 | James H. Marlett, Assistant Zoo Director for the Sedgwick County Zoo, has been in the zoo field since 1967. He has been at Sedgwick County Zoo since 1971. Jim is responsible for the Zoo's animal, veterinary, graphics and education departments. He is a member of the American Zoo & Aquarium Association, the Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, the Kansas Herpetological Society and the Wichita Audubon Society. |
Animals, Reptiles & Insects
2003-12-01 10:27:00
Tell me about primates
: What are the common characteristics of primates?
ANSWER: Primates are the monkey-like animals. They range in size from tiny, like mouse lemurs, to large, like gorillas. There isn't any single characteristic that distinguishes a primate, but there are several characteristics that primates tend to have. One of the easiest to see is forward-facing eyes, which allows them to have good depth perception. They can see color and generally rely heavily on vision rather than smell or other senses. Primates tend to have short faces with small noses, although lemurs have rather long snouts. Their ears tend to stick out from their heads and are usually hairless. One characteristic that many people remember from school is the opposable thumb. This means that the thumb can move to be opposite the fingers so they can pick up and maneuver delicate objects. Long fingers give them a powerful grip. Primates usually have flattened fingernails, although a few have claws. Some even have a combination of nails and claws. Primates don't have very many babies at one time (usually just one) and their babies take a long time to grow up. Their social structures tend to be complex, although they may be very different from one species to another. A relatively large and complex brain helps them solve problems and think their way out of trouble or into it.
