Catarrhini Infraorder

The name "Catarrhini" refers to the shape of the nose. Catarrhines have narrow nostrils that face downwards, as opposed to platyrrhines? whose rounded nostrils face to the side. Catarrhines also differ from platyrrhines in their dental formula?:
2.1.2.3
2.1.2.3
This is a total of 32 teeth, whereas platyrrhines have 3 premolars and therefore 36 teeth.

 

Catarrhines are diurnal and generally much larger than platyrhhines. There are many more terrestrial catarrhines than in the other primate infraorders. They all have flat nails on their digits and members of the Cercopithecoidea superfamily have ischial callosities?. The tails of catarrhines are not prehensile? and, when present, generally serve as balancing organs.

Catarrhini Infraorder

Superfamily

Family

Subfamily

Species (common names)

Cercopithecoidea

Cercopithecidae

Cercopithecinae

Macaques, Baboons, Drills, Mandrills, Mangabeys, Guenons, Vervet Monkeys

Colobinae

Colobus Monkeys, Leaf Monkeys, Langurs, Snub-nosed Monkeys, Proboscis Monkeys

Hominoidea

Hylobatidae

 

Gibbons

Pongidae

 

Orangutans

Hominidae

 

Gorillas

 

Chimpanzees, Bonobos

 

Humans

 

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