56-470: 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
112-508: 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
168-442: 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
224-450: 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
280-508: 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
336-611: 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,
392-480: 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
448-741: 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
504-419: 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
560-549: 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
616-490: 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
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#1732779778512672-683: 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
728-535: 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
784-541: 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
840-461: 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
896-535: 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
952-559: 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,
1008-727: 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
1064-515: 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
1120-445: 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
1176-428: 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
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#17327797785121232-573: 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
1288-663: 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
1344-562: 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,
1400-630: 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
1456-488: 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
1512-419: 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
1568-426: 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
1624-415: 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
1680-418: 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
1736-677: 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
Hominidae - Misplaced Pages Continue
1792-654: 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,
1848-601: 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
1904-571: 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
1960-401: 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
2016-483: 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
2072-403: 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
2128-401: 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
2184-404: 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
2240-867: 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 Too Many Requests If you report this error to
2296-559: 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
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2352-597: 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
2408-462: 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
2464-511: 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
2520-787: 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
2576-501: 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
2632-606: 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 )
2688-567: 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
2744-441: 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
2800-448: 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
2856-430: 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
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#17327797785122912-436: 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
2968-420: 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
3024-494: 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
3080-559: 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,
3136-403: 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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