Primate Anatomy: An Introduction

by Friderun Ankel-Simons

Overview

This book is unlike ay other work on primates: it systematically reviews the biology of all living primates, including humans. It describes their bio-geographical information and provides crucial data pertaining to their body size, fur coloration external distinguishing features, habitat and basic life strategies.

Now in its third edition, Primate Anatomy discusses species that are new to science since the last edition with details concerning anatomical features among primates that were re-discovered. New research in molecular primatology is also included due to recent relevant findings in molecular biology in accordance with new technology. The basics of biological taxonomy are introduced, along with photographs of all major groups. Important new and controversal issues make this edition key for every primatologists, anthropologist, and anatomist.

• Offers up-to-date reviews of molecular primatology and primate genomics
• Concentrates on living primates and their overall biology
• Discusses the genetic connection of function where known
• Introduces primate genomics for the first time in a textbook
• Provides instructive and comprehensive review tables
• Includes many unique, novel and easily understandable illustrations

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780080469119
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Publication date:	07/27/2010
Series:	Primate Anatomy Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	752
File size:	29 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dr. Ankel-Simons did her graduate studies in marine biology, marine ecology, and marine geology at the University of Copenhagen, the Marine Biological Laboratory at Elsinore, Denmark, and the University of Giessen, Germany. She was a member of the first research team to keep the folivore primate Alouatta palliata alive in captivity for a long term of several years at the Max Planck Institut for Brain Research, Giessen, Germany. Since 1996, she has been a Research Associate in the Division of Paleontology at the Duke University Primate Center. She has published three books and numerous journal papers.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1
Taxonomic List of Extant Primates
New Developments
List of Extant Primates

Chapter 2
Notes about Taxonomy
Population Biology and Classification
Traditional or Evolutionary Classification
Numerical and Phenetic Classification
Cladistics
Cladistic Terminology
Misunderstandings in Primate Classification
The Tarsier Conundrum

Chapter 3
A History and Objectives of Primatology
The State of Affairs
History
Primatology – a Branch of Biology
The Future of Primatology
Retrospection and Prediction
Definition of Order Primates

Chapter 4
Survey of Living Primates
Survey of Living Tupaias and Prosimii
Lemurs
Lorises
Tarsiers
Survey of Living Anthropoidea
New World Monkeys
Old World Monkeys
Hominoidea

Chapter 5
Skull
Skull development and two Kinds of Bones
Orbital Region
Nasal Region
Skull Base and Brain Case
Ear Region
The Sinuses
Comparative Skull Morphology

Chapter 6
Brain
Brain Morphology
New Insights Into Brain Function


Chapter 7
Teeth
Tooth Morphology and Diet; can they Reliably be Correlated?
Tooth Structure
Dental Formulae
Dental Typology
Functional and Morphological Variation
Chewing Mechanics
Dental Formulae and Morphology
What is New in Tooth Research?

Chapter 8
Postcranial Skeleton
Spine and Thorax
Shoulder Girdle
Pelvic Girdle
Hands and Feet
Fifth Extremity
Locomotion
New Technology Applied to the Study of Primate Locomotion

Chapter 9
Sense Organs and Viscera
Nose and Olfaction
Outer Nose and Rhinarium
Nose Based Taxonomy
Olfaction
The Olfactory Epithelium
The Genetic Connection of Olfaction
The Vomeronasal Organ
The Genetic Connection of Pheromone Perception
The Septal Organ of Masera
Olfactory Messages
Oral Cavity, Tongue and Taste
The Palate
The Tongue
The Sublingua
Taste
The Neural Connection
The Genetic Connection
Auditory Region, Hearing and Vocalization
Outer Ear
Inner Ear
Hearing
Vocalization and Larynx
Eye and Eyesight
The Substructures of the Eyeball
The Substructures of the Retina
Macula Lutea and Fovea Centralis
The Tapetum Lucidum
The Genetic Connection: Opsins and Genes
The Neural Connection
Eyelids
Recent Research and Review of Visual Adaptations
Diarhythms and Biochronology
Nutrition and Intestinal Tract
Review of the Primate Diet
Eating Soils and other unexpected Fare Morphology of the Intestinal Tract
The Stomach
The Small Intestine
The Large Intestine
Liver and Spleen
Touch
The Sensitive Skin
The Genetic Connection

Chapter 10
Placentation and Early Development

Chapter 11
Reproductive Organs, Reproduction and Grooup

Chapter 12
Chromosomes and Bloodgroups
Chromosomes
Bloodgroups

Chapter 13
Molecular Primatology
Molecular Clocks
Mitochondrial DNA
Problems of Phylogenetic Analysis using Molecular Data

Chapter 14
Primate Genomics
Transposable Elements and Numts

Chapter 15
Conclusion nd a Glance at the Future
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Cummings, PhD (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Description: Students and teachers of primatology will welcome the new edition of this standard text.
Purpose: This book is a brief, readable account of primate taxonomy, comparative anatomy, cytogenetics, and molecular evolution.
Audience: It is intended primarily as a text for undergraduate or beginning graduate courses in primatology or primate anatomy, and is one of the few texts in the field.
Features: The text is well organized, well-written, and up-to-date. The author begins with a series of introductory chapters on taxonomy and the history of primatology, and a survey of living primates. This latter chapter is a sobering reminder of how little we know about some of the nearly extinct species of lower primates, and their importance in reconstructing our own evolutionary history. The body of the text is a group of seven chapters organized by body systems, beginning with the skull and ending with growth and reproduction. In the last two chapters the author deals with cytogeneties, blood groups, and molecular techniques used in studying primate evolution.
Assessment: If there are any faults to be noted, they would be the lack of data and figures in these chapters. The evolution of chromosomes in primates is complex and a few figures of specific examples would make this material more useful, as would some data from DNA studies on the taxonomy of primates. These minor caveats aside, this well-written, well-organized new edition will continue to serve as a useful text or brief reference work for those who seek an introduction to the basic ideas in primate biology.

Doody's Review Service