Primates (Prosimians and Monkeys)

Nonhuman primates (NHP), excluding apes, are a large taxon consisting of 495 species with significant size variation ranging from the small pygmy marmosets weighing 120g to the mandrill weighing up to 30kg. Primates have traditionally been classified into two suborders, which included Prosimians and Anthropoidea. This chapter includes all NHP species except for hominoids. General anesthesia is often required to image NHP. Radiography, especially dental radiography, is often incorporated as a screening tool for dental disease in NHP. Significant musculoskeletal variability is present between NHP species. Most NHP are omnivorous with gastrointestinal tracts that are similar to humans with a simple stomach. All NHP have unipyramidal kidneys similar to dogs and cats, with the exception of spider monkeys that have multipapillary kidneys similar to humans. Endometriosis, the presence of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus, is one of the most common reproductive disorders in Old World monkeys.