What are the characteristics of monkeys?

Monkeys are medium-sized, with equal limbs or slightly longer hind limbs, long or short tails, cheek pouches and calluses on their arms. They live in arboreal or terrestrial environments, all of which are the same characteristics of monkeys. Most of the skulls of monkeys are large and spherical, which is caused by the shortening of jaws and the flattening of faces. The posterior orbital process develops to form a bony eye ring or a closed eye socket; Most species have short noses, and their sense of smell is not as good as sight, touch and hearing. Some lower species have highly developed olfactory centers in their brains, and they rely heavily on the sense of smell. Some lemurs have long noses. The nasal bones of snub-nosed monkeys and dolphin-tailed langurs degenerate, forming upturned nostrils. The nose of a proboscis bird is big and long. These special types are formed by the development of muscle or cartilage. The big toe of the foot can abut against the other toe, making the hands and feet become grasping organs. The palm is bare, with finger and toe lines, and the patterns are different. The foot pads are soft or wide, and all of them are active except the black apes. Most fingers and toes have flat nails. Generally speaking, there is little difference in the length of forelimbs and hind limbs, but the forelimbs of Red Tide Insects and Scarabaeidae are much longer than the hind limbs. The tail of most species in the family Cephalaenidae has the function of grasping and is called the "fifth hand".

Monkeys. It is one of three kinds of apes. Primates are a group in the animal kingdom. Monkeys generally have developed brains, narrow orbital spacing, feet and toes (fingers) separated, and flexible thumbs, and most of them can hold hands with other toes (fingers). Including prosimia and simian suborder.

Monkeys do not form a "natural group", and there are 264 known species of monkeys. In addition, because apes are similar to monkeys, chimpanzees and gibbons are often called monkeys informally, but biologists don't think they are monkeys. This is different from the appearance differences caused by different types. Monkeys have no distinctive features, because their features are all derived from apes and apes.

Some characteristics of monkey species are similar. For example, many New World monkeys have curly tails, which can be used to catch branches when they climb trees. On the contrary, monkeys in the old world did not have curly tails, but their nostrils were smaller and the distance between them was very close. Some have hard skin on their backs, just like embedded cushions. Some people also have trichromatic vision like humans; Others are bicolor or monochrome. Although monkeys in the old and new worlds have forward eyes like apes, their faces are different; Moreover, each kind of monkey has certain characteristics, such as the type of nose, chin and buttocks. Therefore, if you want to understand monkeys, you must understand their individual characteristics.

Introduction:

Monkeys are common names for primates. Primates are the highest group in the animal kingdom. They eat fruit. Monkeys generally have developed brains, eyes facing forward, narrow orbital spacing, feet, toes (fingers) separated, flexible thumbs, and most of them can hold hands with other toes (fingers).

Some characteristics of monkey species are similar. For example, many New World monkeys have curly tails, which can be used to catch branches when they climb trees. On the contrary, monkeys in the old world did not have curly tails, but their nostrils were smaller and the distance between them was very close. Some have hard skin on their backs, just like embedded cushions. Some people also have trichromatic vision like humans; Others are bicolor or monochrome. Although monkeys in the old and new worlds have forward eyes like apes, their faces are different; Moreover, each kind of monkey has certain characteristics, such as the type of nose, chin and buttocks. Therefore, if you want to understand monkeys, you must understand their individual characteristics.

Population distribution:

Monkey is a common name, and many animals in primates are called monkeys. Primates, an order of mammals, belong to the highest class in the animal kingdom and have developed brains. The track faces forward and the track spacing is narrow; The toes (fingers) of hands and feet are separated, and the thumb is flexible, and most of them can hold other toes (fingers). Including prosimia and simian suborder. Protomonkey suborder has a fox-like face; No cheek pouch and buttock callus; Forelimbs are shorter than hind limbs; The thumb and big toe are developed and can be opposite to other fingers (toes); The tail can be curled or missing. Ape suborder has a human face; Most of them have cheek pouches and hip calluses; Forelimbs are mostly longer than hind limbs; Degeneration of big toe; Tails are long, some can be curled, and some have no tails. According to the geographical distribution or nostril structure, the suborder simian is divided into wide-nosed monkeys, also known as new world monkeys; Narrow-nosed monkeys, also known as old world monkeys. The order includes 1 1 family, about 5 1 genus and 180 species, which are mainly distributed in warm areas of Asia, Africa and America, and most of them live in forest areas. The largest primate is a gorilla, weighing 275 kilograms, and the smallest is a bonobo, weighing only 70 grams. The skull characteristics of the tree family are very similar to those of some primitive monkeys. Many anatomists and paleontologists have listed it as a primate, but its external morphology and ecological habits are very different from those of primates. Therefore, modern taxonomists have classified it as a tree order independently.

Primate fossils are found in Paleocene to Oligocene strata in North America, Europe and Asia, Miocene strata in Africa and Europe, and Pleistocene strata in South America, Africa and Madagascar. Primates have evolved for 60 million years. Early primate fossils found all over the world belong to primitive monkeys, of which more than 60 genera are now extinct. There are no primitive monkeys in America, but there are still a few species that are very similar to the primitive monkeys 50 million years ago on some islands in Africa and Asia, Madagascar and the Indian Ocean. The history of apes can be traced back to 30-50 million years ago. About 65,438+0,500-20 million years ago, the ancestors of apes had spread all over Europe, Asia and Africa, but today they only remain in tropical Asia and Africa.

In China's ancient books, monkeys were nicknamed Yu, and sure enough, Du, Yi and so on. According to "White Tiger Pass", "A monkey is also good at waiting. When he saw a man standing on a food machine, he was far-sighted, looking around and being good at waiting. " Waiting means waiting and watching.

In the northern mountainous area of kalimantan island, May 7th is the Monkey Festival every year. In the mountainous area of northern Thailand, the annual 165438+ 10/month is the "Monkey Sports Festival".

Morphological characteristics:

Monkeys, like people, belong to the "primate" in zoology. Compared with other mammals, the main characteristics of primates are:

The limbs are long and the division of labor is clear, the joints are flexible and free, the thumb can be held by the other four fingers, and the hands have certain operating functions;

Have the ability to distinguish colors;

Binocular eyes are similar to human beings, long in front of the head, and have the function of "binocular vision", which can accurately judge the distance;

Reference link: Baidu Encyclopedia-Monkey