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what are the characteristics of hominidae

by Dr. Angus Lind Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Major Characteristics

  1. Hair instead of fur
  2. Opposable Thumbs
  3. Higher brain to body size ratio- a high level of intelligence
  4. Binocular Vision- both eyes focus on one object also known as depth perception

Hominids are the largest primates, with robust bodies and well-developed forearms. Their pollex and hallux are opposable except in humans, who have lost opposability of the big toe. All digits have flattened nails. No hominid has a tail, and none has ischial callosities.

Full Answer

How many living species are there in the family Hominidae?

  • Kenyapithecus Kenyapitheus wickeri
  • Ouranopithecus Ouranopithecus macedoniensis
  • Otavipithecus Otavipithecus namibiensis
  • Morotopithecus Morotopithecus bishopi
  • Oreopithecus Oreopithecus bambolii
  • Nakalipithecus Nakalipithecus nakayamai
  • Anoiapithecus Anoiapithecus brevirostris
  • Dryopithecus Dryopithecus wuduensis Dryopithecus fontani

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What does Hominidae mean?

Hominidae. meaning. (0) Meanings. A taxonomic family within the superfamily Hominoidea — the great apes; orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, man, and extinct relatives.

Are all primates hominids?

Primates are the family that includes hominids. which are primates that walk habitually on two legs and have the body structure to do so, like basket shaped pelvises and their spine enters their skull at the bottom rather than the back. How does Google track me even when I'm not using it?

Are modern humans hominids?

The modern humans are also the first hominids that have the ability to communicate with their hands. The visual cortex of the modern man allows him to communicate without saying a single word. Their hands are their voice, and they can perform a hand gesture to mean a word in an entire language.

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What can you say about Hominidae?

Hominidae, in zoology, one of the two living families of the ape superfamily Hominoidea, the other being the Hylobatidae (gibbons). Hominidae includes the great apes—that is, the orangutans (genus Pongo), the gorillas (Gorilla), and the chimpanzees and bonobos (Pan)—as well as human beings (Homo).

What is the difference between hominids and Hominidae?

Hominids are any primates that belong to the family commonly known as the great apes. The scientific term is Hominidae. This is the family under which humans are more specifically classified, along with orangutans, gorillas, and chimpanzees.

What does Hominidae mean?

Definition of hominid (Entry 1 of 2) : any of a family (Hominidae) of erect bipedal primate mammals that includes recent humans together with extinct ancestral and related forms and in some recent classifications the great apes (the orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo) hominid. adjective.

Why is humans considered to be Hominidae?

The most commonly used recent definitions are: Hominid – the group consisting of all modern and extinct Great Apes (that is, modern humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans plus all their immediate ancestors).

How are humans related to other members of the family Hominidae?

Humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and their extinct ancestors form a family of organisms known as the Hominidae. Researchers generally agree that among the living animals in this group, humans are most closely related to chimpanzees, judging from comparisons of anatomy and genetics.

Is Hominidae a order?

PrimateTherapsidGreat apes/Order

How do you classify Hominidae?

Hominidae is a taxonomic family of primates that today is commonly considered to include extant (living) and extinct humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. In this taxonomic scheme, Hominidae is one of two families of apes (superfamily Hominoidea), the other family being Hylobatidae (the gibbons).

What is the meaning of Hominidae in Urdu?

Noun. A primate of the family Hominidae. نوع انسان کا رُکن

What does bipedal mean in biology?

bipedalism, a major type of locomotion, involving movement on two feet.

Where are Hominidae found?

With the exception of humans, all of the species in this family are found in Africa and Asia. Hominids have no tails; well developed forearms; five fingers and five toes; and except for humans, opposable thumbs and big toes.

What do hominoids include?

Apes (Hominoidea) are a group of primates that includes 22 species. Apes, also referred to as hominoids, include chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons. Although humans are classified within the Hominoidea, the term ape is not applied to humans and refers instead to all non-human hominoids.

What are the two difference between hominids and hominoids?

Hominids are bipedal and stand upright. Hominoids are quadrupeds with flexible forelimbs. Note: A hominid is an intelligent human-like species that is bipedal (walks on two legs) (has a large brain and uses tools). Modern man, or Homo sapiens, is the only living species of hominid.

Taxonomic History

In the past several decades, the classification of the great apes has been updated many times. Originally, the group was limited to humans and their extinct ancestors, with the other great apes grouped in their own tribe, the Pongidae. Many anthropologists and laymen still use this term.

Classification of Family Hominidae

Hominidae classification has been revised many times in the last few decades. Originally, the Hominidae family only included humans and their extinct ancestors, with all other primates classified as a separate family, the Pongidae.

Evolution

There were several species of arboreally adapted primitive catarrhines from East Africa in the early Miocene, around 22 million years ago; the range indicates a long history of prior diversification. Fossils dating back 20 million years contain traces of Victoriapithecus, the first Old World monkey.

Humans Classified in the Family Hominidae

Humans and human ancestors after the ape–human separation were previously classified in their own exclusive family, the Hominidae.

Hominids and Hominins

Before we get into the details, let's clear up some terminology. The word hominid is often used to refer to our species (H. sapiens) as well as all of our extinct ancestors. The explanation for this is that we are all members of the same Hominidae family. However, the advancement of molecular phylogenetics altered the concept of hominids.

Fossil

The fossil remains of genuinely early hominids are frustratingly scarce and incomplete (the zoological family Hominidae—“hominids”—includes Homo sapiens as well as all animals that are more closely related to humans than to living chimps and bonobos).

Conclusion

The Hominidae, also known as great apes or hominids, are a taxonomic family of primates composed of eight extant species divided into four genera: Pongo, Gorilla, Pan, and Homo, of which only modern humans remain. Several changes to the classification of the great apes have caused the word "hominid" to be used differently over time.

bodily characteristics of hominids

Hominids are the largest primates in existence. Although it can vary with the species, its weight can range from 48 to 270 kilograms . In addition, there is a significant variation in size between males and females (sexual dysmorphism).

Hominid feeding

The hominid diet is omnivorous, capable of mixing fruits, vegetables , leaves, mushrooms and seeds , with meat, fish and insects , although the basis of their diet is usually vegetarian. Its teeth are similar in all species and it has 32 pieces, prepared to cut, tear and grind.

Link to human evolution

It is commonly said that the human being comes from the monkey , although it is not literally so. It is not that monkeys have become human beings, but that human beings are the product of a genetic and evolutionary divergence that has a common ancestor with other primate species.

Major extinct species

Just as there are existing or current species today, many other hominid species have already disappeared, leaving only their fossil record for us to study. The main of them are:

What is a hominid?

A hominid is a member of the family Hominidae, the great apes: orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees and humans. A hominine is a member of the subfamily Homininae: gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans (excludes orangutans). A hominin is a member of the tribe Hominini: chimpanzees and humans.

How long ago did the Hominidae live?

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 the family Hominidae had already speciated from the family Hylobatidae (the gibbons), perhaps 15 to 20 million years ago.

What apes lived 13 million years ago?

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.

What does "hominid" mean?

The current, 21st-century 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 around the turn of the 21st century.

How big are apes?

The great apes are tailless primates, with the smallest living species being the bonobo at 30–40 kilograms in weight, and the largest being the eastern gorillas, with males weighing 140–180 kilograms. 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. 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.

What is the original meaning of the term "hominid"?

The original meaning of "hominid" referred only to humans ( Homo) and their closest extinct relatives. However, by the 1990s both humans, apes, and their ancestors were considered to be "hominids".

What is the name of the family of humans?

Extant and fossil relatives of humans. Hominidae 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.

What is the family of hominids?

sapiens) and all of our extinct ancestors together. The reason for this is that we all belong to the same zoological family called Hominidae. But the development of molecular phylogenetics (Chapter 3) changed the definition of hominids. While our species’ classification was based solely on morphological characteristics, the family Hominidae is composed exclusively of our own lineage, of which we are the only living representatives. However, genomic studies modified this classification, and the family Hominidae now also includes other primates, such as the orangutan ( Pongo ), the gorilla ( Gorilla ), and the chimpanzee ( Pan) ( Fig. 5.1) ( Mann and Weiss, 1996 ). This does not mean that we are no longer hominids but that our family is more extensive than we used to think. The new classification also gave rise to a new term, hominin (tribe Hominini), which coincides with the former use of hominids according to some researchers, while others also include the chimpanzee. The first group believes that the genetic differences between humans and chimpanzees are large enough to create two tribes (i.e., Hominini and Panini), while the second one thinks that we are not that different and adds both humans and chimpanzees to the tribe Hominini ( Fig. 5.1) ( von Holstein and Foley, 2017 ). We could say that there are two versions of the concept hominin: the strict version that equals former hominids and the extended version that includes chimpanzees. Whichever the case, the molecular clock method ( Section 3.3) revealed that the divergence between our lineage and the chimpanzees took place before the Quaternary, between 7 and 5 Ma ( Kumar et al., 2005 ). Therefore in this book, which is focused on the Quaternary segment of our lineage, the emphasis will be on the genus Homo.

How rare are fossils of early hominids?

Fossil remains of truly early hominids are frustratingly rare and incomplete (the zoological family Hominidae—“hominids”—includes Homo sapiens as well as all species more closely related to humans than to living chimpanzees and bonobos). Even the relatively intact, uniquely preserved partial skeleton of “Lucy” from 3.2 million years ago represents only a single individual, indeed, so far the smallest Australopithecus ever found. There are very few places in Africa, let alone the rest of the world, where a dead organism has a good chance of becoming fossilized. There are even fewer places where these fossilized remains are accessible to the scientists who seek them (White, 2004).

What are bonobos and chimpanzees?

Chimpanzees and bonobos belong to the taxonomical genus Pan , and categorized into the family Hominidae (great apes) together with humans, gorillas, and orangutans. The Pan and human lineages diverged around 7 million years ago; human ancestors expanded all over the world, while Pan species, i.e., chimpanzees and bonobos, remain in African tropical forests. Then chimpanzees and bonobos are considered to have diverged 1–2 million years ago. The widely accepted scenario posits that the Pleistocene appearance of the Congo River separated the common ancestor of chimpanzees and bonobos into two species. Recently, however, geographical study on the submarine Congo River sediments and paleotopography of central Africa show that the Congo River has already functioned as a geographical barrier for the last 34 million years. This evidence seems to support another hypothesis that when the river was first formed, the ancestor of bonobos did not inhabit the current range of the species on the left bank of the Congo River but that, during rare times when the Congo River discharge decreased during the Pleistocene, one or more founder populations of ancestral Pan paniscus crossed the river to its left bank ( Takemoto et al., 2015). The south area of the Congo River, i.e., bonobo habitat, is richer, moister and more stable environment compared with many chimpanzee habitats. This environmental difference might have made the distinction of traits between chimpanzees and bonobo, though this is still controversial.

What are the great apes?

Biology#N#Great apes are a taxonomic family of primates classified as Hominidae and include seven living species in four genera: chimpanzees and bonobos (Pan ), gorillas ( Gorilla ), orangutans ( Pongo ), and humans ( Homo ). 13 The dental formula for the great apes is: (incisor 2/2, canine 1/1, premolar 2/2, molar 3/3) × 2 = 32. The great apes originate from equatorial Africa (gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos) and Southeast Asia (orangutans) and are characterized by the absence of tails and their intelligence, strength, and large size. Table 38-1 gives an overview of their status in the wild. Significant threats to wild great ape populations include the hunting of apes for sale as commercial meat products, widespread habitat loss, and infectious disease threats. Outbreaks of Ebola virus, respiratory disease epidemics, and bacterial and parasitic illnesses have resulted in high morbidity and mortality events, often in association with close contact with humans.15-17,31,34,36,41,46,48,49,51

Are Humans Hominids?

Humans are hominids because they are bipedal, have a large brain, and communicate using language. Furthermore, humans have the ability to stand upright, and not rely on their frontal limbs for maintaining posture.

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are mammals that have an omnivore diet, consisting of small animals, vegetables, and fruits. They have an average lifespan of about 45 years, a height of about four to five feet, and weigh anywhere between 70 and 130 pounds.

Bonobos

Bonobos were once considered a subspecies of chimpanzees. Bonobos share almost 99% of their DNA with humans. Bonobos are similar in size to chimpanzees in terms of height and weight. They are more frequently seen standing upright. Bonobos can live up to 50 years in expert care, but it is unknown how long they live in the wild.

Gorillas

Gorillas have two distinct species: Western and Eastern gorilla. They are very peaceful and family-oriented apes who live in large complex families. They are the biggest primates, with an adult male weighing anywhere between 300 and 500 pounds and standing at about 6 feet tall.

What are the physical characteristics of an orangutan?

Physical and Behavioral Characteristics Exemplary Organism 3. The Bornean Orangutan has an adapted arm length that's seen feet across which allows them to hang and swing from trees. They are mainly solitary animals, both species mostly never encounter and they are also threatening and very aggressive.

What are the characteristics of all organisms?

All of the organisms share several traits like: 1) Hair instead of fur. 2) Opposable Thumbs. 3) Higher brain to body size ratio- a high level of intelligence. 4) Binocular Vision- both eyes focus on one object also known as depth perception.  .

Which is more peaceful, a chimpanzee or a bonobos?

Great apes like Gorillas and Chimpanzees will often aggressively hunt, Bonobos are more peaceful. Bonobo society tends to be very peaceful and harmonious, they will live in large groups led by female apes. In Chimpanzee society males will lead groups, they will also make macho displays to impress females.

What is the name of the gorilla with a large head and hairy face?

The Eastern Lowland gorilla has broad shoulders a large head and a hairy shiny face. They are non- territorial and live on groups dominated by males, the strongest and oldest males have exclusive breeding rights with females.

What are the characteristics of hominids?

The two main characteristics of hominids are bipedalism and big brains. The brain case, or the skull, has increased in size over time to allow for the enlargement of the brain. It has also changed shape. The skull now has more forehead and a rounder shape. There is less separation between the brain and the face.

How to describe a hominid?

State the definition of a hominid. Remember the homonid's two keys traits. Understand the diet of homonids. Analyze the four general behaviors of hominids, particularly Homo erectus. Discuss the way in which hominids evolved by developing art, agriculture, and technology.

What did the hominids eat?

By the time Neanderthal man came on the scene, hominids had become omnivores, eating a variety of foods, such as fruit, leaves, seeds, nuts, grains and meat. The Neanderthals introduced cooking. Eating cooked foods does not require the large teeth and jaws to chew. Aren't you glad we have cooked food?

How long ago did the handy man live?

Hominids became omnivores and developing cooking, which helped make their teeth and jaws smaller. The handy man, Homo habilis lived around 2.33 to 1.44 million years ago. Upright man, Homo erectus, lived from 1.9 million to 143,000 years ago, and Neanderthal Man appeared about 200,000 and 250,000 years ago.

What did the Neanderthals eat?

By the time Neanderthal man came on the scene, hominids had become omnivores, eating a variety of foods, such as fruit, leaves, seeds, nuts, grains and meat. The Neanderthals introduced cooking. Eating cooked foods does not require the large teeth and jaws to chew.

What was the first hominid to live in a small family group?

You can finally get warm now. Homo erectus is thought to be the first hominid to live in small, family groups in a type of hunter/gatherer society. Homo erectus is also thought to be the first to hunt in groups and to care for sick or old members of their group.

What is the only living species of hominids?

The only living species of hominids is modern man or homo sapiens. Homo means man; sapiens means relating to man, or wise man, in Latin.

How many species are there in the Hominidae family?

The family Hominidae consists of four genera and seven species. Orangutans, the only Asian great apes, are divided into two species based on their geographically distinct ranges. Those from the island of Borneo are Pongo pygmaeus, while those from the island of Sumatra are Pongo abelii.

How long ago did orangutans split from Homininae?

Based on comparisons of DNA from each species in both subfamilies, it is clear that orangutans diverged from the members of Homininae approximately 14 million years ago (mya). Within Homininae, gorillas split from Pan and Homo approximately 7 mya. Humans were the next to diverge approximately 6 mya.

What are the different types of apes?

Three genera and four species were usually recognized within this family, which included the orangutans ( Pongo pygmaeus ), gorillas ( Gorilla gorilla ), chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ), and bonobos ( Pan paniscus ). In the past, bonobos have been referred to as pygmy chimpanzees, a misnomer attributed to their gracile appearance. They were not recognized as a distinct species until 1929.

What is the most slender ape?

Bonobos are the most slender great apes, having very long limbs and a gracile appearance. Adult males average less than 100 lb (45 kg) and adult females are usually about 20% smaller. All of the great apes share an overall similarity in body type, having arms that are longer than their legs.

Where are bonobos found?

The current distribution for gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos is limited primarily to the tropical forests of Africa. Bonobos have a very restricted range, occurring only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly known as Zaire), south of the Congo River. Chimpanzees range across the middle band of the continent, from Senegal in the west, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo near the center of Africa, to southern Sudan, Uganda, Burundi, and Tanzania in East Africa. Gorillas may be found as far west as Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon. Their range extends to the Central African Republic, and east into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

What family are Asian orangutans in?

The Asian orangutans are members of the subfamily Ponginae, while all of the African species are members of the subfamily Homininae.

How big are apes?

family. Without question, gorillas are the largest of the great apes. Adult males may exceed 350 lb (158 kg), while adult females are generally about half that size.

image

Taxonomic History

Classification of Family Hominidae

Evolution

  • There were several species of arboreally adapted primitive catarrhines from East Africa in the early Miocene, around 22 million years ago; the range indicates a long history of prior diversification. Fossils dating back 20 million years contain traces of Victoriapithecus, the first Old World monkey. Proconsul, Rangwapithecus, Dendropithecus, Limnopithecus, Nacholapithecus, E…
See more on vedantu.com

Humans Classified in The Family Hominidae

  • Humans and human ancestors after the ape–human separation were previously classified in their own exclusive family, the Hominidae. Members of this taxon were colloquially known as "hominids." However, DNA sequencing and comparative anatomical studies have shown that African apes and humans are more closely related than previously thought, implying that they fo…
See more on vedantu.com

Hominids and Hominins

  • Before we get into the details, let's clear up some terminology. The word hominid is often used to refer to our species (H. sapiens) as well as all of our extinct ancestors. The explanation for this is that we are all members of the same Hominidae family. However, the advancement of molecular phylogenetics altered the concept of hominids. Although our genus was classified solely on mor…
See more on vedantu.com

Fossil

  • The fossil remains of genuinely early hominids are frustratingly scarce and incomplete (the zoological family Hominidae—“hominids”—includes Homo sapiens as well as all animals that are more closely related to humans than to living chimps and bonobos). Even the relatively complete, uniquely preserved partial skeleton of "Lucy" from 3.2 million years ago represents only one hum…
See more on vedantu.com

Conclusion

  • The Hominidae, also known as great apes or hominids, are a taxonomic family of primates composed of eight extant species divided into four genera: Pongo, Gorilla, Pan, and Homo, of which only modern humans remain. Several changes to the classification of the great apes have caused the word "hominid" to be used differently over time. The word "homin...
See more on vedantu.com

Overview

The Hominidae , whose members are known as the great apes or hominids (/ˈhɒmɪnɪdz/), 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 the bonobo); and Homo, of which only modern humans remain.
Several revisions in classifying the great apes have caused the use of the term "hominid" to vary …

Evolution

In the early Miocene, about 22 million years ago, there were many species of arboreally adapted primitive catarrhines from East Africa; the variety suggests a long history of prior diversification. Fossils at 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,

Taxonomy

The classification of the great apes has been revised several times in the last few decades; these revisions have led to 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.

Description

The great apes are tailless primates, with the smallest living species being the bonobo at 30–40 kilograms in weight, and the largest being the eastern gorillas, with males weighing 140–180 kilograms. 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. Although most living species are predominantly quadrupedal, they are all able to use their hands for gathering food or …

Legal status

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. 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.

See also

• Bili ape
• Dawn of Humanity (2015 PBS film)
• Great ape language
• Great ape research ban
• Great Apes Survival Partnership

External links

• The Animal Legal and Historical Center at Michigan State University College of Law, Great Apes and the Law
• Renderings of Hominid Exemplars at the Smithsonian
• Additional information on great apes

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