Primates Monkeys Prosimians. A suborder of mammals of the primate order, it unites six families: tupai, tarsiers, lemurs, bats, indris and lorises; - presentation. Prosimian of the Loriidae family: features of the mammal, appearance and habitat

MONKEYS (higher primates; Anthropoidea), a suborder of mammals of the order Primates. Body length ranges from 15 cm (some marmosets) to 1.8 m (gorillas). Five-fingered limbs are characteristic; in most species the anterior and posterior are almost equal. In most species, the first (thumb) finger is opposed to the others. Fingernails. The hairline is thick and soft, hair categories are usually poorly defined Monkeys

Short-nosed monkeys are so named because of their narrow nasal septum; nostrils point down. About 100 species. They have 32 teeth. Herbivores or omnivores. In the wild they lead an arboreal, semi-terrestrial and terrestrial lifestyle. Families: monkeys, macaques, baboons, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans

MARDINES A genus of narrow-nosed monkeys of the marmoset family; includes about 20 species with many subspecies. Marmosets live in the tropical forests of sub-Saharan Africa. Their body length is cm, tail length is cm

MACACA (common macaque, Masasa), a genus of narrow-nosed monkeys of the Ape family, includes 12 species in the South and East Asia and 1 species (magot, or tailless macaque) in Africa and Europe (Gibraltar). The body length of macaques is cm, the tail is 5-70 cm. Weight is 3.5-18 kg, females are much smaller. Crab-eating macaque

BABOONS (dog-headed monkeys, Papio), a genus of narrow-nosed monkeys, includes seven species: hamadryas, anubis, baboon, Guinea baboon, bear baboon, mandrill and dril. These are large animals, their body length is about 100 cm, tail 5-70 cm, weight up to 25 kg or more (up to 50 kg for a mandrill). baboon anubis

Male mandrills are the most brightly and intricately colored animals among mammals: the muzzle is red and bright blue, the whiskers and beard are yellow and orange; the fur on the upper body is olive-brown, on the belly it is silver-gray; the skin near the tail is reddish-purple.

Chimpanzees are large monkeys with a body length of up to 150 cm, of which the length of the head and body is cm; weight from kg to 80 kg. The mass of the female is 90% of the mass of the male. Chimpanzee voice

GORILLA, great ape, the only species of the genus of gorillas of the Pongid family. The species includes three subspecies: the eastern mountain gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla, and the coastal or western lowland gorilla. Gorillas are the largest of the apes.

The brain volume is on average about cubic meters. cm, sometimes up to 752 cc. cm

In all likelihood, gorillas breed all year round. After a day of pregnancy, one naked, helpless cub is born, which is kept with its mother for up to three years, but sometimes refuses to breastfeed even at one year. Children are born once every 3-5 years. There are known cases of twin births.

ORANGUTAN, the only species of the genus of great apes of the Pongid family; includes two subspecies: the Kalimantan orangutan and the Sumatran orangutan. Orangutans are found only in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Orangutan is a Malay word, it means "man of the forest"

CEBIDIAN MONKEYS, a family of broad-nosed monkeys. Body length is cm, most have a long, grasping tail. 31 species (howler monkeys, capuchins, saimiris), in the forests of South and Central America. Woolly monkey

A genus of monkeys of the prehensile-tailed family. Body length cm, tail cm, tail poorly adapted for grasping. The brain is well developed, the most “intelligent” among the monkeys of the New World. CAPUCHINS (Cebus Erxleben)

Family of broad-nosed monkeys, 4 genera. The body length is the shortest among higher primates (15-30 cm), the tail is not prehensile (length cm). Females are slightly larger than males. Fighting marmosets. Toy monkeys (clawed monkeys)

Suborder Prosimians

Former naturalists considered animals about which we're talking about, real monkeys and therefore united them into one order, but we separate prosimians from real monkeys and believe it necessary to form a separate suborder from them. In fact, prosimians, which can also be called lemurs*, bear little resemblance to four-armed ones. The structure of their body is completely different, and their teeth have almost no resemblance to the teeth of monkeys.

* Lemurs are only one of the families of the suborder. Prosimians differ from monkeys in having a more primitive small brain with a small number of convolutions, an elongated facial part of the skull, and a bare upper lip.

It is quite difficult to describe the general characteristics of prosimians. The height, size of the body and limbs, teeth and skeleton of these animals are very diverse. The size of the body fluctuates between the height of a big cat and a rat**.

* * The largest semi-monkey - indri - reaches 71 cm in length (without tail) and weighs 6 kg.

In most species the body is thin, in others even thin; some have a muzzle somewhat similar to that of a dog or fox, others have a head similar to the head of a dormouse, flying squirrel or owl. The hind limbs are for the most part noticeably longer than the forelimbs; the magnitude of the former is sometimes very significant. In some animals of this group the foot on the hind limbs is quite short, in others, on the contrary, it is long. The structure of the arms and legs is quite diverse. Most prosimians have both hands and feet similar to arms. The fingers on all four limbs are similar to each other; the thumb is separated from the other fingers, and all of them have nails except the second, which has a visible claw. However, this structure of the limbs is not found in all prosimians; slight differences are noticeable in the length, thickness, and also in the location of the thumb***.

* * * Index finger on the hand it is often reduced in prosimians to a small tubercle.

The size of the tail can vary: for many it is longer than the body, for others it is very short, sometimes not even noticeable, for some it is fluffy, for others it is almost naked. Large eyes, well-developed ears and thick soft fur, which in only a few consists of coarse hairs, indicate that prosimians should be classified as crepuscular or nocturnal animals. The location, shape and number of teeth are more varied than in monkeys. The skull is characterized by a strong rounding of the occiput, short but narrow frontal bones and large eye sockets that lie close together and are surrounded by prominent bones. In the spinal column we notice, in addition to 7 cervical vertebrae, 9 dorsal, 9 or more lumbar, from 2 to 5 sacral and 8-30 caudal. In contrast to monkeys, prosimians have nipples not only on their chests, but also on their stomachs****.

* * * * In addition to the pectoral nipples, there may be abdominal and even shoulder nipples. The habitat of prosimians is Africa, mainly Madagascar and neighboring islands, then India and the Sunda Islands. Here they are most often found in dense forests rich in various fruits.

All these animals live exclusively in trees, some of them never descend to the ground. Some prosimians are distinguished by their dexterity and lively movements on the branches, while others have quiet, deliberate movements, as if mysterious and unnoticeable; only a few of them move during the day, while the majority begin their activity only at night, and fall asleep in the morning. Some feed on various fruits, buds and young leaves, others on insects, small vertebrates, as well as plant matter. These animals do not cause noticeable harm, but they are of little benefit either. Despite this, the natives are not indifferent to them and consider some of them to be sacred and inviolable animals, while others are looked at as dangerous creatures that can cause harm to humans. The natives do not allow travelers and naturalists to hunt prosimians, sometimes they even interfere with the hunt and do not allow observations of these animals. This should be seen as the reason why prosimians are rarely found in our menageries and zoological gardens, although in their homeland they are quite common and sometimes live in large herds. Capturing them alive is not particularly difficult, and caring for them in captivity is very simple. Most species tolerate captivity much better than monkeys and, with proper care, will even reproduce in cages. Those of the prosimians who are distinguished by their lively disposition are more understanding than others, they easily get used to the people caring for them.

Animal life. - M.: State Publishing House of Geographical Literature. A. Brem. 1958.

See what “Suborder of prosimians” is in other dictionaries:

This suborder includes the most primitive representatives of the primates, tupai, lemurs, and tarsiers. Sometimes tupai and lemurs are grouped together as strepsirrhine primates, which have comma-shaped nostrils that open to... ... Biological encyclopedia

- (Prosimii), suborder of primates. Known from the Lower Eocene North. America and the Upper Eocene of Europe (France). Diverse in size and structural features. Most hind limbs are longer than the front ones. The hair is thick, soft, there... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Suborder of mammals of the primate order. Body length is 13-70 cm, most have a long tail. Unlike monkeys, the cerebral hemispheres are smooth or have a small number of grooves and convolutions. 6 families: tupayas, tarsiers, lemurs, bats,... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

PROMINS, yang, units. semi-monkey, s, female. Suborder of mammals of the primate order. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Suborder of mammals neg. primates. Body length is 13-70 cm, most have a long tail. Unlike monkeys, the cerebral hemispheres are smooth or have a small number of grooves and convolutions. 6th semester: tupai, tarsiers, lemurs, bats, indris and... Natural science. Encyclopedic Dictionary

Prosimians are a group of primitive primates that are usually classified as suborder Prosimii or Strepsirhini of the order Primates. In different systematic schemes, prosimians include lemurs, indris, bats, loriids and, sometimes, tarsiers, and even tupai.... ... Physical Anthropology. Illustrated explanatory dictionary.

Ov; pl. [from lat. prīmātes superior] Zool. A detachment of the most highly organized mammals of prosimians and monkeys and humans. * * * primates order of mammals; 2 suborders: prosimians and monkeys. Over 200 species from lemurs to humans,... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

The name "indri" is based on a misunderstanding that has happened many times in the history of primatology. Famous French explorer of the 18th century. Pierre Sonnera, traveling around Madagascar accompanied by a local guide, one time heard him shout: “Indri! Indri! Looking in the direction where the native was pointing, Sonnera saw a strange animal, the name of which he carefully wrote down, adding that in the Madagascan language “indri” means “man of the forests.” In fact, the word “indri” means “look at this”, and “man of the forests” means baba-kato. This is what the Madagascans call this primate. The error, however, took root, and now the word “indri” has entered not only the name of the species, but also the genus, and even the family.

The indri lives on the eastern coast of Madagascar. Despite the privileges of a sacred animal, it is still an endangered species. Listed in the Red Book.

Another genus of the same family - lichanotus(Lichanotus), represented by one species: “shaggy indri” (L. laniger), or long-haired avagis. The second name, as shown by R. Thorington, is associated with the invalid (invalid) Latin name of the genus, which is replaced in our diagram according to the rules of synonymy. This is a nocturnal prosimian that lives in humid forests. During the day she hides in hollows and leaves. The indri is smaller in size - length from 30 to 50 cm, with a tail of approximately the same length. Large eyes, an almost round head, a short facial part, and small ears create the impression of some resemblance to the face of a person with a crew cut. The body is evenly covered with soft, thick gray-brown fur, the tail is reddish-orange.

It feeds on leaves, tree bark, and fruits. Lives in small groups of two to four individuals. Usually makes sounds similar to grunting, often whistling. Reproduction is seasonal. Pregnancy lasts four to five months. One baby is born with a body length of about 9 cm. The number of chromosomes is 64. The birthplace of lichanothus is the northwestern coast of Madagascar. This very rare animal is listed in the Red Book. Almost never found in zoos. A stuffed specimen of the long-haired lichanothus is in the Zoological Museum of Leningrad.

The last genus of indriformes is propithecus(Propithecus), better known as sifak. There are two types of sifak in total - these are siphon with diadem(P. diadema), or white-fronted indri, and smaller in size - sifaka verro(P. verreauxi), or crested indri. Both species, according to Napier, include five subspecies.

Body size is 45–55 cm, bushy tail is about the same length. According to other sources, the body is slightly longer. Muzzle with large eyes, short. The hind limbs are larger than the forelimbs.

This is a beautiful prosimian: the face and ears are usually black, the long silky hair is often light. There are subspecies that are pale gray in color, sometimes with orange and purple spots on the limbs and back. Among the sifakas there is an almost unique subspecies in the order of primates - the white silky sifaka, or sifaka sifaka (P. d. candidus), which is available in the Leningrad Zoological Museum. At the same time, the black sifaka (P. d. holomelas) is also known,

These are diurnal primates, but their vision is well adapted to the dark. Sifakas live in groups of three to six individuals, occupying an area of approximately 1 hectare. They mark their territory: females with urine, males by rubbing their neck glands. During the day, the group moves around in search of food (leaves, bark, buds, fruits) and sunny places. On cold nights, during sleep (as a rule, they sleep sitting), they wrap their tail around the body and press closely together, reducing heat transfer. During transitions, they climb vines and thin trees, like a person on a rope. During a very long jump from branch to branch (up to 10–12 m), the position of the body is changed from horizontal to vertical. On thick trunks and the ground they jump like a kangaroo, leaning on their hind limbs. Aggressive fights are rare, usually only during the breeding season.

Daubentoniidae family

In the section Lemuromorphs, one superfamily with a single family and a single genus and species is distinguished. This - Madagascan hand-footed(Daubentonia madagascariensis), or aye-aye (as local residents call the animal for its strange night cry).

This small animal is the size of a cat (body length about 40 cm), with a long and thick tail of a fox (tail length up to 60 cm) and the front teeth of a rodent (18 teeth in total) is nevertheless an undeniable primate. The muzzle is short and greatly expanded upward towards the head, the eyes are large, relatively huge oval hairless ears are mobile and leathery. The coat is coarse, sparse, with undercoat, from dark brown to black.

All fingers, with the exception of the thumb on the lower limbs, have claws. The big toe has a flat nail and is well opposed to the other four. On the third finger of the five-fingered upper limbs, the claw is especially thin and elongated - a specific adaptation of the hand; it is used to make a sharp cut in the tree, after which the insect is removed. He also likes to feast on bird eggs from the nests that this tree dweller comes across on the way. The diet also constantly includes the core of some plants (bamboo, sugar cane), fruits and other vegetation. An individual site reaches 5 km in diameter.

During the day, the little arm climbs into a hollow or secluded nest at a high altitude and, curled up in a ball, covers its head with its shaggy tail.

Females have one pair of inguinal glands. The sounds made are grunting. The number of chromosomes is 30. The only cub in the litter is born in the wild in February - March (body length is about 16 cm).

Currently, they are so few in number that there are hardly 50 of them on earth (data for 1969). There is an opinion that the catastrophic decline of Madagascar bats is facilitated by local beliefs, according to which this innocent little eared creature is classified as a member of the devilish tribe. And although there is a parable that the killer of the little hand will not live more than a year, there are “risky” daredevils who destroy this animal even today. The Maruantsetra region in Madagascar is the only place where these primates still live.

Little arms are the least studied representatives of the order. They are very rarely kept in captivity, to which they quickly become accustomed. Hardly any zoo currently has them. There is information that these animals lived in the Amsterdam Zoo for 23 years. Included in the Red Book. There are two specimens of stuffed animals in the Leningrad Zoological Museum.

Section lorimorphs (Lorisiformes)

Let's move on to the description of another section (infraorder) of prosimians - the lorimorph section (Lorisiformes). This is a more homogeneous group than in the previous section. Prosimians of Asia and Africa (in the latter they are distributed only on the continent). Apparently, they have been studied much better than lemuromorphs, especially African lorisids. Representatives of this section are related to the previous ones and have common ancestors among fossil prosimians. However, they should not be called lemurs. Sometimes lorimorphs are divided into two families, that is, all representatives of the genus Galago are separated into an independent family. There are some grounds for such a rise in the latter, but so far insufficient. Therefore, in Scheme 2, galagos are included in a single family of loriformes at the subfamily level (Galaginae). Lorisinae proper (Lorisinae), which therefore also constitute one of the two subfamilies of this family, are also considered at the same level.

The suborder of prosimians includes 6 families, 21 genera and about 50 species with a large number of subspecies. This suborder includes the most primitive representatives of primates - tupai, lemurs, tarsiers. These are mostly small animals, but there are also medium-sized ones (about the size of a dog). Tupai and lemurs are sometimes grouped together as strepsirrhine primates, which have comma-shaped nostrils that open onto the bare tip of the nose. The upper lip of these primates is smooth, motionless and hairless. On the contrary, tarsiers and monkeys form a group of haplorine primates, with nostrils more rounded, bordered by the walls of the nose and opening onto a mobile, with a developed muscular layer, and hairy upper lip.

All prosimians have tails, often fluffy. The facial part of the skull is elongated, the sense of smell is well developed, and there are tactile hairs on the face - vibrissae. The lower teeth grow forward to form a “comb” for grooming or scraping food. All prosimians mark the territory in which they live with the odorous secretion of specific skin glands - sternum, abdominal, throat, etc., as well as urine. The brain of prosimians is small, without convolutions. Almost all of them are nocturnal, except for some species of ancient lemurs. They live in groups or alone, giving birth to one or two young. All except tarsiers have immobile facial muscles, so they do not have the same facial expressions as monkeys.

Family Tupaiformes

: common tupaya, dwarf tupaya, tupaya tana, Indian or Elliott tupaya, Philippine tupaya or urogale, northern or mouse tupaya, feather-tailed tupaya.

Tupaia are a transitional form between insectivorous mammals and primates. In terms of the structure of the skull, forelimbs, teeth, and biochemical parameters, they are closer to primates. In Malay, tupaya means “squirrel”, they are small, live in trees and look like squirrels with a bushy tail.

Family Lemuridae

: Ring-tailed or ring-tailed lemur, black lemur, mongoose lemur, collared lemur or wary lemur, gray hapalemur, graceful lemur, dwarf lemur, fat-tailed lemur, Miller's lemur or mouse microcebus, squirrel lemur or dwarf veneer.

Lemurs are the most typical representatives of prosimians; common in Madagascar. Ancient lemurs live in large groups. There are lemurs with bright colors; for example, the ring-tailed lemur has alternating white and black rings on its tail and white circles around its eyes. This lemur got its name from sounds similar to purring. The ring-tailed lemur is a diurnal lemur, feeding on fruits, flowers, and leaves. In addition to large lemurs, there are small dwarf species, for example, the mouse lemur, the size of a fist, with huge eyes, it weighs 40-60 grams. These are nocturnal insect hunters.

Tarsier family

: Bankan or western tarsier, eastern tarsier or brownie maki, Philippine tarsier or sirichta.

Tarsiers are the closest to monkeys of all the prosimians living in Indonesia and the Philippines. They are the size of a rat and have huge eyes that glow in the dark, which is why they are called “tarsier ghosts.” The bare tail with a tassel serves as a balancer when jumping. Tarsiers have facial muscles and can grimace like monkeys. The facial region is not elongated, like in other prosimians, but shortened, which means that the sense of smell is underdeveloped. The brain is relatively large, the hind limbs are longer than the front ones, and the heel bone is elongated, which is why they are called tarsiers.

It is believed that the ancestors of primates were primitive insectivorous mammals, very similar to modern tupayas. Their remains were found in the Upper Cretaceous deposits of Mongolia. These ancient primates, in all likelihood, spread from Asia to other places in the Old World and North America, where they provided the basis for the development of lemurs and tarsiers. The original forms of monkeys of the New and Old Worlds probably originated from primitive tarsiers (some authors consider ancient lemurs to be the ancestors of monkeys). American primates arose independently from Old World monkeys. Their ancestors penetrated from North America to South America, here they developed and specialized, adapting to the conditions of exclusively arboreal life.

About 200 species of modern primates are known. They are united in 57 genera, 12 families and 2 suborders - prosimians (Prosimii) and monkeys (Anthropoidea). According to the currently most common classification, the order of primates is usually divided into two suborders.

1. Lower primates, or prosimians - this includes tupai, lemurs, tarsiers, etc.

2. Monkeys, or higher anthropoids.

Suborder Prosimii

Family Tupaiformes: common tupaya, dwarf tupaya, tupaya tana, Indian or Elliott tupaya, Philippine tupaya or urogale, northern or mouse tupaya, feather-tailed tupaya.

Family Lemuridae: ring-tailed or ring-tailed lemur, black lemur, mongoose lemur, collared lemur or wary lemur, gray hapalemure, graceful lemur, dwarf lemur, fat-tailed lemur, Miller's lemur or mouse microcebus, squirrel lemur or dwarf veneer.

Fig.1. Family of ring-tailed lemurs (lat. Lemur catta)

Tarsier family: bankan or western tarsier, eastern tarsier or brownie maquis, Philippine tarsier or sirichta.

Fig.2. Philippine tarsier (lat. Tarsius syrichta)

It is believed that the ancestors of primates were primitive insectivorous mammals, very similar to modern tupai. Their remains were found in the Upper Cretaceous deposits of Mongolia. These ancient primates, in all likelihood, spread from Asia to other places in the Old World and North America, where they provided the basis for the development of lemurs and tarsiers. The original forms of monkeys of the New and Old Worlds probably originated from primitive tarsiers (some authors consider ancient lemurs to be the ancestors of monkeys). American primates arose independently from Old World monkeys. Their ancestors penetrated from North America to South America, here they developed and specialized, adapting to the conditions of exclusively arboreal life.

Suborder of monkeys or higher apes (Anthropoidea)

The suborder of higher primates includes broad-nosed or American monkeys, and narrow-nosed or African-Asian monkeys. This division is based on differences in the structure of their noses. In most New World monkeys, the cartilaginous nasal septum is wide and the nostrils are widely separated and outward facing. Old World monkeys have a narrower nasal septum and nostrils, like those of humans, point downwards. But it is more correct to talk about the degree of severity of this feature, since the thickness of the nasal septum and the position of the nostrils can vary in different forms of broad-nosed and narrow-nosed monkeys. All primates have flat nails on their fingers (marmosets have claw-shaped nails); the eyes are facing forward, and the orbit is completely separated from the temporal fossa by a bony septum; the brain, with the exception of marmosets, is rich in grooves and convolutions; the upper incisors are not separated by a space. Primates are characterized by a reduction of the olfactory apparatus and special tactile organs on the face, where only three pairs of vibrissae are preserved - supraorbital, maxillary and mental. The reduction of vibrissae is associated with the progressive development of tactile skin ridges on the palmar and plantar surfaces. Only in Oedipus marmosets and, to a greater extent, in nocturnal monkeys, areas of skin without ridges are still found on the palms and soles. In other lower and higher primates, the palmar and plantar surfaces are completely covered with skin ridges, just like in humans. The suborder has 3 superfamilies: Ceboidea, Cercopithecoidea and Hominoidea.

Broad-nosed monkeys or New World monkeys (Platyrrhina)

Broad-nosed monkeys live in South America and they are called New World monkeys

Broad-nosed monkeys are divided into three families - small marmosets, calliminos and large capuchin monkeys. All marmosets and callimicos have primitive structural features - a hairy ear, a relatively simple brain, almost without convolutions, up to three young are born.

Family Marmosets: common marmoset or wistiti, pygmy marmoset, common or black tamarin, crested or oedipal tamarin, piebald tamarin.

Marmosets are the smallest of all primates; In addition to the marmosets themselves, these include pygmy marmosets and tamarins. All are characterized by a paired family lifestyle; only one adult female breeds in the group, while the male cares for the offspring.

Kallimiko isolated from the marmoset family relatively recently. In terms of the structure of the teeth, the shape of the skull, and biochemical parameters, they are similar to capuchin monkeys and occupy an intermediate position between them and marmoset monkeys.

Family Capuchinaceae: common or white-breasted capuchin, whining capuchin or whining capuchin, white-fronted capuchin, favi or brown capuchin, squirrel saimiri, three-striped durukuli, white-headed saki, monk saki.

Capuchin monkeys have a prehensile tail, the lower end of the tail is hairless, and has the same dermatoglyphic patterns as on the palms. This tail acts as an additional limb. The first finger of the hand is underdeveloped, sometimes absent, but on the foot it is well developed and contrasted with the others. The brain is quite developed, these monkeys have complex behavior and easily learn complex skills. They live in large groups. All of them are arboreal and diurnal, except for one genus of nocturnal monkeys. Like prosimians, all broad-nosed monkeys have skin glands, with the secretion of which they mark territory. Broad-nosed monkeys often form multi-species communities to better protect themselves from predators. They have well-developed acoustic (voice) communication and rich facial expressions.

Narrow-nosed monkeys or Old World monkeys (Catarhina)

Short-nosed monkeys live in Africa and Asia and are called Old World monkeys.

Family Monkey-shaped: true monkey, green monkey, pygmy monkey or talapoin, red monkeys or hussar monkeys, cynomolgus or cynomolgus macaque, rhesus or bunder monkey, Japanese macaque, Ceylon or Chinese macaque.

Monkey monkeys. They are small or medium in size, their forelimbs are equal to their hind limbs or slightly shorter. The first finger of the hand and foot is well contrasted with the rest. The fur covers the entire body, with the exception of the face, and is usually bright in color. There are ischial calluses and cheek pouches. Cheek pouches are special pockets - folds of the mucous membrane in the oral cavity on both cheeks, where monkeys stuff food in reserve. In addition to ischial calluses, they have so-called “genital skin” - areas of skin that swell and turn red during ovulation, this can serve as a signal to the male that the female is ready to mate. Ischial calluses, unlike the genital skin, are vascular-free. They are comfortable when sleeping or sitting on the ground. All monkeys move on the ground and tree branches, among them there are terrestrial forms (baboons, geladas), arboreal forms (rhesus macaques, and lapunders) and purely arboreal forms (all thin-bodied monkeys, langurs, etc.). They are plantigrade, resting on their feet and hands when walking. The tail is never grasping. Some species have well-developed sexual dimorphism, that is, males are larger than females. They are all gregarious, living in forests, savannas, and on rocks. The apes include the genera of monkeys, hussars, baboons, mandrills, geladas, mangobays, macaques and the subfamilies of slender-bodied monkeys, the genera of colobus monkeys, gwerets, and langurs. A very beautiful monkey - the Hanuman langur is considered a sacred monkey in India, Sri Lanka and other countries. According to the epic Ramayana, the Hanuman langur saved the pious Rama and his wife. In Egypt, the hamadryas baboon is considered a sacred animal, considered the personification of the god Ra - the god of health, fertility, generosity and writing.

Family Gibbonaceae. These are small, gracefully built monkeys, their forelimbs are longer than their hind limbs, their fur is thick, their palms, soles, ears and face are bare. There are small ischial calluses. The fingers are long, the first finger is well opposed to the rest. Distributed in India, Indochina, Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and the Malay Peninsula. All of them are arboreal, inhabitants of the tropical forest with a characteristic method of movement - brachiation: alternately intercepting tree branches with their hands, they fly from tree to tree at a distance of up to fifteen meters. They can walk on the ground on two legs, balancing with their arms. Some gibbons exhibit sexual dimorphism in hair color, for example, male gibbons are black and females are light beige. Another feature of the gibbon is family life, with each family having its own territory and communicating with other families. This behavior is called "singing" or "choiring" by gibbons; The initiator of singing is, as a rule, the male, then the whole family joins him. Joint-toed gibbons - siamangs - even have special throat vocal sacs - resonators to amplify sound.

Pongid family unites Asian orangutans and African apes - chimpanzees and gorilla. All of them are distinguished by their large body sizes; the gorilla weighs up to 200 kilograms and grows up to two meters. They have a relatively short body and long limbs, no tail, a shortened sacral spine, a barrel-shaped chest, and broad shoulders. All are characterized by semi-upright movement along branches and the ground, relying on the knuckles of the forelimbs. They have large and complex brains, about six times larger than those of lower monkeys such as macaques. The gorilla's brain weighs 420 grams and has many convolutions. The frontal lobe is larger than that of lower apes. Like humans, apes have well-developed facial muscles, and their lips are very mobile. Chimpanzees have ischial calluses; gorillas and orangutans are rare. The hair on the back and chest is sparse, and there are no tufts of tactile hair on the face (vibrissae). The immunological and biochemical parameters of chimpanzees, gorillas and humans are very similar in blood proteins. The gestation period is the same as in humans (9 months), the baby develops very slowly, up to seven years. All of them have high intelligence and are able to use objects as tools in nature and in captivity.

Orangutans common in Sumatra and Kalimantan, they are distinguished by their massive build (males are 150 centimeters tall and weigh 100–200 kilograms). Females are significantly smaller than males. Kalimantan orangutans have developed cheek growths made of connective tissue and fat. The hind limbs are short, the front limbs are long, the fingers on the hands are long and have the appearance of hooks, the first finger is shortened on the hand, and there are large guttural pouches on the neck. The skull of orangutans is long, elongated, the facial region is concave. The skull has sagittal and occipital crests. The lower jaw is massive, the teeth are large, with strongly wrinkled crowns, the fangs rarely protrude beyond the dentition. Brain volume is 300-500 cm3.

There are three subspecies: mountain, coastal and lowland. The lowland gorilla is common in Western equatorial Africa (Cameroon, Gabon), in the Congo River valley and near Lake Tanganyika. The male is about two meters tall, weighs up to 200 kilograms, has a massive neck and shoulders, a skull with a low forehead and a powerful supraorbital ridge. Males also have sagittal and occipital crests. Females are smaller than males. The face protrudes forward, the lower jaw is very massive.

Fig.4. Gorilla

Chimpanzee. It lives in tropical Africa, in the basins of the Congo and Niger rivers. Chimpanzees are shorter and thinner in build, height 150 centimeters, weight 50 kilograms, sexual demorphism in body size is less pronounced than in the gorilla and orangutan. The supraorbital ridge is also less developed, and the occipital ridge is absent. The forehead is straighter, the brain skull is rounder, the fangs are less developed, and the wrinkled crowns are also weaker than in the orangutan. The pygmy chimpanzee, or bonob, is a living model of early hominids, characterized by its small stature and gracefulness. Lives in Zaire.

Family Hominidae. Body height 140-190 centimeters. Females are 10-12 centimeters smaller than males. Characterized by a vertical body position and movement only on the lower limbs. The first toe loses mobility and is not opposed to the rest. The length of the lower limbs significantly exceeds the length of the upper ones. The development of the first finger of the hand is of great importance. The head is round, characterized by a highly developed brain part and a slightly protruding facial part. The facial section is located not in front of the brain, but below it. The foramen magnum is directed downwards. The teeth are poorly developed, almost indistinguishable from the incisors. The molars have flattened tubercles on the chewing surface, four tubercles on the upper ones, and 5 on the lower ones. The spinal column is S-shaped curved, which is associated with the vertical position of the body. The sacral and caudal vertebrae fuse into complex bones - the sacrum and coccyx. Characterized by strong development of the femur. The brain is unusually developed, especially the cerebral hemispheres with grooves and convolutions. Pregnancy lasts 280 days, one child is born, less often two or three. Humans are characterized by the longest periods of child development and learning among mammals.

The first hominids appeared approximately 4-3.75 million years ago in Tanzania and Ethiopia. In the time interval of 2.5-2 million years ago, adaptation of African hominids occurred, and by the end of this time there were three, or even more hominids. Around 1.75 million years ago, Homo habilis disappeared and was replaced by Homo erectus. It spread widely in Africa almost 16 million years ago. About 1 million years ago, representatives of this species were found in East and Southeast Asia and existed until approximately 0.3 million years ago.

From the archaic form of Homo erectus there is a continuous line of development to the modern form of Homo sapiens. There was a Neanderthal in this strip. But with the transition to modern Homo sapiens, the massiveness of the skeleton, face and dental system inherent in Neanderthals is lost.

At the same time, anthropologists prefer to classify only humans themselves and some of their extinct ancestors (Australopithecus, Ardipithecus, etc.) as hominids. There were also transitional fossil forms between them and other primates (Uranopithecus, Nakalipithecus, etc.), the systematic position of which is not determined. Hominids in anthropology are distinguished on the basis of two simple criteria: bipedality and reduction of the dentofacial apparatus (reduction of canines, parabolic shape of the dental arch , shortened jaws). They also differ from other primates in having a larger brain (600 to 2000 ml).