ement. At present, the African primates generally do not appear to be seriously threatened; fortunately numerous national parks and other reserved areas already exist. However, as expanding human populations continually encroach upon natural habitats, more and more animal species will eventually need to be protected (Oates, 1986, pp. 25-26).
At present, the primates are classified according to the system devised by Karl von LinnT (1707-1778). The Linnaeus system of taxonomic classification represented a refinement over earlier attempts. It delineates the order, Primates, primarily on the basis of the animals' teeth. The more familiar primate characteristics such as "grasping hands and feet" or a "postorbital bar" are additionally found in other mammals. Therefore, these features can only be considered apomorphies. In contrast, the most "consistently agreed-upon criteria" for establishing Primate monophyly involves cheekteeth--and especially molar--morphology. The Primate cheekteeth are generally "bunodont with upper molar sides relatively filled out and M1 paraconid more buccally than anteriorly emplaced" (Schwartz, 1986, p. 2). In addition, the Primate cheekteeth also include the following: "upper molar ectoflexus shallow, trigonid not disparately taller than talonid, and talonid at least as long and broad as trigonid; lower molars bear cristids obliquae" (Schwartz, 1986, p. 2).
Traditionally, the Primate order has been divided into two suborders: Prosimii and Anthropoidea. The distinction between these two suborders was originally based on the idea of "lower" and "higher" primates. While certain morphological features characteristic of Anthropoidea do exist, the distinction between the two suborders is, for the most part, arbitrary. In reality, both suborder together represent a sequence of animals progressing towards greater morphological and behavioral complexity (Schwartz, 1986, p. 5).
Like the Primate o...