Chapter 16, Problem 8A

Summary Introduction

To describe:

The usefulness of binocular and color vision.

Introduction:

Humans, apes, lemurs and monkeys are called primates. They share several behavioral and biological characteristics which suggest that they evolved from a common ancestor.

They share some general features such as high level of manual dexterity, binocular vision, long, movable arms, and large brains. The primates with large brains have the capacity to reason.

Answer to Problem 8A

The primates have binocular visionwhich provides with a stereoscopic view of its surroundings. They can perceive depth and gauge distances. They also have color vision that helps in perception of depth, enhances their ability to see predators and helps them to find ripe fruits.

Explanation of Solution

Vision is the dominant sense in a primate. The primates have eyes protected inside bony eye sockets. The eyes are located on the front of their face. This creates an overlapping field of vision called the binocular vision. This adaptation helps the primate by allowing for a greater field of depth perception and enables the primate to judge relative distance and movement of an object. This type of vision is helpful for an animal jumping from tree to tree.

Most of the primates are active during the day; that is; they are diurnal. Because they are active during the day they must have color vision so that they can see things clearly. Color vision helps them to have greater depth perception. It also increases their ability to detect predators and helps them to find ripe fruits on trees.