[The use of tools by primates: definition, criteria and hypotheses of its appearance in anthropogenesis].

The different approaches to the definition of "tool-using" and "tool" are discussed. The definitions of tool-using are given, the hypotheses of the tool-using origin in phylogenesis of primates: emotional, social tradition, playing, accumulations' objects are adduced. The modern data on tool-using for catching ants and termites, for cracking palm-nuts by wild chimpanzees under natural inhabitation, population and sex differences in tool-using are given. A conclusion has been made that tool-using in apes is qualitatively new form of behaviour arising in phylogenesis of primates and demonstrating us prerequisity of tool-using of early hominids.