B. Lemurs are adept at leaping and are generally quadrupedal . They have been known to leap up to 10 meters in the air onto a tree trunk and then leap from tree to tree while ascending rapidly.
C. The lemurs likely evolved with this trait because of the land that they live in. There are many predators on the ground that could easily kill a lemur if it were not able to get into the trees. But there are still predators that can also climb trees rather quickly, therefore it is necessary to their survival that the lemurs be able to go from tree to tree rapidly. This is their best advantage in the rainforest against predators, and is also a way for them to reach food high up in the trees.
A. Spider monkeys live in tropical rainforests in Central and South America. They tend to stick to the upper canopies of the trees.
B. Spider monkeys for the most part, swing from tree to tree using their long limbs and tail (suspensory). If they are on the ground they can walk upright on two feet or on all fours, but they tend to walk on all fours unless carrying something (quadrupedal).
C. Spider monkeys live in trees, so obviously they have evolved to be able to quickly move between the trees by swinging. They have disproportionately long arms and legs to help them swing and a long tail to help with balance and also used for swinging. The trees that they live in are so thick and close together that there is little reason for these monkeys to go on the ground at all.
A. Baboons are terrestrial animals, meaning that they live on the ground. They live in savannas, forests, and hills of Africa.
B. Baboons run on all fours(quadrupedal). They have short tails due to the fact that they don't live in trees. They also have large hind legs that help them to run more quickly on the ground.
C. The environment that the baboon lives in very likely shaped its evolutionary growth. There is no need for a long tail due to the lack of trees to climb in the hills and savannas. Because of this though, they need some other advantage to help them survive. That is why they have such large legs. It helps them to run quickly on the ground through their environment.
A. Gibbons live in the tropical rainforests of Asia. They mostly live in the upper layers of the trees.
B. Gibbons swing (suspensory) between branches in order to move through the trees. The wrist joint of a gibbon is very similar to a ball and socket type joint. This relieves much stress on the shoulder joint and reduces the amount of energy spent by the arms and torso of the animal. It can swing at distances up to 15 meters and hit speeds of 34 mph while doing so. If they have to walk, they do so on all fours (quadrupedal).
C. The ball and socket-like joint in the wrist of the gibbon may have been an adaptation to its environment. It allows them to travel extremely fast through the trees that they live in and makes them one of the most elusive animals in the forests.
A. Chimpanzees live in Central and West African forests and savannas, but tend not to go very far away from the forest.
B. Chimps usually walk on all fours using the knuckles of the hands for support (quadrupedal). They have long arms which they can use for climbing and swinging (brachiating). Chimps can also walk upright if they are carrying something in their arms (bipedal).
C. The long arms and strong fingers used for climbing and walking are likely adaptations that chimps have made due to their environment. They have adapted to move in multiple ways because they live in an environment that makes several modes of transportation viable and sometimes necessary.
The environments that these five primates live in definitely seem to have shaped the way they have evolved. They have all been forced to adapt in different ways giving them all different behaviors and physical abilities and traits that are suitable for each environment that they live in.
The environments that these five primates live in definitely seem to have shaped the way they have evolved. They have all been forced to adapt in different ways giving them all different behaviors and physical abilities and traits that are suitable for each environment that they live in.
Good coverage on the lemurs and spider monkeys.
ReplyDeleteWhen you get to baboons, you focus heavily on the lack of tail being related to not spending time in the trees. But then how do you explain gibbons lack of tail? This requires a little more exploration and explanation. Also, do baboons spend all of their time on the ground?
I have seen references to this "ball and socket" joint in gibbons and from an anatomical perspective, this is false. The carpal bones of the wrist fit together in a way that form rounded surface on the surface articulating with the bones of the forearm, but this is not an actual ball and socket joint, though it is approaching the shape of one. There is a padded fibrous cushion between the carpals and the radius bone, which is apparently unique to gibbons. What was your source on this, by the way?
What is the name of the locomotion of the chimps? Do they walk on land or in the trees or both? Do they have a preference?
Missing a summary?
Good post. I did mine on body size, but learning about their shape is good to know. I found it interesting how Gibbons and Spider monkeys have long arms and legs because of their tree infested ecosystem. While the Chimps, Lemurs and Baboon look as they use all four legs to maneuver, because they are on the ground as well in the trees. I like to add that Gibbons lack of tail is because they use their arms to maneuver making their tails less in need. Altogether you did pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI like the coverage you did on the lemurs. It is interesting how you noted that the lemurs needs to be able to go fast into the trees in order to escape from predators. It is the same for the baboons that they need to be able to move fast through their environment, especially because they actually hunt for their food.
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