Themes > Science > Zoological Sciences > Animal classification > Primate Taxonomy > Pongids

The family Pongidae, generally referred to as the "great apes" contains three genuses, Pongo. Gorilla, and Pan, and four species: Pongo pygmaeus (orangutans), Gorilla gorilla (gorillas), Pan troglodytes (chimpanzees), and Pan paniscus (bonobos, also known as pygy chimpanzees).

Orangutans

Orangtans are included in a single species (Pongo pymaeus), which almost exclusively limited to the forest habitats of Borneo in Indonesia. They are generalized climbers and are among the most solitary of the primates. Their basic social organization form, consists of isolated females and their immature offspring, who engage in casual matings with a male. A male's territorial will encorporate those of several females.

 

Pongo pygmaeus.

Adult male Orangutan.

 

Pongo pygmaeus.

Mother Orangutan and child

6.10.2 Gorillas

Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) are by far the largest of all primates. They inhabit the forest regions of Africa and are predominant dependent upon a diet of leaves. They spend a good deal of their time on the ground, where their major form of locomotion is knuckle walking. Gorillas live in single male/multi female troups, or harems, in which a male has exclusive relationships with a group of females and excludes rival males. This structure has resulted in an extreme form of sexual dimorphism because of the premium placed on male size and strength.

  

Gorilla gorilla.

Adult silverback male gorilla

  

Gorilla gorilla

A mother shares her childs attention with another female, most likely a co-member of a single male's harem.

6.10.3 Chimpanzees

Like the gorillas, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) inhabit the African forests but spend a good deal of their time on the ground and are specially adapted for knuckle walking. Chimpazees live in large complex social groupings focused on a group of related males, who are permanently associated. Males cohabit and mate with a number of permanent female group members, and sexual competition within the group seems to be minimized, as males tolerate intercourse between females and potential rivals within the group. Chimpanzees on occasion exhibit behaviours, such as group hunting, food sharing, and tool making, that were once thought exclusive to humans, thus exhibiting a close anatomical and behavioural kinship to our species.

  

Pan troglodytes

Typical Chimpanzee, humanity's close living relative.

 

Pan troglodytes

Chimpanzees live in relatively large and complex social groups, based on permanent relationships among males. Grooming behaviour, pictured here, is an important activity, which maintains positive (hedonic) relationships.

 

 

Pan troglodytes

Knuckle-walking, the typical mode of locomotion among chimpanzees and gorillas.

  

Pan troglodytes

The animal has adapted a stick to capture termites from their nest. This behaviour demonstrates both tool making and tool using capabilities, usually considered a uniquely human trait.

6.10.4 Bonobos

Bonobos (Pan paniscus) were formerly included as variety of chimpanzee and referred to as pygmy chimpanzees.  Current taxonomies classify them as a separate species with the chimpanzee genus.  Certain aspects of the social and sexual behaviour are similar to human forms and some primatologist use the bonobo group organization as a model of early hominid patterns.

 

Pan paniscus


Information provided by: http://www.umanitoba.ca