Chapter 6 discussed the distinct characteristics of primates and how they compare to other mammals and the text highlights some specific traits to consider. Along with arboreal adaptation-or the ability to live in trees- and diet plasticity, primates also practice parental investment. Instead of having hundreds or thousands of offspring, primates will invest more time and attention to a very small number of offspring that are smarter, more socially involved, and have greater chances of reaching maturity. There are a few defining characteristics of parental investment; the first being fertility. Like humans, primates will mostly give birth to one offspring at a time; occasionally two or three. This allows more time and resources that can be
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As the book explains, primate societies are diverse, complex, and ever-lasting. Among these social groups there is a range of residence patterns that can occur among them and this range depends on food availability, environment, and competition. At one end of the spectrum is the one male, multiple female arrangement; in this situation there is one reproductive age male, a number of mature females, and young offspring. This polygynous society eliminates male competition and can be observed in species like gorillas and orangutans. The opposite of a polygynous society is a polyandrous or one female and a number of males. This situation is only practiced by a small number of New World Monkeys and only sometimes. The next residence pattern consists of multiple males and females who live together with the offspring and have ever-changing partners. Because of the numbers, competition tends to be low especially among males. This configuration can often be found in Old World Monkeys and chimpanzees. In other cases, one male and one female will enter into a typically monogamous relationship and have to rely on each other for reproductive success. Since the number of offspring is limited, more energy can be invested in protecting and providing food for that offspring. In some species, like the baboons, males will form temporary groups among themselves before joining
As the book explains, primate societies are diverse, complex, and ever-lasting. Among these social groups there is a range of residence patterns that can occur among them and this range depends on food availability, environment, and competition. At one end of the spectrum is the one male, multiple female arrangement; in this situation there is one reproductive age male, a number of mature females, and young offspring. This polygynous society eliminates male competition and can be observed in species like gorillas and orangutans. The opposite of a polygynous society is a polyandrous or one female and a number of males. This situation is only practiced by a small number of New World Monkeys and only sometimes. The next residence pattern consists of multiple males and females who live together with the offspring and have ever-changing partners. Because of the numbers, competition tends to be low especially among males. This configuration can often be found in Old World Monkeys and chimpanzees. In other cases, one male and one female will enter into a typically monogamous relationship and have to rely on each other for reproductive success. Since the number of offspring is limited, more energy can be invested in protecting and providing food for that offspring. In some species, like the baboons, males will form temporary groups among themselves before joining