88-470: Sister: Hylobatidae The Hominidae ( / h ɒ ˈ m ɪ n ɪ d iː / ), whose members are known as the great apes or hominids ( / ˈ h ɒ m ɪ n ɪ d z / ), are a taxonomic family of primates that includes eight extant species in four genera : Pongo (the Bornean , Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan ); Gorilla (the eastern and western gorilla ); Pan (the chimpanzee and
176-548: A clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and Europe in prehistory, and counting humans are found globally). Apes are more closely related to Old World monkeys (family Cercopithecidae) than to the New World monkeys (Platyrrhini) with both Old World monkeys and apes placed in the clade Catarrhini . Apes do not have tails due to
264-508: A branch breaks or a hand slips, and researchers estimate that the majority of gibbons suffer bone fractures one or more times during their lifetimes. They are the fastest of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. On the ground, gibbons tend to walk bipedally, and their Achilles tendon morphology is more similar to that of humans than that of any other ape. Gibbons' diets are about 60% fruit-based, but they also consume twigs, leaves, insects, flowers, and occasionally birds' eggs. Gibbons were
352-449: A close relationship between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. Linnaeus's Lutheran archbishop had accused him of "impiety". In a letter to Johann Georg Gmelin dated 25 February 1747, Linnaeus wrote: It is not pleasing to me that I must place humans among the primates, but man is intimately familiar with himself. Let's not quibble over words. It will be the same to me whatever name is applied. But I desperately seek from you and from
440-442: A cyclical dynamic of expansions and contractions of their forest habitat, an instance of radiation experienced by the gibbon genera. This may have led to the development of a suite of physical characteristics, distinct from their great ape relatives, to adapt to their habitat of dense, canopy forest. These crucial findings in genetics have contributed to the use of gibbons as a genetic model for chromosome breakage and fusion, which
528-450: A genus, are also suspected to occur in wild gibbons where their ranges overlap. No records exist, however, of fertile hybrids between different gibbon genera, either in the wild or in captivity. One unique aspect of a gibbon's anatomy is the wrist, which functions something like a ball-and-socket joint , allowing for biaxial movement. This greatly reduces the amount of energy needed in the upper arm and torso, while also reducing stress on
616-582: A mutation of the TBXT gene . In traditional and non-scientific use, the term ape can include tailless primates taxonomically considered Cercopithecidae (such as the Barbary ape and black ape ), and is thus not equivalent to the scientific taxon Hominoidea. There are two extant branches of the superfamily Hominoidea: the gibbons , or lesser apes; and the hominids , or great apes . Except for gorillas and humans, hominoids are agile climbers of trees. Apes eat
704-508: A premature termination state leading to an alteration in transcription . This incorporation of the jumping gene near genes involved in chromosome replication is thought to make the rearrangement in the genome even more likely, leading to a greater diversity within the gibbon genera. In addition, some characteristic genes in the gibbon genome had gone through a positive selection and are suggested to give rise to specific anatomical features for gibbons to adapt to their new environment. One of them
792-611: A remarkably long adolescence, not being weaned for several years, and not becoming fully mature for eight to thirteen years in most species (longer in orangutans and humans). As a result, females typically give birth only once every few years. There is no distinct breeding season. Gorillas and chimpanzees live in family groups of around five to ten individuals, although much larger groups are sometimes noted. Chimpanzees live in larger groups that break up into smaller groups when fruit becomes less available. When small groups of female chimpanzees go off in separate directions to forage for fruit,
880-539: A second species in Homo along with H. sapiens : Homo troglodytes ("cave-dwelling man"). Although the term "Orang Outang" is listed as a variety – Homo sylvestris – under this species, it is nevertheless not clear to which animal this name refers, as Linnaeus had no specimen to refer to, hence no precise description. Linnaeus may have based Homo troglodytes on reports of mythical creatures, then-unidentified simians , or Asian natives dressed in animal skins. Linnaeus named
968-428: A tail. Monkeys are more likely to be in trees and use their tails for balance. While the great apes are considerably larger than monkeys, gibbons (lesser apes) are smaller than some monkeys. Apes are considered to be more intelligent than monkeys, which are considered to have more primitive brains. The enzyme urate oxidase has become inactive in all apes, its function having been lost in two primate lineages during
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#17327758289131056-480: A theory of mind. This is also the case for some New World monkeys outside the family of great apes, as, for example, the capuchin monkeys . However, even without the ability to test whether early members of the Hominini (such as Homo erectus , Homo neanderthalensis , or even the australopithecines) had a theory of mind, it is difficult to ignore similarities seen in their living cousins. Orangutans have shown
1144-741: A varied use of the word "hominid" over time. The original meaning of the term referred to only humans and their closest relatives—what is now the modern meaning of the term " hominin ". The meaning of the taxon Hominidae changed gradually, leading to a modern usage of "hominid" that includes all the great apes including humans. A number of very similar words apply to related classifications: A cladogram indicating common names (cf. more detailed cladogram below ): Hylobatidae gibbons Pongo abelii Pongo tapanuliensis Pongo pygmaeus Gorilla gorilla Gorilla beringei Pan troglodytes Pan paniscus Homo sapiens humans Hominidae
1232-413: A variety of plant and animal foods, with the majority of food being plant foods, which can include fruits, leaves, stalks, roots and seeds, including nuts and grass seeds. Human diets are sometimes substantially different from that of other hominoids due in part to the development of technology and a wide range of habitation. All non-human hominoids are rare and threatened with extinction . The main threat
1320-419: Is Oreopithecus , from the fossil-rich coal beds in northern Italy and dated to 9 million years ago. Molecular evidence indicates that the lineage of gibbons (family Hylobatidae), the "lesser apes", diverged from that of the great apes some 18–12 million years ago, and that of orangutans (subfamily Ponginae) diverged from the other great apes at about 12 million years. There are no fossils that clearly document
1408-549: Is TBX5 , which is a gene that is required for the development of the front extremities or forelimbs such as long arms. The other is COL1A1 , which is responsible for the development of collagen , a protein that is directly involved with the forming of connective tissues, bone, and cartilage. This gene is thought to have a role in gibbons' stronger muscles. Researchers have found a coincidence between major environmental changes in Southeast Asia about 5 Mya that caused
1496-519: Is habitat loss , though some populations are further imperiled by hunting. The great apes of Africa are also facing threat from the Ebola virus . "Ape", from Old English apa , is a word of uncertain origin. The term has a history of rather imprecise usage—and of comedic or punning usage in the vernacular. Its earliest meaning was generally of any non-human anthropoid primate, as is still the case for its cognates in other Germanic languages. Later, after
1584-490: Is vulnerable ), primarily due to degradation or loss of their forest habitats. On the island of Phuket in Thailand , a volunteer-based Gibbon Rehabilitation Center rescues gibbons that were kept in captivity, and are being released back into the wild. The Kalaweit Project also has gibbon rehabilitation centers on Borneo and Sumatra . The IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group announced 2015 to be
1672-683: Is a type of translocation mutation. The unusually high number of structural changes in the DNA and chromosomal rearrangements could lead to problematic consequences in some species. Gibbons, however, not only seemed to be free from problems but let the change help them effectively adapt to their environment. Thus, gibbons are organisms on which genetics research could be focused to broaden the implications to human diseases related to chromosomal changes, such as cancer, including chronic myeloid leukemia . Most species are either endangered or critically endangered (the sole exception being H. leuconedys , which
1760-507: Is complex and somewhat confusing. Recent evidence has changed our understanding of the relationships between the hominoids, especially regarding the human lineage; and the traditionally used terms have become somewhat confused. Competing approaches to methodology and terminology are found among current scientific sources. Over time, authorities have changed the names and the meanings of names of groups and subgroups as new evidence — that is, new discoveries of fossils and tools and of observations in
1848-535: Is critical for evolutionary development. The very high rate of chromosomal disorder and rearrangements (such as duplications, deletions or inversions of large stretches of DNA) due to the moving of this large DNA segment is one of the key features that are unique to the gibbon genome. A special feature of the LAVA transposon is that it positioned itself precisely between genes that are involved in chromosome segregation and distribution during cell division, which results in
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#17327758289131936-436: Is derived from, and intended as encompassing, the hominids , the family of great apes . Both terms were introduced by Gray (1825). The term hominins is also due to Gray (1824), intended as including the human lineage (see also Hominidae#Terminology , Human taxonomy ). The distinction between apes and monkeys is complicated by the traditional paraphyly of monkeys: Apes emerged as a sister group of Old World Monkeys in
2024-541: Is much greater than that between male and female chimpanzees. This enables gorilla males to physically dominate female gorillas more easily. In both chimpanzees and gorillas, the groups include at least one dominant male, and young males leave the group at maturity. Due to the close genetic relationship between humans and the other great apes, certain animal rights organizations, such as the Great Ape Project , argue that nonhuman great apes are persons and, per
2112-461: Is singing, but also the area from which it comes. Gibbons often retain the same mate for life, although they do not always remain sexually monogamous. In addition to extra-pair copulations , pair-bonded gibbons occasionally "divorce". Gibbons are among nature's best brachiators . Their ball-and-socket wrist joints allow them unmatched speed and accuracy when swinging through trees. Nonetheless, their mode of transportation can lead to hazards when
2200-535: Is specific in small apes such as gibbons could potentially be due to factors that increase the rate of chromosomal breakage or factors that allow derivative chromosomes to be fixed in a homozygous state while mostly lost in other mammals. The whole genome of the gibbons in Southeast Asia was first sequenced in 2014 by the German Primate Center , including Christian Roos, Markus Brameier, and Lutz Walter, along with other international researchers. One of
2288-474: Is their long arms, which they use to brachiate through trees. Their wrists are ball and socket joints as an evolutionary adaptation to their arboreal lifestyle. Generally smaller than the African apes, the largest gibbon, the siamang , weighs up to 14 kg (31 lb); in comparison, the smallest "great ape", the bonobo , is 34 to 60 kg (75 to 132 lb). The superfamily Hominoidea falls within
2376-559: The Declaration on Great Apes , should be given basic human rights . In 1999, New Zealand was the first country to ban any great ape experimentation, and now 29 countries have currently instituted a research ban to protect great apes from any kind of scientific testing. On 25 June 2008, the Spanish parliament supported a new law that would make "keeping apes for circuses, television commercials or filming" illegal. On 8 September 2010,
2464-727: The European Union banned the testing of great apes . The following table lists the estimated number of great ape individuals living outside zoos. Below is a cladogram with extinct species. It is indicated approximately how many million years ago (Mya) the clades diverged into newer clades. Kenyapithecus (†13 Mya) Sivapithecus (†9) Crown Ponginae Ankarapithecus (†9) Giganthopithecus (†0.1) Khoratpithecus (†7) Pierolapithecus (†11) Hispanopithecus (†10) Lufengpithecus (†7) Khoratpithecus (†9) Ardipithecus (incl. Homo ) Gibbon Gibbons ( / ˈ ɡ ɪ b ə n z / ) are apes in
2552-515: The Neolithic Revolution , have consumed mostly cereals and other starchy foods, including increasingly highly processed foods , as well as many other domesticated plants (including fruits) and meat . Gestation in great apes lasts 8–9 months, and results in the birth of a single offspring, or, rarely, twins. The young are born helpless, and require care for long periods of time. Compared with most other mammals, great apes have
2640-1307: The Old World monkeys about 25 million years ago (mya), near the Oligocene–Miocene boundary . The gibbons split from the rest about 18 mya, and the hominid splits happened 14 mya ( Pongo ), 7 mya ( Gorilla ), and 3–5 mya ( Homo & Pan ). In 2015, a new genus and species were described, Pliobates cataloniae , which lived 11.6 mya, and appears to predate the split between Hominidae and Hylobatidae. Saadanioidea (†28) Victoriapithecinae (†19) Crown Cercopithecoidea Dendropithecidae (†7 Mya) Ekembo heseloni (†17 Mya) Proconsulidae (†18 Mya) Ekembo nyanzae (†17 Mya) Equatorius (†16) Pliobates (†11.6 Mya) Morotopithecus (†20) Afropithecus (†16) Hominidae Hylobatidae humans (genus Homo ) [REDACTED] chimpanzees (genus Pan ) [REDACTED] gorillas (genus Gorilla ) [REDACTED] orangutans (genus Pongo ) [REDACTED] gibbons/lesser apes (family Hylobatidae) [REDACTED] Cercopithecoidea [REDACTED] Old World monkeys The families, and extant genera and species of hominoids are: The history of hominoid taxonomy
2728-445: The bonobo ); and Homo , of which only modern humans ( Homo sapiens ) remain. Numerous revisions in classifying the great apes have caused the use of the term hominid to change over time. The original meaning of "hominid" referred only to humans ( Homo ) and their closest extinct relatives. However, by the 1990s humans and other apes were considered to be "hominids". The earlier restrictive meaning has now been largely assumed by
Hominidae - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-417: The catarrhines , which are a sister group of New World Monkeys. Therefore, cladistically , apes, catarrhines and related contemporary extinct groups such as Parapithecidae are monkeys as well, for any consistent definition of "monkey". "Old World monkey" may also legitimately be taken to be meant to include all the catarrhines, including apes and extinct species such as Aegyptopithecus , in which case
2904-428: The family Hylobatidae ( / ˌ h aɪ l ə ˈ b æ t ɪ d iː / ). The family historically contained one genus , but now is split into four extant genera and 20 species . Gibbons live in subtropical and tropical forests from eastern Bangladesh to Northeast India to southern China and Indonesia (including the islands of Sumatra , Borneo and Java ). Also called the lesser apes , gibbons differ from
2992-573: The great apes ( chimpanzees , gorillas , orangutans and humans ) in being smaller, exhibiting low sexual dimorphism , and not making nests. Like all of the apes, gibbons are tailless . Unlike most of the great apes, gibbons frequently form long-term pair bonds . Their primary mode of locomotion, brachiation , involves swinging from branch to branch for distances up to 15 m (50 ft), at speeds as fast as 55 km/h (34 mph). They can also make leaps up to 8 m (26 ft), and walk bipedally with their arms raised for balance. They are
3080-539: The parvorder Catarrhini , which also includes the Old World monkeys of Africa and Eurasia. Within this grouping, the two families Hylobatidae and Hominidae can be distinguished from Old World monkeys by the number of cusps on their molars ; hominoids have five in the "Y-5" molar pattern, whereas Old World monkeys have only four in a bilophodont pattern. Further, in comparison with Old World monkeys, hominoids are noted for: more mobile shoulder joints and arms due to
3168-431: The pig-tailed langur , is known to walk significant distances bipedally. The front of the ape skull is characterised by its sinuses, fusion of the frontal bone, and by post-orbital constriction . Cladistically , apes, catarrhines, and extinct species such as Aegyptopithecus and Parapithecidaea , are monkeys, so one can only specify ape features not present in other monkeys. Unlike most monkeys , apes do not possess
3256-663: The Chinese word yuán (猿) referred specifically to gibbons until they were extirpated throughout most of the country due to habitat destruction (around the 14th century). In modern usage, however, yuán is a generic word for ape. Early Chinese writers viewed the "noble" gibbons, gracefully moving high in the treetops, as the "gentlemen" ( jūnzǐ , 君子) of the forest, in contrast to the greedy macaques , attracted by human food. The Taoists ascribed occult properties to gibbons, believing them to be able to live for several hundred years and to turn into humans. Gibbon figurines as old as from
3344-558: The Quadrumana, under the title of the Primates. The justice of this conclusion will be admitted: for in the first place, we must bear in mind the comparative insignificance for classification of the great development of the brain in man, and that the strongly marked differences between the skulls of man and the Quadrumana (lately insisted upon by Bischoff , Aeby , and others) apparently follow from their differently developed brains. In
3432-562: The Year of the Gibbon and initiated events to be held around the world in zoos to promote awareness of the status of gibbons. Sinologist Robert van Gulik concluded gibbons were widespread in central and southern China until at least the Song dynasty , and furthermore, based on an analysis of references to primates in Chinese poetry and other literature and their portrayal in Chinese paintings,
3520-630: The ancestry of gibbons, which may have originated in a still-unknown South East Asian hominoid population; but fossil proto-orangutans, dated to around 10 million years ago, may be represented by Sivapithecus from India and Griphopithecus from Turkey. Species close to the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees and humans may be represented by Nakalipithecus fossils found in Kenya and Ouranopithecus fossils found in Greece . Molecular evidence suggests that between 8 and 4 million years ago, first
3608-453: The apes, Cercopithecoidea and Aegyptopithecus emerged within the Old World monkeys. The primates called "apes" today became known to Europeans after the 18th century. As zoological knowledge developed, it became clear that taillessness occurred in a number of different and otherwise distantly related species . Sir Wilfrid Le Gros Clark was one of those primatologists who developed the idea that there were trends in primate evolution and that
Hominidae - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-488: The bare ground. All species are omnivorous , although chimpanzees and orangutans primarily eat fruit. When gorillas run short of fruit at certain times of the year or in certain regions, they resort to eating shoots and leaves, often of bamboo , a type of grass. Gorillas have extreme adaptations for chewing and digesting such low-quality forage, but they still prefer fruit when it is available, often going miles out of their way to find especially preferred fruits. Humans, since
3784-419: The chimpanzees and the gorillas to the genus Homo along with humans.) But, those fossil relatives more closely related to humans than the chimpanzees represent the especially close members of the human family, and without necessarily assigning subfamily or tribal categories. Many extinct hominids have been studied to help understand the relationship between modern humans and the other extant hominids. Some of
3872-426: The common hominoid ancestor to today's gibbons. No common specific sequence element in the independent rearrangements was found, while 46% of the gibbon-human synteny breakpoints occur in segmental duplication regions. This is an indication that these major differences in humans and gibbons could have had a common source of plasticity or change. Researchers view this unusually high rate of chromosomal rearrangement that
3960-554: The descendant species, because humans were excluded from being among the apes. Traditionally, the English-language vernacular name "apes" does not include humans, but phylogenetically, humans ( Homo ) form part of the family Hominidae within Hominoidea. Thus, there are at least three common, or traditional, uses of the term "ape": non-specialists may not distinguish between "monkeys" and "apes", that is, they may use
4048-415: The development of culture comparable to that of chimpanzees, and some say the orangutan may also satisfy those criteria for the theory of mind concept. These scientific debates take on political significance for advocates of great ape personhood . The great apes are tailless primates, with the smallest living species being the bonobo at 30 to 40 kilograms (66 to 88 lb) in weight, and the largest being
4136-418: The dominant males can no longer control them and the females often mate with other subordinate males. In contrast, groups of gorillas stay together regardless of the availability of fruit. When fruit is hard to find, they resort to eating leaves and shoots. This fact is related to gorillas' greater sexual dimorphism relative to that of chimpanzees; that is, the difference in size between male and female gorillas
4224-470: The dorsal position of the scapula ; broader ribcages that are flatter front-to-back; and a shorter, less mobile spine, with greatly reduced caudal (tail) vertebrae—resulting in complete loss of the tail in extant hominoid species. These are anatomical adaptations, first, to vertical hanging and swinging locomotion ( brachiation ) and, later, to developing balance in a bipedal pose. Note there are primates in other families that also lack tails, and at least one,
4312-622: The drier environments outside the African equatorial belt; and there they encountered antelope, hyenas, elephants and other forms becoming adapted to surviving in the East African savannas , particularly the regions of the Sahel and the Serengeti . The wet equatorial belt contracted after about 8 million years ago, and there is very little fossil evidence for the divergence of the hominin lineage from that of gorillas and chimpanzees—which split
4400-654: The early Miocene , about 22 million years ago, there were many species of tree-adapted primitive catarrhines from East Africa; the variety suggests a long history of prior diversification. Fossils from 20 million years ago include fragments attributed to Victoriapithecus , the earliest Old World monkey. Among the genera thought to be in the ape lineage leading up to 13 million years ago are Proconsul , Rangwapithecus , Dendropithecus , Limnopithecus , Nacholapithecus , Equatorius , Nyanzapithecus , Afropithecus , Heliopithecus , and Kenyapithecus , all from East Africa. At sites far distant from East Africa,
4488-545: The eastern gorillas, with males weighing 140 to 180 kilograms (310 to 400 lb). In all great apes, the males are, on average, larger and stronger than the females, although the degree of sexual dimorphism varies greatly among species. Hominid teeth are similar to those of the Old World monkeys and gibbons, although they are especially large in gorillas. The dental formula is 2.1.2.3 2.1.2.3 . Human teeth and jaws are markedly smaller relative to body size compared to those of other apes. This may be an adaptation not only to
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#17327758289134576-410: The extant members of the order could be arranged in an "ascending series", leading from "monkeys" to "apes" to humans. Within this tradition "ape" came to refer to all members of the superfamily Hominoidea except humans. As such, this use of "apes" represented a paraphyletic grouping, meaning that, even though all species of apes were descended from a common ancestor, this grouping did not include all
4664-571: The extensive use of tools, which has supplanted the role of jaws in hunting and fighting, but also to eating cooked food since the end of the Pleistocene . Although most living species are predominantly quadrupedal , they are all able to use their hands for gathering food or nesting materials, and, in some cases, for tool use. They build complex sleeping platforms, also called nests, in trees to sleep in at night, but chimpanzees and gorillas also build terrestrial nests, and gorillas can also sleep on
4752-401: The extinct members of this family include Gigantopithecus , Orrorin , Ardipithecus , Kenyanthropus , and the australopithecines Australopithecus and Paranthropus . The exact criteria for membership in the tribe Hominini under the current understanding of human origins are not clear, but the taxon generally includes those species that share more than 97% of their DNA with
4840-483: The family Hominidae had already speciated from the family Hylobatidae (the gibbons ), perhaps 15 to 20 million years ago. Due to the close genetic relationship between humans and the other great apes, certain animal rights organizations, such as the Great Ape Project , argue that nonhuman great apes are persons and should be given basic human rights . Twenty-nine countries have instituted research bans to protect great apes from any kind of scientific testing. In
4928-403: The fastest of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. Depending on the species and sex, gibbons' fur coloration varies from dark- to light-brown shades, and any shade between black and white, though a completely "white" gibbon is rare. The English word "gibbon" is a reborrowing from French and may originally derive from an Orang Asli word. Whole genome molecular dating analyses indicate that
5016-501: The field, plus continual comparisons of anatomy and DNA sequences — has changed the understanding of relationships between hominoids. There has been a gradual demotion of humans from being 'special' in the taxonomy to being one branch among many. This recent turmoil (of history) illustrates the growing influence on all taxonomy of cladistics , the science of classifying living things strictly according to their lines of descent. Today, there are eight extant genera of hominoids. They are
5104-401: The first apes to diverge from the common ancestor of humans and apes about 16.8 Mya. With a genome that has a 96% similarity to humans, the gibbon has a role as a bridge between Old World monkeys, such as macaques , and the great apes. According to a study that mapped synteny (genes occurring on the same chromosome) disruptions in the gibbon and human genome, humans and great apes are part of
5192-404: The four genera are ordered as ( Symphalangus , ( Nomascus , ( Hoolock , Hylobates ))). Symphalangus Nomascus Hoolock Hylobates A coalescent-based species tree analysis of genome-scale datasets suggests a phylogeny for the four genera ordered as ( Hylobates , ( Nomascus , ( Hoolock , Symphalangus ))). Hylobates Nomascus Hoolock Symphalangus At
5280-540: The four genera in the family Hominidae, namely Homo , Pan , Gorilla , and Pongo ; plus four genera in the family Hylobatidae (gibbons): Hylobates , Hoolock , Nomascus and Symphalangus . (The two subspecies of hoolock gibbons were recently moved from the genus Bunopithecus to the new genus Hoolock and re-ranked as species; a third species was described in January 2017). In 1758, Carl Linnaeus , relying on second- or third-hand accounts, placed
5368-933: The fourth to third centuries BCE (the Zhou dynasty ) have been found in China. Later on, gibbons became a popular subject for Chinese painters, especially during the Song dynasty and early Yuan dynasty , when Yì Yuánjí and Mùqī Fǎcháng excelled in painting these apes. From Chinese cultural influence, the Zen motif of the "gibbon grasping at the reflection of the moon in the water" became popular in Japanese art , as well, though gibbons have never occurred naturally in Japan. Hominoids sister: Cercopithecoidea Apes (collectively Hominoidea / h ɒ m ɪ ˈ n ɔɪ d i . ə / ) are
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#17327758289135456-559: The generic and species names Symphalangus and syndactylus . Like all primates, gibbons are social animals. They are strongly territorial, and defend their boundaries with vigorous visual and vocal displays. The vocal element, which can often be heard for distances up to 1 km (0.62 mi), consists of a duet between a mated pair, with their young sometimes joining in. In most species, males and some females sing solos to attract mates, as well as advertise their territories. The song can be used to identify not only which species of gibbon
5544-597: The gibbon lineage diverged from that of great apes around 16.8 million years ago (Mya) (95% confidence interval: 15.9–17.6 Mya; given a divergence of 29 Mya from Old World monkeys ). Adaptive divergence associated with chromosomal rearrangements led to rapid radiation of the four genera 5–7 Mya. Each genus comprises a distinct, well-delineated lineage, but the sequence and timing of divergences among these genera has been hard to resolve, even with whole genome data, due to radiative speciations and extensive incomplete lineage sorting . An analysis based on morphology suggests that
5632-497: The gibbons and orang-utan ... the gorilla and chimpanzee ... and humans". Modern biologists and primatologists refer to apes that are not human as "non-human" apes. Scientists broadly, other than paleoanthropologists, may use the term " hominin " to identify the human clade , replacing the term " hominid ". See terminology of primate names . See below, History of hominoid taxonomy , for a discussion of changes in scientific classification and terminology regarding hominoids. Although
5720-462: The gibbons that had its genome sequenced is a white-cheeked gibbon ( Nomascus leucogenys , NLE) named Asia. The team found that a jumping DNA element named LAVA transposon (also called gibbon-specific retrotransposon) is unique to the gibbon genome apart from humans and the great apes. The LAVA transposon increases mutation rate, thus is supposed to have contributed to the rapid and greater change in gibbons in comparison to their close relatives, which
5808-511: The gorillas (genus Gorilla ), and then the chimpanzees (genus Pan ) split off from the line leading to humans. Human DNA is approximately 98.4% identical to that of chimpanzees when comparing single nucleotide polymorphisms (see human evolutionary genetics ). The fossil record, however, of gorillas and chimpanzees is limited; both poor preservation—rain forest soils tend to be acidic and dissolve bone—and sampling bias probably contribute most to this problem. Other hominins probably adapted to
5896-470: The hominoid fossil record is still incomplete and fragmentary, there is now enough evidence to provide an outline of the evolutionary history of humans . Previously, the divergence between humans and other extant hominoids was thought to have occurred 15 to 20 million years ago, and several species of that time period, such as Ramapithecus , were once thought to be hominins and possible ancestors of humans. But, later fossil finds indicated that Ramapithecus
5984-787: The hoolock gibbons. The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates (44), Hoolock (38), Nomascus (52), and Symphalangus (50). Also, three extinct genera currently are recognised: Bunopithecus , Junzi , and Yuanmoupithecus . Family Hylobatidae : gibbons Many gibbons are hard to identify based on fur coloration, so are identified either by song or genetics. These morphological ambiguities have led to hybrids in zoos. Zoos often receive gibbons of unknown origin, so they rely on morphological variation or labels that are impossible to verify to assign species and subspecies names, so separate species of gibbons commonly are misidentified and housed together. Interspecific hybrids, within
6072-501: The modern human genome , and exhibit a capacity for language or for simple cultures beyond their 'local family' or band. The theory of mind concept—including such faculties as empathy, attribution of mental state, and even empathetic deception—is a controversial criterion; it distinguishes the adult human alone among the hominids. Humans acquire this capacity after about four years of age, whereas it has not been proven (nor has it been disproven) that gorillas or chimpanzees ever develop
6160-417: The orangutan Simia satyrus ("satyr monkey"). He placed the three genera Homo , Simia and Lemur in the order of Primates. The troglodytes name was used for the chimpanzee by Blumenbach in 1775, but moved to the genus Simia . The orangutan was moved to the genus Pongo in 1799 by Lacépède . Linnaeus's inclusion of humans in the primates with monkeys and apes was troubling for people who denied
6248-606: The presence of other generalized non- cercopithecids , that is, non-monkey primates, of middle Miocene age— Otavipithecus from cave deposits in Namibia, and Pierolapithecus and Dryopithecus from France, Spain and Austria—is further evidence of a wide diversity of ancestral ape forms across Africa and the Mediterranean basin during the relatively warm and equable climatic regimes of the early and middle Miocene. The most recent of these far-flung Miocene apes ( hominoids )
6336-705: The primates be divided into the Quadrumana (four-handed, i.e. apes and monkeys) and Bimana (two-handed, i.e. humans). This distinction was taken up by other naturalists, most notably Georges Cuvier . Some elevated the distinction to the level of order . However, the many affinities between humans and other primates – and especially the "great apes" – made it clear that the distinction made no scientific sense. In his 1871 book The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex , Charles Darwin wrote: The greater number of naturalists who have taken into consideration
6424-567: The same superfamily ( Hominoidea ) with gibbons. The karyotype of gibbons, however, diverged in a much more rapid fashion from the common hominoid ancestor than other apes. The common ancestor of hominoids is shown to have a minimum of 24 major chromosomal rearrangements from the presumed gibbon ancestor's karyotype. Reaching the common gibbon ancestor's karyotype from today's various living species of gibbons will require up to 28 additional rearrangements. Adding up, this implies that at least 52 major chromosomal rearrangements are needed to compare
6512-464: The second place, we must remember that nearly all the other and more important differences between man and the Quadrumana are manifestly adaptive in their nature, and relate chiefly to the erect position of man; such as the structure of his hand, foot, and pelvis, the curvature of his spine, and the position of his head. The lesser apes are the gibbon family, Hylobatidae, of sixteen species; all are native to Asia. Their major differentiating characteristic
6600-441: The shoulder joint. Gibbons also have long hands and feet, with a deep cleft between the first and second digits of their hands. Their fur is usually black, gray, or brownish, often with white markings on hands, feet and face. Some species such as the siamang have an enlarged throat sac , which inflates and serves as a resonating chamber when the animals call. This structure can become quite large in some species, sometimes equaling
6688-448: The size of the animal's head. Their voices are much more powerful than that of any human singer, although they are at best half a human's height. Gibbon skulls and teeth resemble those of the great apes, and their noses are similar to those of all catarrhine primates. The dental formula is 2.1.2.3 2.1.2.3 . The siamang, which is the largest of the 18 species, is distinguished by having two fingers on each foot stuck together, hence
6776-430: The species level, estimates from mitochondrial DNA genome analyses suggest that Hylobates pileatus diverged from H. lar and H. agilis around 3.9 Mya, and H. lar and H. agilis separated around 3.3 Mya. Whole genome analysis suggests divergence of H. pileatus from H. moloch 1.5–3.0 Mya. The extinct Bunopithecus sericus is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape, which until recently, was thought to be closely related to
6864-436: The taxon Hominidae, a number of extant and extinct genera are grouped with the humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas in the subfamily Homininae ; others with orangutans in the subfamily Ponginae (see classification graphic below). The most recent common ancestor of all Hominidae lived roughly 14 million years ago, when the ancestors of the orangutans speciated from the ancestral line of the other three genera. Those ancestors of
6952-420: The term hominin , which comprises all members of the human clade after the split from the chimpanzees ( Pan ). The current meaning of "hominid" includes all the great apes including humans. Usage still varies, however, and some scientists and laypersons still use "hominid" in the original restrictive sense; the scholarly literature generally shows the traditional usage until the turn of the 21st century. Within
7040-429: The term " monkey " had been introduced into English, "ape" was specialized to refer to a tailless (therefore exceptionally human-like) primate. Thus, the term "ape" obtained two different meanings, as shown in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica entry: it could be used as a synonym for "monkey" and it could denote the tailless human-like primate in particular. Some, or recently all, hominoids are also called "apes", but
7128-552: The term is used broadly and has several different senses within both popular and scientific settings. "Ape" has been used as a synonym for "monkey" or for naming any primate with a human-like appearance, particularly those without a tail. Biologists have traditionally used the term "ape" to mean a member of the superfamily Hominoidea other than humans, but more recently to mean all members of Hominoidea. So "ape"—not to be confused with "great ape"—now becomes another word for hominoid including humans. The taxonomic term hominoid
7216-460: The two terms interchangeably; or they may use "ape" for any tailless monkey or non-human hominoid; or they may use the term "ape" to just mean the non-human hominoids. Modern taxonomy aims for the use of monophyletic groups for taxonomic classification; Some literature may now use the common name "ape" to mean all members of the superfamily Hominoidea, including humans. For example, in his 2005 book, Benton wrote "The apes, Hominoidea, today include
7304-494: The use of Pongidae to be restricted to just one closely related grouping. Thus, many biologists now assign Pongo (as the sub family Ponginae ) to the family Hominidae. The taxonomy shown here follows the monophyletic groupings according to the modern understanding of human and great ape relationships. Humans and close relatives including the tribes Hominini and Gorillini form the subfamily Homininae (see classification graphic below). (A few researchers go so far as to refer
7392-470: The whole structure of man, including his mental faculties, have followed Blumenbach and Cuvier, and have placed man in a separate Order, under the title of the Bimana, and therefore on an equality with the orders of the Quadrumana, Carnivora, etc. Recently many of our best naturalists have recurred to the view first propounded by Linnaeus, so remarkable for his sagacity, and have placed man in the same Order with
7480-445: The whole world a general difference between men and simians from the principles of Natural History. I certainly know of none. If only someone might tell me one! If I called man a simian or vice versa I would bring together all the theologians against me. Perhaps I ought to, in accordance with the law of Natural History. Accordingly, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach in the first edition of his Manual of Natural History (1779), proposed that
7568-414: Was more closely related to the orangutan; and new biochemical evidence indicates that the last common ancestor of humans and non-hominins (that is, the chimpanzees) occurred between 5 and 10 million years ago, and probably nearer the lower end of that range (more recent); see Chimpanzee–human last common ancestor (CHLCA). Genetic analysis combined with fossil evidence indicates that hominoids diverged from
7656-559: Was originally the name given to the family of humans and their (extinct) close relatives, with the other great apes (that is, the orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees) all being placed in a separate family, the Pongidae . However, that definition eventually made Pongidae paraphyletic because at least one great ape species (the chimpanzees) proved to be more closely related to humans than to other great apes. Most taxonomists today encourage monophyletic groups—this would require, in this case,
7744-403: Was thought to have occurred around that time. The earliest fossils argued by some to belong to the human lineage are Sahelanthropus tchadensis (7 Ma) and Orrorin tugenensis (6 Ma), followed by Ardipithecus (5.5–4.4 Ma), with species Ar. kadabba and Ar. ramidus . The classification of the great apes has been revised several times in the last few decades; these revisions have led to
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