Can You Find the Primates? Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Baboons are Old World primates with six extant species in the 2020s. They are native to Africa with the hamadryas baboon also being native to part of the Arabian Peninsula. Baboons are omnivores, consuming fruit, bark, flowers, leaves, nuts, berries, seeds, insects, arachnids, rodents, hares, fish, etc.

Bonobos, also known as pygmy chimpanzees, are the smallest species of great ape. They are distinguished from chimpanzees by a darker face, pinker lips, longer limbs, a tail tuft, and hair parted down the middle. Bonobos are omnivorous frugivores, eating, fruit, vegetation, vertebrates and invertebrates.

Colobus are Old World monkeys native to certain parts of Africa. They are primarily folivorous (leaf-eating) herbivores. As such they rarely descend to the forest floor, getting the bulk of their moisture, as well as food, from vegetation.

The douc are found in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. They consume bark, flowers, and fruit, They are a critically endangered species known for their bright colours and sexual dimorphism through body size.

The gelada, also known as the bleeding heart monkey, is found only in the Ethiopian Highlands. They are primarily herbivores, although they will eat insects. They are the world's only grazing primates. Both male and female geladas have red chests which signal readiness for mating, dominance and social status.

The kipunji, also known as the highland mangabey, are Old World monkeys found in the highland forests of Tanzania. Their diet is omnivorous and flexible, changing depending on the season. First described in 2003, it is the first new African monkey species discovered since1984.

The lemur is endemic to Madagascar and consists of over 100 species. Lemur society is female-dominant, with groups consisting of up to 35 individuals depending on the species. They are opportunistic feeders and can be either herbivores or omnivores again depending on the species. An interesting feature of lemur anatomy, is the tooth-comb. The vast majority of lemurs possess one. The tooth-comb is formed from the four lower front teeth, and two canines that are used for grooming.

The lesula is found in the DR Congo. It was unknown to the scientific community until 2007, when a young female was found being kept as a pet. Lesula are primarily frugivores, however they do consume seeds, roots, insects, flowers and leaves.

The loris is found in the tropical and subtropical forests of South and Southeast Asia. There are approximately 11 species of loris, of which the slow loris is the only known venomous primate. Their diet is omnivorous and species specific.

The macaque is comprised of 23 different species that range from Asia, North Africa, and Europe. They are mainly frugivorous, although they do consume flowers, seeds, tree bark and leaves.

The mandrill is native to west-central Africa. They are colourful animals with red and blue skin on their faces and behinds, and are sexually dimorphic with females being smaller, having smaller fangs, and less colour than the males. Mandrills are omnivorous, consuming plant and animal material by foraging on the forest floor.

The mangabey is found in forests from Senegal along the coast to Ivory Coast. There are approximately nine species of mangabeys. They are omnivorous animals eating a wide variety of food including fruit, nuts, animal matter, insects, eggs, roots, grass, flowers and rodents.

Marmosets are native to the tropical and subtropical forests of South America, primarily Brazil. They are omnivorous, consuming fruit, insects, spiders, lizards, snails, and frogs. Marmosets also feast upon tree sap using their lower canine teeth to gouge holes in tree bark and lick up the sap.

Sakis live in northern and central South America. Their diet is primarily frugivorous, but they are technically omnivores, consuming insects, leaves, seeds, nuts, and flowers. They are sexually dimorphic with the males and females actually being different colours. Although they have tails, they are not prehensile, used only for balancing.

Talapoins inhabit central Africa from Cameroon, to the DR Congo, to Angola. They are omnivorous consuming seeds, aquatic plants, shellfish, fruit, bird eggs, insects, and small vertebrates. They are excellent swimmers, which is different from the majority of primates. In fact, talapoins will use this strategy to escape predators.

Wrong answers:
The colugo belongs to the order Dermoptera (skin-wings) and is closely related to primates. The kinkajou is a carnivorous mammal related to raccoons. The treeshrew belongs to the order Scandentia meaning 'those who climb'. The sloth belongs to the order Pilots and is related to anteaters and armadillos. The koala belongs to the order Diprotodontia meaning 'two front teeth' and is a marsupial. The coati belongs to the order Carnivora and is also related to raccoons.