Evolution of color vision in primates

<p>The evolution of <a href="/facts/Color_vision/j3ou3Izz">color vision</a> in <a href="/facts/Primate/Hl8RNE2X">primates</a> is highly unusual compared to most <a href="/facts/Eutheria/3fPKIKxx">eutherian</a> <a href="/facts/Mammal/phSwTzBo">mammals</a>. A remote <a href="/facts/Vertebrate/tT54FSTT">vertebrate</a> ancestor of primates possessed <a href="/facts/Tetrachromacy/nACblPXq">tetrachromacy</a>, but <a href="/facts/Nocturnal/PqAkbpKf">nocturnal</a>, <a href="/facts/Warm-blooded/vw2TsPIP">warm-blooded</a>, mammalian ancestors lost two of four cones in the <a href="/facts/Retina/v0ISNX2S">retina</a> at the <a href="/facts/Mesozoic/yYsvXGPa">time of dinosaurs</a>. Most <a href="/facts/Teleost_fish/1YULPGW5">teleost fish</a>, <a href="/facts/Reptile/04n1uKf1">reptiles</a> and <a href="/facts/Bird/RJF6zwLP">birds</a> are therefore tetrachromatic while most mammals are strictly <a href="/facts/Dichromacy/19kYX4mk">dichromats</a>, the exceptions being some <a href="/facts/Primate/Hl8RNE2X">primates</a> and <a href="/facts/Marsupial/zN5s4bMq">marsupials</a>, who are <a href="/facts/Trichromacy/C7I3Ywds">trichromats</a>, and many <a href="/facts/Marine_mammal/WCoC2ye8">marine mammals</a>, who are <a href="/facts/Monochromacy/RfXPTKoD">monochromats</a>.
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Evolution of color vision in primates open-in-new

Evolution of color vision in primates