The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word AYE-AYES
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
A
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Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "primates" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case primates = aye-ayes.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
Crossword Answer definitions
AYE-AYES noun- The lemur Daubentonia madagascariensis, a solitary nocturnal quadruped found in Madagascar and remarkable for its long fingers, sharp nails, and rodent-like incisor teeth.