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If a primate is small, lacking color vision, with a nocturnal activity pattern and giving birth to twins, what kind of primate is most likely to be?

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User Besthost
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A primate that is small, lacks color vision, is nocturnal, and gives birth to twins is most likely a tarsier. Tarsiers are classified under Haplorhini and have distinct characteristics suited for their nocturnal lifestyle, including large eyes and the ability to rotate their heads 360 degrees.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a primate is small, lacking color vision, with a nocturnal activity pattern, and giving birth to twins, it is likely to be a tarsier. Tarsiers are unique in the primate world due to their mix of prosimian and anthropoid features. These primates are known for their nocturnal lifestyles, large eyes that are fixed within their skulls, and their carnivorous diet which includes insects and sometimes small animals. While most primates rely on color vision, tarsiers lack this ability, which is a typical trait in nocturnal species that do not require color differentiation in low-light conditions. Additionally, giving birth to twins is common among tamarins and marmosets, which are New World species, but tarsiers also share this reproductive trait. Hence, with the mentioned characteristics, a tarsier best fits the description of the primate in question.

Moreover, tarsiers are currently classified under Haplorhini, which is the group that includes New World monkeys, Old World monkeys, apes, and humans. This classification is particularly because they, like humans and other Haplorhines, cannot produce their own Vitamin C and must obtain it from their diet. Tarsiers also have a unique ability to rotate their heads nearly 360 degrees to compensate for the lack of eye rotation, which is an adaptation for their nocturnal hunting.

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User Ahmadz Issa
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