A
primate ( ) is a
mammal of the
order Primates ( ;
Latin: "prime, first rank"). In
taxonomy, primates include two distinct lineages,
strepsirrhines and
haplorhines. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment. Most primate species remain at least partly
arboreal.