforest and forage in the high canopy, from 25 to 30 m (82 to 98 ft).
B.) The Dentition pattern for Spider Monkey is 2.1.3.3
C.) The diet of spider monkeys consists of about 90% fruits and nuts. They can live for long periods on only one or two kinds of fruits and nuts. They eat the fruits of many big forest trees, and because they swallow fruits whole. 

Baboon
A.) Baboons are found in surprisingly varied habitats and are extremely adaptable. The major requirements for any habitat seems to be water sources and safe sleeping places in either tall trees or on cliff faces. When water is readily available, baboons drink every day or two.
B.) The Dentition pattern for baboons is 2.1.2.3
C.)  Baboons, have cheek pouches that can hold a stomach's worth of food. Baboons can quickly fill up their pouches, then retreat to safety to eat at their leisure.

Gibbon
A.) Gibbons live in the deciduous and evergreen rainforests of Southeast Asia. They are arboreal and are very rarely observed on the ground. . Gibbons are brachiators, meaning that they move from tree to tree by swinging from their arms between branches. Their long arms and thumbs attached at the wrist allow them to move quickly and agilely among the trees. Gibbons are also capable of moving short distances along tree branches on just their hind legs (bipedalism), with their arms raised above their heads for balance.
B.) The Dentition pattern for Gibbons is 2.1.2.3
C.) They forage for food in the forests during the day, eating fruit, leaves, flowers, seeds, tree bark, and tender plant shoots. They also eat insects, spiders, bird eggs, and small birds. 

Chimpanzee
A.) They live in savannahs in tropical forests in Africa, Guinea, western Uganda and Tanzania.
B.) The Dentition pattern for chimps is 2.1.2.3
C.) They are omnivorous, therefore need incisors to pierce there food. They eat plants, animals, fruits and insects. 

4. From doing this assignment, i have learned that animals dentition patterns change based on their environment. They need this adaptation to occur, otherwise they would not be able to survive. This makes sense because it is is basically natural selection. The animals who do not adapt will not survive, the ones who do will continue on and produce offspring that carry the same trait.

2 comments:

  1. Good information about all of the primates. It's interesting to learn the different ways these primates use there teeth. Its funny how baboons can fill up there cheeks with food and save it for later.

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  2. Double-check your lemur dentition! They have a LOT more teeth than that.

    Also, how do incisors help pierce food from an omnivorous diet? Incisors are for cutting, correct?

    Otherwise, good job.

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