What is a primate? Primates are an order under the class mammalia. Primates include prosimians, monkeys, apes and humans.

How can you tell the difference between prosimians, monkeys and apes? Prosimians front limbs are shorter than their back limbs. They also have tails. Most monkeys are usually larger than prosimians, and most monkeys have long limbs and tails. Apes are the largest primates and do not have tails. There are many other differences; the ones listed above are the easiest to recognize.

Listed below are descriptions of the primates at the Little Rock Zoo. Use the zoo animals and information boards at the zoo to help you solve the Primate Crossword Puzzle.

Across

2. I am an ape with a long slender body and long arms that help me brachiate through the trees of Southeast Asia. The color of my fur can be golden or black.

6. I am from South America and have a semi-prehensile tail. Some of my species have been trained to help physicaly challenged humans.

10. I am a monkey from Africa. I am easily recognized by my black face with white eyelids and large cheek pads. I communicate to others with many facial expressions.

11. I am from Madagascar and have large eyes for better night vision.

12. I am a great ape from Africa. I am a vegetarian. The mature males in my family have silver backs.

13. I am a monkey from East Africa. I have a white nose and a white underbelly and throat. My name means tailed monkey.

Down

1. I am a monkey from South America. The males have white faces and the females have a brownish face. We move about by leaping and clinging.

3. I am a great ape from Borneo and Sumatra. My name means "people of the forest". I have beautiful red-orange hair.

4. I have a long prehensile tail that has a padded end. My thumb has been reduced to a stump to help me brachiate in the Central and South American forests.

5. I am an ape from Southeast Asia. I am the largest of the Gibbons. I have a throat sac to enhance the volume of my calls.

7. I am a great ape from Africa. I am very skilled at using tools. I live in social groups that are led by a dominant male.

8. I am from Brazil and can easily be recognized by my 7-inch body and cotton looking ears.

9. I am from Central and South America, and my arms are shorter than my legs. I have a white patch down the middle of my head.