Primate Taxonomy
Page 55
| 55) The patas monkey lives in northern Africa in dry areas that have few trees. They spend most of their time on the ground and have been called the "cheetahs of the primate world" because of their ability to run quickly. Patas monkeys live in groups consisting of one adult male and several adult females and their offspring. As adults, males can be twice as big as females. This extreme size difference is an example of sexual dimorphism. |
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Notes:Two red brown monkeys sitting on a fallen tree. The smaller female looks off to the side; the larger male with a black face looks toward the camera.
Scientific name: Erythrocebus patas
patas --
POT-usMember of the cheek pouch monkey group
Sexual dimorphism -- physical differences between the sexes in size or other anatomic features not directly related to reproduction -- is found in many species of primates. Can your students think of any examples of sexual dimorphism in humans, or other species?
Photo © by: Anne Zeller
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