GreaT and lesser Apes
Hominoidea differ from monkeys in the following categories:
- Generally larger body size, except for gibbons and siamangs
- Absence of a tail
- Shortened trunk (lumbar area shorter and more stable)
- Differences in position and musculature of the shoulder joint (adapted for suspensory locomotion).
- More complex behaviour
- More complex brain and enhanced cognitive abilities
- Increased period of infant development and dependency
The Great Apes
Orangutans
Common name: Orangutans
Scientific name: Pongo pygmaeus Suborder: Haplorhini Infraorder: Anthropoidea Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Hominoidea Family: Hominidae Subfamily: Ponginae Genus: Pongo |
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Subspecies: P. abelii, P. pygmaeus
Distribution: Indonesian Islands of Borneo and Sumatra.
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Orangutans are considered to be quadru-manual, which means they move with effort from all four limbs (Kavanaugh 1983). They have an intermembral index of 145 and are slow, arboreal climbers. Large adult males spend more time on the ground, because they are too heavy to travel efficiently between the tree branches.
Size and weight: Sexual dimorphism is pronounced. Males are approximately 970mm tall and weigh 87kg, whereas females are only 780mm tall and weigh 37kg (Cawthon Lang, 2005). A unique characteristic of males is that they have fleshy, cheek pads that expand during aggressive encounters.
Diet: The basis of their diet is fruit such as mangoes, figs, and durians. Ants, termites, honeybees, leave bark and pith is also consumed (Napier and Napier 1985).
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: Orangutans are solitary animals. Only the female is known to travel with dependent offspring. When orangutans meet by accident at a particular tree, they usually run away or ignore each other. Females tend to avoid and hide from males, except when they are in estrus. Kavanaugh (1983) suggested that sub-adult male Orangutans are sexually aggressive and may rape females.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Orangutans.
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Orangutans are considered to be quadru-manual, which means they move with effort from all four limbs (Kavanaugh 1983). They have an intermembral index of 145 and are slow, arboreal climbers. Large adult males spend more time on the ground, because they are too heavy to travel efficiently between the tree branches.
Size and weight: Sexual dimorphism is pronounced. Males are approximately 970mm tall and weigh 87kg, whereas females are only 780mm tall and weigh 37kg (Cawthon Lang, 2005). A unique characteristic of males is that they have fleshy, cheek pads that expand during aggressive encounters.
Diet: The basis of their diet is fruit such as mangoes, figs, and durians. Ants, termites, honeybees, leave bark and pith is also consumed (Napier and Napier 1985).
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: Orangutans are solitary animals. Only the female is known to travel with dependent offspring. When orangutans meet by accident at a particular tree, they usually run away or ignore each other. Females tend to avoid and hide from males, except when they are in estrus. Kavanaugh (1983) suggested that sub-adult male Orangutans are sexually aggressive and may rape females.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Orangutans.
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
Gorillas
Common name: Gorilla
Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla Suborder: Haplorrhini Infraorder: Anthropoidea Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Hominoidea Family: Hominidae Subfamily: Gorillinae Genus: Gorilla |
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Subspecies: G. b. beringei, G. b. graueri, G. g. diehli, G. g. gorilla
Distribution: West and Central Africa including Cameroon, Uganda and Rwanda
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Quadrupedal knuckle-walking
Size and weight: The gorilla is considered to be the largest primate. The average weight of a male gorilla is 181kg and the height is around 1.7m , whereas the female gorilla is 1.5m and weighs between 72kg and 98kg (Cawthon Lang, 2005). Sexual dimorphism is distinct and males weigh twice as much as females.
Diet: Gorillas are vegetarian and consume copious amounts of leaves, roots, stems, bark, pit, vines, bamboo, wild celery, thistles, nettles and, on occasion, grubs, snails or snugs (Napier and Napier 1985:172).
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: A gorilla troop may contain between 5 to 30 individuals that consists of "a single silverback male who acts as leader, one or two black-backed subadult males, six adult females and around 10 juveniles and infants" (Napier and Napier 1985:173). When the two sub-adult males mature, they are usually forced to emigrate from the troop. The young sub-adult male usually spends time alone or begins their own mating group.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Gorillas.
Unique characteristics: All sexual mature male gorillas have a white/silver patch on their back.
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Quadrupedal knuckle-walking
Size and weight: The gorilla is considered to be the largest primate. The average weight of a male gorilla is 181kg and the height is around 1.7m , whereas the female gorilla is 1.5m and weighs between 72kg and 98kg (Cawthon Lang, 2005). Sexual dimorphism is distinct and males weigh twice as much as females.
Diet: Gorillas are vegetarian and consume copious amounts of leaves, roots, stems, bark, pit, vines, bamboo, wild celery, thistles, nettles and, on occasion, grubs, snails or snugs (Napier and Napier 1985:172).
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: A gorilla troop may contain between 5 to 30 individuals that consists of "a single silverback male who acts as leader, one or two black-backed subadult males, six adult females and around 10 juveniles and infants" (Napier and Napier 1985:173). When the two sub-adult males mature, they are usually forced to emigrate from the troop. The young sub-adult male usually spends time alone or begins their own mating group.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Gorillas.
Unique characteristics: All sexual mature male gorillas have a white/silver patch on their back.
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
cHIMPANZEES
Common name: Chimpanzee
Scientific name: Pan troglodytes Suborder: Haplorrhini Infraorder: Anthropoidea Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Hominoidea Family: Hominidae Subfamily: Homininae Genus: Pan |
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Species: Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus (Bonobos) - another species found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Subspecies: P. t. schweinfurthii, P. t. troglodytes, P. t. vellerosus, P. t. verus
Subspecies: P. t. schweinfurthii, P. t. troglodytes, P. t. vellerosus, P. t. verus
Distribution: West, Central and Eastern Africa (Napier and Napier 1985)
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Chimpanzees engage in a variety of locomotions that include quadrupedal knuckle walking, brachiating, climbing, and bipedalism (Jurmain et al. 2003, Napier and Napier 1985).
Size and weight: Males and females chimpanzees do not differ significantly in size and weight. Males are approximately 850mm long and weigh 40kg and females are 775mm long and weigh 30kg.
Diet: Chimpanzees are primarily frugivores but supplement their diet with a variety of other foods such as nuts, leaves, insects, eggs, berries, termites and monkeys (red colobus and young baboons) (Napier and Napier 1985).
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: Chimpanzees are highly gregarious and live in multi-male multi-female groups of approximately 40-80 individuals. When foraging for food, the group may divide into several small bands that contain only males, only females or single individuals. As these bands move through the forest, they continually socialize with one another.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Chimpanzees.
Unique characteristics: Chimpanzees are highly intelligent primates who use a variety of tools to exploit their habitat. They have been known to build sleeping nests and construct tools for hunting and self-defence (Napier and Napier 1985). Furthermore, they teach these skills to their offspring, which implies that the behaviour is learned and not genetic. For many researchers in primate studies, learned behaviour is the foundation of culture behaviour, a phenomenon, which until recently, was believed to belong only to the human species. Chimpanzees have been used as models for "fleshing" out the possible social behaviour of our hominoid ancestors. Language studies have demonstrated that chimpanzees can learn some sign language and symbols for words, but do not have the necessary anatomy for human speech.
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Chimpanzees engage in a variety of locomotions that include quadrupedal knuckle walking, brachiating, climbing, and bipedalism (Jurmain et al. 2003, Napier and Napier 1985).
Size and weight: Males and females chimpanzees do not differ significantly in size and weight. Males are approximately 850mm long and weigh 40kg and females are 775mm long and weigh 30kg.
Diet: Chimpanzees are primarily frugivores but supplement their diet with a variety of other foods such as nuts, leaves, insects, eggs, berries, termites and monkeys (red colobus and young baboons) (Napier and Napier 1985).
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: Chimpanzees are highly gregarious and live in multi-male multi-female groups of approximately 40-80 individuals. When foraging for food, the group may divide into several small bands that contain only males, only females or single individuals. As these bands move through the forest, they continually socialize with one another.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Chimpanzees.
Unique characteristics: Chimpanzees are highly intelligent primates who use a variety of tools to exploit their habitat. They have been known to build sleeping nests and construct tools for hunting and self-defence (Napier and Napier 1985). Furthermore, they teach these skills to their offspring, which implies that the behaviour is learned and not genetic. For many researchers in primate studies, learned behaviour is the foundation of culture behaviour, a phenomenon, which until recently, was believed to belong only to the human species. Chimpanzees have been used as models for "fleshing" out the possible social behaviour of our hominoid ancestors. Language studies have demonstrated that chimpanzees can learn some sign language and symbols for words, but do not have the necessary anatomy for human speech.
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
THE Lesser APES
White Handed Gibbon
Common name: White handed gibbon
Scientific name: Hylobates lar Suborder: Haplorrhini Infraorder: Anthropoidea Parvorder: Catarrhini Superfamily: Hominoidea Family: Hylobatidae Genus: Hylobates |
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Subspecies: H. l. carpenteri, H. l. entelloides, H. l. lar, H. l. vestitus
Species: There are five other species of gibbons and include: Hylobates concolor (Black gibbon), Hylobates hoolock (Hoolock gibbon), Hylobates klossii (Kloss's gibbon), Hylobates pileatus (Pileated gibbon), and Hylobates syndactylus (Siamang) (Napier and Napier 1985).
Distribution: The lesser apes are found throughout SE Asia in several countries such as Burma, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Java, and Borneo (Napier and Napier 1985).
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Gibbons are the only true brachiators within the ape family. They are anatomically equipped for this mode of locomotion with long arms, curved fingers, a short torso and strong shoulder muscles (Jurmain et al. 2003). Their intermembral index is 131.
Size and weight: No sexual dimorphism has been noted between males and females. Gibbons are approximately 445mm in length and weigh between 5-7kg (Kavanaugh 1983, Napier and Napier 1985).
Diet: They are primarily frugivores, 70% of their diet is fruit and the other 30% comes from leaves, flowers, buds and insects.
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: They live in monogamous social groups with one male, one female and up to four offspring (Napier and Napier 1985). Several features are characteristic of this group such that they mate for life, the male participates in rearing the young, and infant dependency is between 7-8 years.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Gibbons.
Species: There are five other species of gibbons and include: Hylobates concolor (Black gibbon), Hylobates hoolock (Hoolock gibbon), Hylobates klossii (Kloss's gibbon), Hylobates pileatus (Pileated gibbon), and Hylobates syndactylus (Siamang) (Napier and Napier 1985).
Distribution: The lesser apes are found throughout SE Asia in several countries such as Burma, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Java, and Borneo (Napier and Napier 1985).
Tail: No.
Mode of locomotion: Gibbons are the only true brachiators within the ape family. They are anatomically equipped for this mode of locomotion with long arms, curved fingers, a short torso and strong shoulder muscles (Jurmain et al. 2003). Their intermembral index is 131.
Size and weight: No sexual dimorphism has been noted between males and females. Gibbons are approximately 445mm in length and weigh between 5-7kg (Kavanaugh 1983, Napier and Napier 1985).
Diet: They are primarily frugivores, 70% of their diet is fruit and the other 30% comes from leaves, flowers, buds and insects.
Dental formula: 2:1:2:3
Social life: They live in monogamous social groups with one male, one female and up to four offspring (Napier and Napier 1985). Several features are characteristic of this group such that they mate for life, the male participates in rearing the young, and infant dependency is between 7-8 years.
Diurnal/nocturnal: Diurnal
Characteristics: All the characteristics for Homonoidea apply to Gibbons.
Unique characteristics:
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)
- True brachiator with much longer arms than legs
- Ischial callosities
Taken from (Jurmain et al. 2011-2012)