Primates

Primates are an order of generalist, oft-clever mammals related to Humanity characterized by large brains relative to other mammals. Most species are at least partly arboreal although some are primarily terrestrial; even so, all members possess adaptations for climbing trees. Their locomotive habits are highly varied, including leaping from tree to tree, walking on either two or four limbs, knuckle-walking and brachiation (swinging between tree branches).

With the exception of humans, which inhabit every continent, most primates live in tropical or subtropical regions of the Americas, Africa and Asia. Most also have opposable thumbs and some have prehensile tails. Many species are sexually dimorphic; differences include body mass, canine tooth size, and coloration.