Question

Imagine that you and the intrepid, but terribly Victorian primatologist, Sir Barrington Wigglesworth are exploring an insular (i.e., island) tropical area and you happened to observe a rather small-bodied primate moving about by means of vertical clinging and leaping, what can you tell me about what taxonomic category this primate is likely to belong? Be sure to justify your response by means of differential diagnosis. Can you, with of course the assistance of Sir Barrington, name a single species included within this taxonomic category?

Answer 1

Most of the primates use the vertical clinging and leaping type of arboreal movement but this specific type of movement is most common between a specific type of primate. This type of arboreal movement is most common among the strepsirrhine primate and hence it is a type of lemuriform type of primate. Through differential diagnoses we will be able to find it because although they show similar characteristics and features but their style of vertical leaping and jumping is unique to this form. The small bodied primate is able to perform the jumping and leaping movement due to the presence of calcanei and this helps in optimizing the speed and performance along with helping with distance and acceleration. Hence the primate will be lemur which is small bodied and it is able to pursue the movement through vertical leaping and jumping.