Introduction to the Primates

by Daris Ray Swindler, Linda E. Curtis

Introduction to the Primates is a comprehensive but compact guide to the long evolutionary history of the world's prosimians, monkeys, and apes, and to the much shorter history of humankind's interactions with them, from our earliest recorded observations to the severe threats we now pose to their survival.

Daris Swindler provides a detailed description of the major primate groups and their environments, from the smallest lemurs of Madagascar to the gorillas of central Africa. He compares and contrasts the primate species, looking at each with a specific anatomical focus. The range of diversity emerges as the particular characteristics of the species becomes increasingly distinct. Swindler also considers primate behavior and its close connections with environment and evolutionary differences. His account of 65 million years of successful adaptation and evolution demonstrates the drama of paleontology as evidence accrues and gaps in the history of primate evolution gradually close.

Genres: Animals

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

Reviews

[Riversue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Introductory but interesting with lots of anatomical detail.

[James F · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very good summary of the anatomy and taxonomy of the living primates, with one chapter on the fossil record and a very brief chapter on conservation issues. The information on anatomy, which is the major subject of the book, was very detailed for a popular book, and I found it a good introduction to the subject. The only problem with the book is that it was written at the end of the last century and so the evolutionary section is undoubtedly quite out of date; but it is at least a baseline for what I will be reading in more recent books on specific topics.

[Brimate · Rating 4 out of 5]

read for Primatology (Anthro 270: Introduction to the Living Primates) at Tacoma Community College. One of the coolest classes ever.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a comprehensive guide to primate biology.