The superorder Euarchontaglires is comprised of five orders:

  1. Rodentia
  2. Lagomorpha
  3. Dermoptera
  4. Scandentia
  5. Primates

I. Order Rodentia

Common names mice, rats, porcupines, etc.
# of Families 37
# of Species ~2300
Distribution Worldwide

  1. Convergence with other eutherian mammals

capybara hippopotamus
flying squirrel flying lemur
mole-rats moles
mara rabbit

  1. Most notable characteristic: Teeth

    1. Rootless
    2. Incisors
    3. Cheek teeth
    4. Diastema
    5. Complex muscles to control chewing and gnawing

  1. Major groups (originally based on jaw musculature and morphology)

    1. Protrognaths: ancestral condition (ex. Aplodontidae)
    2. Sciuromorphs: squirrel-like
    3. Myomorphs: rats, mice
    4. Hystricomorphs: guinea pig and porcupine

  1. Selected families

    1. Aplodontidae (mountain beaver)
    2. Sciuridae (tree squirrels, ground squirrels, flying squirrels)
    3. Castoridae (beaver)
    4. Heteromyidae (kangaroo rats)
    5. Muridae (rats and mice)
    6. Hystricidae (Old World porcupines)
    7. Erethizontidae (New World porcupines)
    8. Cavidae (guinea pigs, mara)

II. Order Lagomorpha

Common names rabbits, hares and pikas
# of Species ~80
Distribution Nearly worldwide

  1. Characteristics related to diet

    1. Teeth

      1. Incisors
      2. No canines
      3. Cheek teeth - lower jaw narrower than upper jaw

  1. Characteristics related to mode of locomotion (quadrupedal saltatory)

    1. Digitigrade/ plantigrade
    2. Skull

      1. Fenestration
      2. Jointed

    1. Soles of feet are furred
    2. Tail is short or absent

  1. Families

    1. Ochotonidae (pikas)
    2. Leporidae (desert cottontail rabbit, antelope jackrabbit)

Lagomorph? Artiodactyl?

III. Order Dermoptera


Name means "skin wing"
Common name (flying lemur) is a misnomer...
Two species (Distribution: Philipines; Malaysia)

  1. Taxonomy (phylogenetic relationship to bats and primates)
    1. "Volitantia hypothesis" - bats and flying lemurs are sister taxa
    2. "Primatomorpha hypothesis" - primates and flying lemurs are sister taxa
    3. "Mammalia incertae sedis" - who knows...


  2. Morphology
    1. Patagium most complete of any mammal
    2. Pectinate incisors


  3. Ecology and behavior
    1. Nocturnal or crepuscular
    2. Folivorous (see skull), have greatly enlarged cecum
    3. Solitary (?) and territorial (?)
    4. Best gliders of all mammals


IV. Order Scandentia

Common name Tree shrews
Families 1 (Tupaiidae)
# of genera 5
# of species 19
Distribution S.E. Asia (tropical)

  1. Characteristics of the order

    1. Once considered a primitive primate, then lumped with Insectivora
    2. Important differences between tree shrews and insectivores:

      1. Complete zygomatic arch
      2. Has auditory bullae
      3. Big brain case for its size
      4. Has a cecum

    1. Look like squirrels (long furry tails)
    2. Big eyes
    3. Teeth resemble insectivores somewhat (caniform incisor, reduced canine)

  1. Ecology and behavior

    1. Arboreal
    2. Diurnal (for the most part)
    3. Omnivorous (eats fruits, seeds, some insects)
    4. Some are social, some appear to live in pairs

  1. Reproduction

    1. Young left in a separate nest
    2. Nursed once/48 h
    3. Weaned in a month


V. Order Primates

2 suborders, 13 families, 232 species
Worldwide distribution

  1. General characteristics (adaptations for arboreality?)

    1. Locomotion

      1. Pentadactyly
      2. Nails in stead of claws (unguiculate)
      3. Prehensility of hands and feet
      4. Traction ridges on tips of digits
      5. Tendency towards erectness of posture

    1. Teeth and diet

      1. Generalized teeth (bunodont molars)
      2. Generalized diet

    1. Brain and behavior

      1. More reliance on vision (forward facing eyes, binocular, stereoscopic, most have color vision)
      2. Reduction of snout
      3. Big, complex brains (especially cerebral cortex)
      4. Flexibility of behavior
      5. In many species, complex social organization

    1. Reproduction

      1. Long gestation
      2. Single births common
      3. Slow development
      4. Long lifespan

  1. Living primates

    1. Suborder Strepsirhini
      1. General characteristics
        1. ancestral morphology and possibly behavior
        2. restricted geographical range (Old World)
        3. rhinarium
        4. toothcomb and toilet claw
        5. tapetum lucidum
        6. bicornuate uterus


      2. Families
        1. Family Lemuridae (lemurs) - Madagascar

        2. Family Cheirogaleidae (dwarf and mouse lemurs) - Madagascar
        3. Family Megaladapidae (sportive lemurs) - Madagascar
        4. Family Indridae (indri, sifaka) - Madagascar
          • striking coloration pattern
          • long snout
          • short tail
          • elongated hind limbs
          • vertical clingers and leapers
          • VIDEO


        5. Family Daubentoniidae (aye-aye) - Madagascar

        6. Family Loridae (lorises) - Africa, S.E. Asia

        7. Family Galagonidae (galagos) - Africa

    1. Suborder Haplorhini
      1. General characteristics
        1. lack rhinarium
        2. spatulate incisors
        3. simplex uterus


      2. Families
        tarsiers, platyrrhini (New World) and catarrhini (Old World)

        1. Family Tarsiidae (tarsiers) - S.E. Asia

        2. Family Callitrichidae (marmosets, tamarins) - Central and South America

        3. Family Cebidae (New World monkeys) - Central and South America

        4. Family Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys) - Africa, Asia

        5. Family Hylobatidae (gibbons) - Asia

        6. Family Hominidae (great apes, humans) - worldwide


LINK to Wisconsin Primate Research Center primate vocalizations library

LINK to Duke Lemur Center

LINK to Primates.com picture gallery