Deck 14: Primates Today

Question 1

Molecular dating suggests all primate species alive today can trace their ancestry back to a common ancestor some 63 myr ago.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In general, psychologists study "why" questions and anthropologists study the "how" questions in primate research.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Only when what is learned about fellow primates can be applied to knowledge about humans is it anthropological.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

There are more primates per square mile in Kenya than anywhere else in the world.

Question 5

The bias in primatology before 1960 was against female primatologists and female primates.

Question 6

Japanese primatologists are primarily descriptive.

Question 7

The earliest primatologists were psychologists.

Question 8

Most cognitive studies with primates are done on baboons.

Question 9

Self-recognition is found only in humans and apes.

Question 10

The Japanese school of primatology is more apt to anthropomorphize their primates than Westerners.

Question 11

All prosimians use scent marking glands in their genital area to mark their territory.

Question 12

DNA evidence suggests the large variability in Madagascar prosimians is due to multiple raftings from Africa to the island, one rafting per modern species.

Question 13

The Madagascar prosimian that is characterized as a nocturnal "scurrying rat," that eats larvae puree, and is close to extinction is the aye aye.

Question 14

The ringtail lemur is able to jump 15 feet straight up in the air as well as turn its head 180 degrees.

Question 15

One dental trait that identifies fossil and modern monkeys is their bilophodont molars.

Question 16

Like prosimians, Old and New World monkeys have upper lips that are connected to the insides of their mouths, making them appear expressionless.

Question 17

Although we now have modern evidence of a "real rafting event," whether the group can sustain its colonization has not yet been established.

Question 18

Most New World monkeys have prehensile tails with fingerprints on their ends.

Question 19

All monkeys have external tails, but no modern or fossil ape does.

Question 20

Based on molecular evidence, orangutans split from the lineage leading to humans about 9 myr ago.

Question 21

The most common social unit among gorillas is monogamy, with one male, one female, and their kids.

Question 22

Although other primatologists have accused Jane Goodall's banana provisioning as being the source of at least some agonistic behavior, she saw nothing of that sort in 40 years of observation.

Question 23

All chimpanzee groups have been seen to hunt, but who does it and what they hunt varies by population.

Question 24

Chimpanzees communicate and acquire language, but they cannot be taught to speak.

Question 25

Today, about 3/4 of the 300 species of primates are considered "endangered" by the World Wildlife League.

Question 26

Primatologists properly use the study of any or all primate species to

A) represent stages in human evolution
B) infer behavioral evolution
C) generate hypotheses about human evolution
D) both A and B are correct

Question 27

In which primate research situation is there the least amount of human interference?

A) zoos
B) laboratories
C) provisioned field situations
D) unimprovised field situations

Question 28

There are more primates per geographic unit of space in than anywhere else in the world.

A) Madagascar
B) Indonesia
C) Costa Rica
D) Kenya

Question 29

When referring to a bias in primatology before 1960, the bias was against

A) women primatologists
B) zoo studies
C) female primates
D) A and C are correct

Question 30

The Japanese primate paradigm is to concentrate on

A) analysis of social organization
B) description
C) only Japanese monkeys
D) male primates

Question 31

Whereas Ray Carpenter favored field studies, Solly Zuckerman did his work in

A) his lab
B) the London Zoo
C) primate centers
D) a cage in a jungle

Question 32

Relative to primate social organization, which of the following is correct?

A) monkey females usually stay in their natal group
B) chimpanzee males usually wander off after adolescence to joining all-male bands
C) orangutans form herds with one male herding 3 to 4 females
D) neither sex leaves the natal home at adolescence in howler monkeys

Question 33

Modern prosimians share all of the following traits EXCEPT

A) moist, hairless noses
B) fully enclosed bone around eye sockets
C) whiskers in muzzle area
D) at least one toilet claw on each of their 4 feet

Question 34

Relative to prosimians on Madagascar, most scientists agree

A) the prosimians rafted to Madagascar long after it split off from Africa
B) some prosimians evolved in Africa and were taken to the island after Asian Indians colonized it
C) the prosimians evolved in Africa, and some swam to Madagascar
D) the prosimians evolved from early pre-primate stock on the island

Question 35

Which primate can jump to 15 feet straight up in the air as well as turn their heads 180 degrees?

A) sifakas
B) howler monkeys
C) lemurs
D) tarsiers

Question 36

All monkeys, Old and World alike, share all of the following traits EXCEPT

A) bilophodont teeth
B) external tails
C) quadrupedalism
D) Y-5 molars

Question 37

The main reason why most experts do not believe NW monkeys evolved separately from OW is because

A) there are more than 15 myr separating any ancestral primates in the NW from earliest monkeys
B) parallel evolution cannot account for much evidence to account for O and NW similarities
C) there was a constant geographical link of near by islands between the O and NW
D) they differ genetically by only .005%

Question 38

In demonstrating the differences between O and NW monkeys, scientists would claim that OW monkeys have all of the following traits EXCEPT

A) a narrow nasal septum and downward pointing nostril opening
B) 3 premolars
C) sitting pads called ischial callosities
D) prehensile tails

Question 39

Japanese macaques have become famous because they

A) have learned sign language from human instructors
B) have learned sign language from watching video tapes
C) have invented several new ways to add to their food supply
D) are able to survive long periods of time without water

Question 40

The Old World monkey that is characterized as "herding" females in one-male units and having a 3- tiered socio/political system is the

A) red colobus
B) patas
C) hamadryas baboon
D) mandrill

Question 41

Primatology specialists suggest the study of modern howler monkeys in central and South America may generate hypotheses about early hominids in the area of

A) range of gender variability within and between species
B) minimum types of food resources necessary to sustain life
C) maximum body size and the limit to arboreal life
D) resource availability, social organization, and level of aggression

Question 42

Only recongize themselves in mirrors.

A) primates, not other mammals
B) birds and apes
C) humans and apes
D) humans

Question 43

The ability to intentionally deceive others is found

A) only in primates
B) cats, dogs, apes, monkeys, humans
C) in three orders of mammals
D) only in apes and humans

Question 44

Experts turn to gibbons to generate hypotheses about early humans because of all of the primate groups, gibbons show that is similar to modern humans

A) monogamous pair bonds
B) equal amounts of meat and plants in their diet
C) home range territoriality
D) genetic variability

Question 45

Orangutans differ from the other modern apes (and humans) in their

A) sociality, being basically "loners"
B) diet, being mainly insectivores
C) extreme territoriality
D) genetic homogeneity

Question 46

In describing chimpanzee social organization, experts would use all of the following phrases EXCEPT

A) promiscuous
B) pair bonding
C) males stay in natal group
D) fission-fusion

Question 47

In describing chimpanzee hunting episodes, experts would make all of the following claims EXCEPT

A) they are usually planned
B) there is at least some sharing among the group members
C) there is at least some cooperation among the hunters
D) red colobus monkeys are the prey of choice

Question 48

Bonobos differ from chimpanzees because bonobos

A) use sex to solve problems
B) sleep on the ground instead of in trees
C) are aggressive toward conspecifics on their borders
D) are less intelligent than chimpanzees

Question 49

Describe modern Old and New World monkeys relative to important ancestral and newly derived traits: teeth, locomotion, brain size.

Question 50

Describe the three-tiered social/political system of the hamadryas baboons.

Question 51

Differentiate between the two dental patterns in fossil and modern monkeys and apes. What would identify a particular tooth?

Question 52

Describe gorilla social organization: who "moves," what is the structure of the main social unit, and what ecological reasons promote that kind of unit?

Question 53

Discuss chimpanzee language acquisition: what is it and what has it to do with human studies?

Question 54

One theme of this chapter is to show how anthropologists can generate hypotheses based on modern primate data to use to test against evolving hominids. Discuss three of these applications of primate data to humans.

Question 55

Discuss chimpanzee "intelligence" relative to learning theory: self recognition, imitation, and teaching. Do chimpanzees learn, recognize, imitate, and teach in the same way humans do?