Ape

Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)

The human -like apes, or in a broader sense ( Hominoidea ) are a superfamily within the primates. Grasp the Gibbons ( the so-called lesser apes = Hylobatidae ) and the ( Great) apes ( Hominidae ) together.

Features

The individuals of all species of anthropoids have two common features: The tail is missing, and her back molars have the Dryopithecinenmuster on.

The anthropoids include both species with relatively short statured individuals as well as the largest living primates: The weight of smaller Gibbons is about four kilograms, male gorillas reach a body weight of up to 200 kilograms. The shoulder joint is moved compared with other primates backwards, accordingly, the clavicle is extended and the shoulder blade mounted dorsal side - which makes for a great mobility of the upper arms. The arms are - except in humans - more than the legs, which is atypical for apes. The head is bulky, the brain is relatively high.

Like all Old World monkeys have human -like teeth 32, the dental formula is I2 - C1 - P2 - M3.

Dissemination and lifestyle

" The cradle of the Hominoidea is in the early Miocene of East Africa " (which was approximately 20 million years ), all frühmiozänen forms are termed " archaic or stem Hominoidea ". Already in the middle Miocene ( about 15 million years ago) the anthropoids had a considerable variety of forms developed and settled in Asia and Europe.

One of the earliest known genera Proconsul. Other genera, which are among the early anthropoids, are Dryopithecus, Pliopithecus, Morotopithecus, Turkanapithecus, Afropithecus, Equatorius, Nacholapithecus, Otavipithecus, Pierolapithecus, Griphopithecus, Lufengpithecus, Sivapithecus, Ramapithecus, Chororapithecus, Ankarapithecus, Nakalipithecus, Hispanopithecus, Oreopithecus, Khoratpithecus, Samburupithecus and Ouranopithecus. The number of fossils from this period is, however, still quite poor, making it easy to reconstruct currently neither their relationships nor the lines of development with reasonable confidence.

Today the range of the human -like (except humans) on the central Africa and Southeast Asia is limited. Their habitats are mainly forests, only the Common Chimpanzee holding at times also in savannas.

The anthropoids are diurnal and depending on the species tree or soil inhabiting. Their social behavior is variable; Unlike many other primates, the groups are not organized to closely related to each other females. Human -like feed mainly on plants, chimpanzees and humans, however, are omnivores.

System

The human -like among the Old World monkeys and are the sister group of the tailed Old World monkeys, of which today only the family Cercopithecidae exists. Within the human -like - in contrast to the types of their sister group have no tail - two still in existence today ( recent ) families can be distinguished: first, the gibbons and the other great apes, including humans and their extinct ancestors (that Hominini ). include Your relationship with other Primatentaxa comes in the following cladogram expressed:

Wet nose monkey ( Strepsirrhini )

Tarsiers ( Tarsiiformes )

New World monkeys or wide nose monkeys ( Platyrrhini )

Monkeys relatives ( Cercopithecidae )

Gibbons ( Hylobatidae )

Apes ( Hominidae )

Proconsulidae (†)