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Social Sci LibreTexts

5.0: Introduction to Primatology

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    5031

    • We are primates. One way to learn about humans is to study them as a kind of primate. This works especially well to explain how we got the physical structure that we have. It works a little bit to explain a few of our behaviors. It doesn't work at all to explain our culture. The Darwin tubercle is a projection on the helix of the ear resulting from a thickening of the cartilage. The actual size of the tubercle varies. It is one of many vestiges of our primate ancestry.

    image058.gif

    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin's_tubercle

    A broad research question in primatology is to compare and contrast primates to other mammals, and then compare and contrast primates to themselves.

    Note

    KATHRYN ORZECH'S INTRO: WHAT MAKES A PRIMATE A PRIMATE?

    Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\): One goal of primatology is to use it to help us understand ourselves.

    REVIEW PRIMATE SKELETONS AND MORE PRIMATE SKELETONS