Lemurs are an interesting species whose primary residence is Madagascar. Madagascar is an island located in the Indian Sea, off the southeastern shore of Africa. Lemurs have evolved to cope with the extreme seasonal environments that they live in. Most lemurs enjoy a diet of plants, but are also known to be omnivorous. The locomotive developments of lemurs have a large range. From sloth lemurs, who move in a similar style to the standard sloth, which includes a lot of swinging and suspending; to Indri lemurs and bamboo lemurs, whose locomotive developments are vertical clinging and leaping; to Mesopropithicus lemurs, who exhibited slow loris-like arboreal quadrupedal locomotion; to true and ruffed lemurs, who have a fast arboreal quadrupedal locomotion; to the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur, which has been noticed as a good swimmer. The tropical and island habitats have played a large role in the development of Lemurs. Their climbing abilities, jumping abilities, and even swimming abilities have evolved to best suit the lemurs natural environment.
Spider monkeys naturally reside in South America. The tropical environment and rainforests serve as their home. They can be found in a variety of places, from southern Mexico to Brazil. Spider monkeys are very social creatures, who are rarely found alone. They enjoy habitating in mid to upper areas of trees, and are known to feast upon primarily nuts and fruits. If food is scarce, they may turn to alternate food sources, even insects. Spider monkeys are known to have strictly arboreal lifestyles, spending nearly all of their time above the ground. They have very long, strong, versatile tails which can serve as a fifth hand. The environment of the Spider monkey has encouraged their development of strong climbing limbs, crafty tails, and social nature. Spider monkeys have been seen to avoid travelling on the upper canopy of the trees, most likely because branches thin out near the tops of trees, rendering them unable to support the relatively large sized spider monkey's weight..
Baboons are one of the largest non-hominid members of the primate order. Baboons are terrestrial creatures that can be found in a variety of settings. Open areas such as the savannah, open woodlands, and hills of Africa serve as home to many baboons. They are also known to reside in tall trees, or cliff surfaces. As long as there is a water source nearby, baboons have a rather eclectic choice of habitat. Baboons mainly have a vegeterian diet, but are known to be omnivorous. The locomotion of Baboons is typically quadrupedal. They are known to run on all fours, sometimes only on their toes. The environment has played a role in the development of baboons, just as it does for all primates. Baboons are very strong creatures, with the ability to run, walk, climb, and are known to be much stronger than most animals.
Gibbons are a variety of ape that reside in tropical and subtropical rainforests in northeast India to Indonesia, to China. Gibbons love trees a little more than most monkeys. They are masters of their primary mode of transportation, brachiation. Brachiation is a form of arboreal locomotion in which primates use only their arms to swing from tree limb to tree limb. Gibbons are kings of the canopy, and spend nearly all of their time in trees. They are a species that is suffering from endangerment. Their environments have encouraged their evolution. They have a wrist that consists of a ball and socket joint, which allows for biaxial movement. It allows for masterful brachiation.
Chimpanzees have a wide variety of habitats that they reside in. This ranges from grasslands and woodlands, to tropical rainforests and swamp forests; most of which are located in western Africa. They also live in central Africa. Chimpanzees are known to move on all fours (quadrupedal). They walk on the balls of their feet, and the knuckles of their hands. They have the capacity to walk on two legs, in emergencies (bipedal). They are highly capable at climbing and brachiating. Their evolution has been influenced by their environment. Their abilities of climbing and running on all fours are encouraged by their tree-like natural habitats, and grasslands.
The level of influence that the environment has on the expression of physical and behavioral traits that can be seen within these 5 primates is extensive. Many of their physical traits , which include strong arms and hands (and even the ball and wrist joint) that allow for brachiation, versatile tails that can be used for a variety of purposes, longer and stronger hind limbs and forelimbs, for jumping as well as climbing and swinging, thick outer layer to weather the environment, and many other physical traits have evolved and been encouraged to develop in a way that best allows these primates to exist, survive, and thrive in their natural habitats. Although these primates are very similar, their environments have encouraged, and even forced, evolutionary and developmental differences that better suit their needs. These primates social and behavioral traits are also effected by their environment. Their habitats typically create a social need of dependency. Spider monkeys are rarely seen alone. The social hierarchy of dominance of the baboon is similar to other animals of its environment, such as lions. These primates residence in trees allows them to easily evade their predators. The effect that environment has on the expression of physical and behavioral traits can be seen throughout evolutionary history, and the effect that environment has had on the development and evolution of the locomotion of these 5 primates is very apparent.
Spider monkeys naturally reside in South America. The tropical environment and rainforests serve as their home. They can be found in a variety of places, from southern Mexico to Brazil. Spider monkeys are very social creatures, who are rarely found alone. They enjoy habitating in mid to upper areas of trees, and are known to feast upon primarily nuts and fruits. If food is scarce, they may turn to alternate food sources, even insects. Spider monkeys are known to have strictly arboreal lifestyles, spending nearly all of their time above the ground. They have very long, strong, versatile tails which can serve as a fifth hand. The environment of the Spider monkey has encouraged their development of strong climbing limbs, crafty tails, and social nature. Spider monkeys have been seen to avoid travelling on the upper canopy of the trees, most likely because branches thin out near the tops of trees, rendering them unable to support the relatively large sized spider monkey's weight..
Baboons are one of the largest non-hominid members of the primate order. Baboons are terrestrial creatures that can be found in a variety of settings. Open areas such as the savannah, open woodlands, and hills of Africa serve as home to many baboons. They are also known to reside in tall trees, or cliff surfaces. As long as there is a water source nearby, baboons have a rather eclectic choice of habitat. Baboons mainly have a vegeterian diet, but are known to be omnivorous. The locomotion of Baboons is typically quadrupedal. They are known to run on all fours, sometimes only on their toes. The environment has played a role in the development of baboons, just as it does for all primates. Baboons are very strong creatures, with the ability to run, walk, climb, and are known to be much stronger than most animals.
Gibbons are a variety of ape that reside in tropical and subtropical rainforests in northeast India to Indonesia, to China. Gibbons love trees a little more than most monkeys. They are masters of their primary mode of transportation, brachiation. Brachiation is a form of arboreal locomotion in which primates use only their arms to swing from tree limb to tree limb. Gibbons are kings of the canopy, and spend nearly all of their time in trees. They are a species that is suffering from endangerment. Their environments have encouraged their evolution. They have a wrist that consists of a ball and socket joint, which allows for biaxial movement. It allows for masterful brachiation.
Chimpanzees have a wide variety of habitats that they reside in. This ranges from grasslands and woodlands, to tropical rainforests and swamp forests; most of which are located in western Africa. They also live in central Africa. Chimpanzees are known to move on all fours (quadrupedal). They walk on the balls of their feet, and the knuckles of their hands. They have the capacity to walk on two legs, in emergencies (bipedal). They are highly capable at climbing and brachiating. Their evolution has been influenced by their environment. Their abilities of climbing and running on all fours are encouraged by their tree-like natural habitats, and grasslands.
The level of influence that the environment has on the expression of physical and behavioral traits that can be seen within these 5 primates is extensive. Many of their physical traits , which include strong arms and hands (and even the ball and wrist joint) that allow for brachiation, versatile tails that can be used for a variety of purposes, longer and stronger hind limbs and forelimbs, for jumping as well as climbing and swinging, thick outer layer to weather the environment, and many other physical traits have evolved and been encouraged to develop in a way that best allows these primates to exist, survive, and thrive in their natural habitats. Although these primates are very similar, their environments have encouraged, and even forced, evolutionary and developmental differences that better suit their needs. These primates social and behavioral traits are also effected by their environment. Their habitats typically create a social need of dependency. Spider monkeys are rarely seen alone. The social hierarchy of dominance of the baboon is similar to other animals of its environment, such as lions. These primates residence in trees allows them to easily evade their predators. The effect that environment has on the expression of physical and behavioral traits can be seen throughout evolutionary history, and the effect that environment has had on the development and evolution of the locomotion of these 5 primates is very apparent.
Excellent discussion! I really liked how you took the final analysis further, connecting the environment not just to locomotion but to the very anatomy of the primates (particularly the ball and socket joint). Very well done.
ReplyDeleteThe locomotion pattern seen in the gibbons, namely brachiation, is of key importance as our human ancestor seem to possess may of the same anatomical traits as gibbons, suggesting that before we became bipedal, we may have in fact been brachiators ourselves.
Todd, I also enjoyed your very detailed post about locomotor patterns of these five primates. I learned a lot from your descriptions. I thought it was especially interesting that these primates are socially dependent on one another. Makes sense since we as humans also depend on each for food, shelter and other basic necessities. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI loved your post! I had diet so I was excited to read everyone's posts on the different subjects. I was especially interested in the gibbons because I had never heard of them prior to this assignment. I was bummed to read, in my research, that they are endangered. I loved the explanation of of brachiation! How neat would that be to have wrist that have motion like our hips and shoulders?! They are such cool monkeys!! Great post!
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