Final answer:
The modern primate museum features three groups of primates: prosimians like lemurs and tarsiers, New World monkeys exemplified by the squirrel monkey, and the great apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. These primates are characterized by traits like pentadactyl limbs, an opposable thumb, and specific eye orbit characteristics.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the modern primate museum, one could describe three groups of primates with distinct features. First are the prosimians, such as the lemurs and tarsiers. Lemurs, native to Madagascar, exhibit traits typical of prosimians like being smaller in size and having relatively smaller brains compared to other primates. Tarsiers found in Southeast Asia, share similar nocturnal tendencies of the prosimian group.
Next, we have the New World monkeys, such as the squirrel monkey, which are distinguished by their prehensile tails, a feature that allows them to grasp and hang from branches. The third group comprises the great apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans which are known for their similar skeletal structures and their large brains relative to body size, along with an increased tendency towards upright posture.
All of these primates share common derived features that distinguish them from other animals: pentadactyl limbs (five fingers), the presence of several types of teeth, an opposable thumb that allows gripping, and eye orbit characteristics, including a postorbital bar or a bone surrounding the eye socket.