Catarrhini

Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)

The Old World monkeys or narrow proboscis monkeys ( catarrhines ) form a lineage of primates. In this group, all the monkeys of the Old World ( Eurasia and Africa ) are summarized. You share in the caudate Old World monkeys ( Cercopithecoidea ) and the anthropoids ( Hominoidea ). The latter humans belong.

Features

The Old World monkeys have a narrow nasal septum with parallel forward or downward pointing nostrils. In addition, all of the species on a long, bony ear canal and also only two premolars ( premolars ); the total number of their teeth is a maximum of 32 ( New World monkeys: a maximum of 36 ). Most species have a seat calluses on the abdomen and the thumb is in contrast to the New World monkeys opponierbar, so it can be compared with the other fingers. The tail length is variable, but the tail is not used in the Old World monkeys as a prehensile tail. There are flat nails on the fingers and toes.

Old World monkeys are medium to large primates, and on average, larger than New World monkeys. The smallest members are the dwarf monkeys with 0.8 to 1.3 kg, while male gorillas can reach 200 kg.

Dissemination and lifestyle

The Old World monkeys, with the exception of the man who has achieved a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa (but not in Madagascar ) spread and Asia. In Asia, they are mainly represented in South and Southeast Asia, their range extends to Japan or Timor. The only free-living species in Europe is the Barbary Macaque at Gibraltar, this population but was probably introduced by man.

Habitat of the Old World monkeys than humans are mainly forests and other wooded areas. You are in relation to their habitat but more flexible than the New World monkeys. Thus, there are also pronounced bottom dwellers such as the Gelada and some partially living in savannah species.

All Old World monkeys are diurnal. In most cases, they have developed a complex social behavior and live in pairs or groups. Old World monkeys feed mainly on plants, in varying degrees, they are omnivores.

System

The sister group of the Old World monkeys are the New World monkeys or wide nose monkeys live in America and are characterized among other things by towering apart nostrils. Together they form the taxon of the Apes ( Anthropoidea or Simiiformes ). Within the Old World monkeys two extant superfamilies are distinguished:

• The tailed Old World monkeys ( Cercopithecoidea ) usually have a tail. They consist of a family, Cercopithecidae or dog monkey ( Cercopithecidae ). These include most species of monkeys of Africa and Asia, including monkeys, macaques, baboons, langurs and others.
• The anthropoids ( Hominoidea ) are tailless in contrast. In addition to some extinct groups belonging to these gibbons and the great apes, including humans. In this group also the extinct and upright-walking Oreopithecus is classified bambolii, which is not regarded as the ancestor of the people.

In addition, there are still some extinct groups of Old World monkeys known as the Propliopithecidae (among others with the genera Propliopithecus and Aegyptopithecus ) and the Pliopithecidae (among other things with the genre Pliopithecus ).