This sub-order contains the more primitive primates, which have long snouts and eyes which do not face directly forwards.
Family Tupaiidae Tree Shrews: 20 species This ancient family is sometimes included with the insect-eating mammals. Tree-shrews outwardly look like long-nosed squirrels. The scrotum, unlike that of other primates, lies in front of the penis. they have long and supple digits with sharp, moderately curved claws. All live in tropical forests in Asia.
Family Lemuridae Lemurs: 15 species They are the most abundant of the primates of Madagascar. Their lower incisor teeth are modified to form a fur-grooming comb, unlike those of the tree-shrews. The fingers and toes bear nails, but there is a long grooming claw on each second toe. The thumb and big toe are opposable to the other digits.
Family Indriidae Members of this family are similar to lemurs except that they climb with a hand-over-hand movement, cling in an erect position to vertical branches, and move on the ground by hopping because their legs are much longer than their arms. Strictly vegetarian, they feed on leaves and fruit.
Family Daubentoniidae There is one species the Aye-aye Daubentonia madagascariensis found in forests of northern Madagascar. The aye-aye has a single rodent-like incisor on each side of each jaw, and gnaws a hole in bark where its sensitive ears have located an insect; it then inserts its wiry middle finger and impales a grub.
Family Lorisidae Lorises, pottos and bush-babies: 11 species Lorises and pottos are well adapted for slow movement, so that they can creep up undetected on birds. Their hands and feet are specialised for grasping; the first digit is opposable and very strong. Bush-babies have long tails, large eyes, and large mobile ears which can be folded. They are vertical clingers, and they tend to hop on their hind legs when on the ground. All are nocturnal. Like lemurs they have a tooth comb.
Family Tarsiidae Tarsiers: 3 species Tarsiers have flattened faces, very large eyes, round skulls and no tooth comb. The legs are elongated, especially the tarsus bones, and the scaly, naked underside of the tail is used to provide support. Tarsiers are active only at night, when they leap through the trees from trunk to trunk. All live in south-east Asia.

Family Callitrichidae Marmosets and tamarins: 21 species These small monkeys have claws on all digits except the great toe, and do not use their tails for clinging. All are active by day.
Family Cebidae Cebid monkeys: 26 species These monkeys, which have nails on all their fingers and toes, are larger than marmosets, and tend to move less jerkily. Some species have prehensile tails.
Family Cercopithecidae Old World monkeys: 60 species This is the first family of the catarrhine infra-order. Old World monkeys walk on all fours, have some facial expression, and the males have dagger-like canine teeth. The family includes two distinct groups: the colobines, with complex stomachs for feeding on leaves, and the omnivorous cercopithecines, which have simple stomachs and large cheek pouches in which food can be stored.
Family Pongidae Apes: 9 species Like man and unlike other primates, apes have no tail, long arms and highly developed brains; they are man's closest living relatives.
Family Hominidae There is one species: Humans Homo sapiens range throughout the world because of there ability to modify or create environments. The family evolved from ape-like ancestors about 26 million years ago, although modern humans did not appear until about 40,000 years ago. Humans are distinguished from other primates by their highly developed brains (enabling them to have a complex spoken language), their erect posture (involving considerable modification of the skeleton and muscles so that the body can be balanced on two legs), and sparse body hair.

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