Narrow-nosed primates. Narrow-nosed monkeys. See what “Narrow-nosed monkeys” are in other dictionaries

Narrow-nosed monkeys, or monkeys of the Old World, differ from American ones not only in their thinner nasal septum (which, by the way, brings them closer to humans), in the smaller number of teeth (32, and not 36), and also in the fact that the tail is In some species it is underdeveloped, and even if it is long, it is unable to cling to branches when moving along trees.

Narrow-nosed monkeys are divided into two well-separated families - the apes and the apes.

The monkey family. This group includes monkeys, which we meet more often than others in cages and enclosures of zoos - slender and agile African monkeys (Fig. 484), replacing them in the tropical countries of Asia, macaques, dog-headed baboons from mountain areas Africa.

Monkeys move on the ground and along thick branches on four legs, resting on the surface with the palms of their hands and the entire sole of their hind legs (Fig. 485). On their body they have hairless ischial calluses, and in their mouth there are a pair of cheek pouches - a kind of internal pockets where monkeys put part of the food they get, without wasting time chewing it when moving.

The vast majority of monkeys live in forests and move around tree branches with great dexterity, but compared to American monkeys, they are less specialized tree climbers and are unable to cling to branches with their tails; some species, such as all dog-headed species, broke with the forest and became inhabitants of open mountainous areas, where they can climb rocks with great dexterity.

As a rule, all monkeys are inhabitants of tropical countries. However, among monkeys there are several species that live outside the tropical zone. The tailless monkey, or mago, lives in North-West Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia), as well as on the rocks of Gibraltar, that is, already in Europe (36° northern latitude).

The closest relative of this monkey, the Japanese mago, lives on the opposite edge of the eastern hemisphere and its distribution reaches 39° north latitude, where it has to endure winter frosts down to -12° C. Two species of monkeys, dressed in thick and long hair, are found in coniferous forests Tibet is a high extratropical highland with a harsh continental climate.

In addition to monkeys and macaques - small monkeys with more or less human-like physiognomies - in our zoos you can see monkeys of quite large sizes and less human-like - baboons and their relatives, united under common name dog-headed.

Most types of this kind of group- inhabitants of rocky plateaus and rocky mountain slopes tropical Africa. On the ground they move on all fours, only occasionally rising on their hind legs. Unlike monkeys, they are not associated with forest landscapes, but on occasion, they climb trees and climb their branches with sufficient dexterity, although due to their terrestrial lifestyle, their fingers are shorter than those of natural tree climbers.

The name “dog-headed” is given to these monkeys because their facial part protrudes forward in the form of an elongated muzzle with fanged jaws, especially impressive in larger males.

With this structure, the massive head of baboons appears disproportionately large and heavy compared to their relatively short body, and the tails of some species are short (3–5 cm) stumps, while in others they somehow stick out awkwardly in the form of an arched, curved stick. Apparently, in these cases too, having lost any functional significance.

For the purpose of comparison, let us recall the appearance and habits of the natives of Africa - monkeys, with their super-acrobatic dexterity of movements and with their agile and expressive physiognomies. There is no doubt that next to them the dog-headed ones will seem both ugly “from the face” and somehow awkwardly formed.

However, as has already been noted more than once, we cannot impose our aesthetic demands on nature: the divergence of characteristics in the two groups of narrow-nosed monkeys was associated with their settlement in two different biotopes. Rocky uplands place different “demands” on their inhabitants than dense ones. rainforests. In particular, the greater bestiality of dog-headed animals is explained in the peculiarities of their living situation.

Forest monkeys have the opportunity to obtain complete plant food in the form of sugary and mealy fruits, which form the basis of their diet, while dog-headed monkeys living on rocky mountain slopes had to include meat in their diet, eating not only invertebrates, but also reptiles and small mammals down to baby antelopes.

Dog-heads also have to fight back and terrestrial predators, and under such conditions their formidable fangs acquire important protective value.

Ultimately, the adaptive features of dog-headed animals (including the advantages associated with their gregarious lifestyle) brought them to a prominent place in the fauna of tropical Africa. The biological prosperity of this group is evidenced by the significant diversity of dog-headed species and their numbers.

Of the representatives of this group Special attention Zoo visitors are attracted by mandrills (Fig. 486), which the famous Vrem recognized as “the ugliest of all monkeys.” In their appearance, what is especially striking is the unusual for mammals bright colors of the hairless areas on their elongated muzzle, in the area of ​​the genitals and on the ischial tuberosities, where bright red and cornflower blue colors alternate (remember that monkeys, unlike the vast majority of other mammals have, like humans, color vision).

A family of great apes, or anthropomorphic monkeys. The highest group among monkeys are anthropomorphic monkeys, which are closest to humans. This includes the most large species- gorilla and chimpanzee living in African forests, the orangutan is a large ape from the island of Borneo, and several forms of gibbons 2 from Indochina and from the islands of Borneo and Sumatra (Fig. 487). They have the same number of teeth as humans, and just like humans, they lack a tail. Mentally, they are more gifted than other monkeys, and the chimpanzee especially stands out in this regard.

Recently (1957), the bonobo ape was identified as a special genus - a form that until then was considered only a dwarf variety of chimpanzees.

All apes live in forests, easily climb trees and are very imperfectly adapted to move on the ground (Fig. 488). Unlike true quadrupeds and bipedal humans, they have an inverse relationship between the length of the limbs of the first and second pair: their legs are relatively short and weak, while the tenacious upper limbs are significantly elongated in length, especially in the most skilled tree climbers - gibbons and orangutans .

When walking great apes rest on the ground not with the entire sole of the feet, but only with the outer edge of the foot; with such an unsteady gait, the animal needs the necessary help from its long arms, with which it either grabs tree branches or rests on the ground with the back of its bent fingers, thereby partially unloading the lower limbs.

Smaller gibbons, when descending from trees and walking across open ground, move on their hind legs, and with their unusually long arms they balance like a person walking on a narrow pole.

Thus, apes do not have the upright gait of humans, but they also do not walk on all fours in the manner that most other mammals do. Therefore, in their skeleton we find a combination of some features of a bipedal person with animal characteristics of four-legged mammals.

Due to the elevated position of the torso, the pelvis great apes closer in shape to the human, where it really lives up to its name and supports the abdominal innards from below (Fig. 489). In four-legged animals, the pelvis does not have to perform such a task, and its shape is different there - this is easy to see on the skeleton of a cat, dog and other four-legged mammals, including monkeys (see Fig. 485).

The tail of apes is underdeveloped, and its skeleton is represented in them, as in humans, only by a small rudiment - the coccygeal bone, which is closely fused to the pelvis.

On the contrary, the inclined position of the neck and the stronger development of the facial bones, pulling the skull forward, bring apes closer to four-legged animals. To support the head, strong muscles are required, and this is associated with the development of long spinous processes on the cervical vertebrae and bony ridges on the skull; both serve to attach muscles.

Large jaws also correspond to strong chewing muscles. They say that a gorilla is able to gnaw through a gun taken from a hunter with its teeth. For attachment of the chewing muscles of the gorilla and orangutan, there is also a longitudinal ridge on the crown. Due to the strong development of the facial bones and ridges on the skull, the cranium itself turns out to be more laterally compressed and less capacious than in humans, and this, of course, is reflected in both the size and development of the cerebral hemispheres (Fig. 490): a gorilla is almost is the same as a human, and its brain weighs three times less than a human (430 g for a gorilla and 1,350 g for a human).

All modern anthropoids are inhabitants tropical forests, but adaptability to life among woody vegetation they are not expressed to the same extent. Gibbons are natural tree climbers. Orangutans also constantly stay in the trees; there they make their nests, and their adaptability to climbing is clearly expressed in their structure long arms, whose hands, with four long fingers and a shortened thumb, have a characteristic monkey shape, allowing them to cling tightly to the branches and twigs of trees.

In contrast to orangutans, gorillas mainly lead a terrestrial lifestyle in forests and climb trees only for food or for safety, and as for chimpanzees, smaller and heavier monkeys, they occupy an intermediate place in this regard.

Among the narrow-nosed, there are three main groups:

  • parapithecus ( Parapithecoidea) - a completely extinct group of narrow-nosed monkeys;
  • marmosets ( Cercopithecoidea listen)) - a large group of narrow-nosed primates found in Africa, Asia and Europe (Gibraltar);
  • hominoids ( Hominoidea) - higher apes, to which modern man systematically belongs.

All narrow-nosed animals are diurnal animals. All are characterized by a complex social organization. Almost all narrow-nosed animals, with the exception of thick-bodied animals, have a narrow nasal septum, and their nostrils point downward. Body sizes range from 35 cm ( pygmy marmoset) up to 175 cm (gorilla). The brain is well developed. There are 32 teeth. Primates mainly eat mixed food with a predominance of plant foods, and less often they are insectivorous. Due to their mixed diet, their stomach is simple. There are four types of teeth - incisors, canines, small (premolars) and large (molars) molars; molars with 3–5 cusps. In primates, there is a complete change of teeth - milk and permanent. There are throat pouches. Most have a long tail, but it is never used for grasping. Some representatives (lapunder, mandrill) have a short tail or no tail (magot, great apes).

In most species, fangs grow throughout their lives and sharpen themselves against each other - they are used as weapons. In groups of narrow-nosed animals, which, as a result of changes, social organization males do not require physical superiority in order to achieve females and/or territory, and (magots, bonobos, humans), fangs have become smaller.

Narrow-nosed primates have a well-developed five-fingered, grasping limb adapted for climbing tree branches. All primates are characterized by the presence of a clavicle and complete separation of the radius and ulna, which provides mobility and a variety of movements of the forelimb. The thumb is mobile and in many species can be opposed to the other fingers. The terminal phalanges of the fingers are equipped with nails. In those forms of primates that possess claw-like nails or have claws on individual digits, the thumb always bears a flat nail. The hair and individual areas of the skin are sometimes brightly colored. Lesser monkeys have cheek pouches and ischial calluses. They are widespread in Africa and Asia (on the Arabian Peninsula, South and Southeast Asia, China, Japan). One species of narrow-nosed monkey, the magot, is found even in Europe (Gibraltar). They live in herds or family groups.

see also

Links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what “Narrow-nosed monkeys” are in other dictionaries:

    Old World monkeys (Catarhina), section of great apes. Fossil forms are known from the second half of the Neogene beginning Quaternary periods East hemispheres. 4 families: apes, gibbons, pongids and hominids (last 3... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

    4 families of mammals of the primate order: apes, gibbons, pongids and hominids. The nasal septum is narrow, the nostrils are close together and point down... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

    4 families of mammals of the primate order: apes, gibbons, pongids and hominids. The nasal septum is narrow, the nostrils are close together and point downwards. * * * NARROW-NOSE MONKEYS NARROW-NOSE MONKEYS, 4 families of mammals of the primate order:… … encyclopedic Dictionary

    Narrow-nosed monkeys- (Catarrhini) higher primates of the Old World, Africa, Asia and Europe. The most ancient representatives are known from the Oligocene of Egypt. Among the narrow-nosed monkeys, there are three main groups: Parapithecoidea, a completely extinct group of narrow-nosed monkeys... ... Physical Anthropology. Illustrated explanatory dictionary.

    - (Catarrhini) three sem. monkeys (see) of the Old World, connected at the base of the trail. common features. The septum between the nostrils is narrow and the nostrils are directed forward, and not to the side, as in broad-nosed animals (see). Nails on the toes of the front and hind limbs... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

    - (Simiae catarrhinae) a group of monkeys of the suborder Greater Primates. U. o. (except for thick-bodied animals) have a narrow nasal septum, their nostrils point downward. Body sizes range from 35 cm (pygmy monkey) to 175 cm (gorilla). The brain is good... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

    4 sem. mammals neg. primates: apes, gibbons, pongids and hominids. The nasal septum is narrow, the nostrils are close together and point down... Natural science. encyclopedic Dictionary

    Inferior narrow-nosed monkeys, unlike American monkeys, have a narrow nasal septum and a protruding facial part of the skull. The tail varies from short (black baboon, mandrill, dril, pig-tailed macaque) to long, never... ... Biological encyclopedia

    great monkeys- žmoginės beždžionės statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas šeima apibrėžtis Šeimoje 4 gentys. Kūno masė – 5,300 kg, kūno ilgis – 45,180 cm. atitikmenys: lot. Pongidae English anthropoid apes vok. Menschenaffen rus. higher narrow-nosed... ... Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

    monkeys- šunbeždžionės statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas šeima apibrėžtis Šeimoje 10 genčių. Kūno ilgis – 32 110 cm, uodegos ilgis – 0 106 cm. atitikmenys: lot. Cercopithecidae engl. guenonlike monkeys; Old World monkeys; Old World... ... Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

Narrow-nosed monkeys, or old world monkeys(lat. Catarrhini) - steam squad (lat. parvus- “small, small”) primates. Together with the broad-nosed monkeys (monkeys of the New World), they are included in the infraorder Apes, and with the tarsiers they form the suborder dry-nosed primates.

Among the narrow-nosed, there are three main groups:

  • parapithecus ( Parapithecoidea) - a completely extinct group of narrow-nosed monkeys;
  • marmosets ( Cercopithecoidea listen)) - a large group of narrow-nosed primates found in Africa, Asia and Europe (Gibraltar);
  • hominoids ( Hominoidea) - higher apes (including humans).

All narrow-nosed animals are diurnal animals. All are characterized by a complex social organization. Almost all narrow-nosed animals, with the exception of thick-bodied animals, have a narrow nasal septum, and their nostrils point downward. Body sizes range from 35 cm (pygmy monkey) to 175 cm (gorilla). The brain is well developed. There are 32 teeth. Primates mainly eat mixed food with a predominance of plant foods, and less often they are insectivorous. Due to their mixed diet, their stomach is simple. There are four types of teeth - incisors, canines, small (premolars) and large (molars) molars; molars with 3-5 cusps. In primates, there is a complete change of teeth - milk and permanent. There are throat pouches. Most have a long tail, but it is never used for grasping. Some representatives (lapunder, mandrill) have a short tail or no tail (magot, great apes).

In most species, fangs grow throughout their lives and sharpen themselves against each other - they are used as weapons. In groups of narrow-nosed animals in which, as a result of changes in social organization, males do not require physical superiority in order to achieve females and/or territory (magots, bonobos, humans), the fangs have decreased.

Narrow-nosed primates have a well-developed five-fingered, grasping limb adapted for climbing tree branches. All primates are characterized by the presence of a clavicle and complete separation of the radius and ulna, which provides mobility and a variety of movements of the forelimb. The thumb is mobile and in many species can be opposed to the other fingers. The terminal phalanges of the fingers are equipped with nails. In those forms of primates that possess claw-like nails or have claws on individual digits, the thumb always bears a flat nail. The hair and individual areas of the skin are sometimes brightly colored. Lesser monkeys have cheek pouches and ischial calluses.

Distributed in Africa and Asia (on the Arabian Peninsula, South and Southeast Asia, China, Japan). One species of narrow-nosed monkey, the magot, is found even in Europe (Gibraltar). Monkeys have settled all over the planet. They live in herds or family groups.

Chronogram

see also

Write a review about the article "Narrow-nosed monkeys"

Links

  • Catarrhini Infraorder

Excerpt characterizing the Narrow-nosed Monkeys

“And then, we are a good sovereign,” he said, pronouncing e instead of e and ъ instead of ь. “Then that the emperor knows this. He said in his manifesto that he can look indifferently at the dangers threatening Russia, and that the safety of the empire, its dignity and the sanctity of its alliances,” he said, for some reason especially emphasizing the word “unions”, as if this was the whole essence of the matter.
And with his characteristic infallible, official memory, he repeated opening words manifesto... “and the desire, the sole and indispensable goal of the sovereign: to establish peace in Europe on solid foundations - they decided to now send part of the army abroad and make new efforts to achieve “this intention.”
“That’s why, we are a good sovereign,” he concluded, edifyingly drinking a glass of wine and looking back at the count for encouragement.
– Connaissez vous le proverbe: [You know the proverb:] “Erema, Erema, you should sit at home, sharpen your spindles,” said Shinshin, wincing and smiling. – Cela nous convient a merveille. [This comes in handy for us.] Why Suvorov - they chopped him up, a plate couture, [on his head,] and where are our Suvorovs now? Je vous demande un peu, [I ask you,] - constantly jumping from Russian to French, he said.
“We must fight until the last drop of blood,” said the colonel, hitting the table, “and die for our emperor, and then everything will be fine.” And to argue as much as possible (he especially drew out his voice on the word “possible”), as little as possible,” he finished, again turning to the count. “That’s how we judge the old hussars, that’s all.” How do you judge, young man and young hussar? - he added, turning to Nikolai, who, having heard that it was about war, left his interlocutor and looked with all his eyes and listened with all his ears to the colonel.
“I completely agree with you,” answered Nikolai, all flushed, spinning the plate and rearranging the glasses with such a decisive and desperate look, as if at the moment he was exposed to great danger, “I am convinced that the Russians must die or win,” he said. feeling the same way as others, after the word had already been said, that it was too enthusiastic and pompous for the present occasion and therefore awkward.
“C"est bien beau ce que vous venez de dire, [Wonderful! What you said is wonderful],” said Julie, who was sitting next to him, sighing. Sonya trembled all over and blushed to the ears, behind the ears and to the neck and shoulders, in While Nikolai was speaking, Pierre listened to the colonel's speeches and nodded his head approvingly.
“That’s nice,” he said.
“A real hussar, young man,” shouted the colonel, hitting the table again.
-What are you making noise about there? – Marya Dmitrievna’s bass voice was suddenly heard across the table. -Why are you knocking on the table? - she turned to the hussar, - who are you getting excited about? right, you think that the French are in front of you?
“I’m telling the truth,” said the hussar, smiling.
“Everything about the war,” the count shouted across the table. - After all, my son is coming, Marya Dmitrievna, my son is coming.
- And I have four sons in the army, but I don’t bother. Everything is God’s will: you will die lying on the stove, and in battle God will have mercy,” Marya Dmitrievna’s thick voice sounded without any effort from the other end of the table.
- This is true.
And the conversation focused again - the ladies at their end of the table, the men at his.
“But you won’t ask,” said the little brother to Natasha, “but you won’t ask!”
“I’ll ask,” Natasha answered.
Her face suddenly flushed, expressing desperate and cheerful determination. She stood up, inviting Pierre, who was sitting opposite her, to listen, and turned to her mother:
- Mother! – her childish, chesty voice sounded across the table.

Quite numerous: in given time Zoologists count 96 of their varieties. They settled exclusively in Eastern Hemisphere(the exceptions are Mona monkeys and green monkeys. They were brought from Africa in the 17th century and fully adapted to living on tropical islands Caribbean Sea). In contrast, narrow-nosed animals have anatomical features closer to humans. They have 32 teeth (the prehensile-tailed ones have 36), some of them are completely devoid of a tail, and those who still have one do not use it when climbing trees. In most species, the pelvis performs the same functions as in humans - it supports internal organs when walking upright. Narrow-nosed animals are divided into two main groups: marmosets and hominoids. There is also a third family, Parapithecus, which has become completely extinct.

The distribution area of ​​these primates is very wide and is not limited only to tropical zone. Of course, the narrow-nosed monkey prefers rich fruits and plant foods evergreen forests, but they are also found outside them. The most northern view considered Japanese mago (39° N). From winter frosts, which sometimes reach -12° C, these monkeys are saved by hot springs. In Europe, only one species has survived to this day - the tailless monkey, living on Gibraltar (36° N). Two breeds native to Tibet are also described: to withstand harsh continental climate Thick fur helps monkeys.

These are mostly small animals, although within the family there are their own maxims: the smallest is considered (35 cm), and the largest narrow-nosed monkey is the gorilla (a meter and 75 cm). All primates of this family have narrow nostrils (with the exception of thick-bodied primates, which have a wider nasal septum. All of them lead a diurnal lifestyle. Another characteristic feature are the cheek pouches, where the animal stores food “in reserve.” In a calmer environment, when the individual is not afraid that its relatives will take the food, it takes it out, chews it and eats it.

The narrow-nosed monkey - both a monkey and a hominoid - has a fairly developed brain. She uses various devices to obtain food: stones for breaking nuts, clubs for hunting snakes. Primates clear young resinous shoots from the bark and push them into the anthill. The ants stick to the stick and the monkeys lick them off. They are especially striking with their mental abilities Gorillas and chimpanzees can learn deaf language and communicate with people.

The marmoset family is in turn subdivided into the marmosets themselves (they also include macaques) and the latter have a clearly protruding lower part of the face, which creates a resemblance to a dog’s muzzle. Baboons also have fangs, which they display as a symbol social status or in danger as a threat to the enemy. This narrow-nosed monkey lives in a society with an extremely developed hierarchy: in the pack, each individual is subjugated to someone and conquers someone. Zoologists believe that a similar hierarchy existed in the primitive herd of people.

Among hominids, the black monkey, also called the pygmy chimpanzee or bonobo, is of particular interest. For a long time he was considered a chimpanzee, and only in 1957 he was identified as separate species. Its skin is black (pink in a normal chimpanzee), sloping, narrow shoulders and long legs. Makes barking, sharp sounds. Bonobos live between the Lualaba and Congo rivers. This is still a little-studied species, and its number does not exceed ten thousand individuals. Long black hair, parted in the middle, on a black face, and intelligent eyes give the animal a completely human appearance.



What else to read