Final answer:
Apes are categorized into two groups: lesser apes which include gibbons, and great apes comprising chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans, and humans. Great apes are characterized by larger brains, lack of tails, and varying social structures and behaviors. The Hominidae family shows a high percentage of DNA similarity among its members.
Step-by-step explanation:
Apes: An Overview of Lesser and Great Apes
Apes are divided into two main groups: the lesser apes and the great apes. The lesser apes comprise the family Hylobatidae, which includes gibbons and siamangs. These arboreal animals are known for their smaller size, low sexual dimorphism, and longer arms for swinging through trees. Unlike the great apes, they maintain consistent body coloration across genres, with some species displaying color differences between the sexes.
Great Apes and Their Characteristics
The great apes belong to the family Hominidae, which includes four living genera: humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. Great apes do not possess tails and have larger brains relative to body size, which is indicative of higher intelligence. The great apes exhibit a variety of behaviors and physical characteristics:
- Chimpanzees are known for their close genetic relationship with humans. They are more aggressive than their cousin species, the bonobos, which are distinguished by their longer legs, higher-pitched voices, and lifelong white tail tufts.
- Gorillas exhibit strong sexual dimorphism, with males significantly larger than females and older males known as silverbacks due to their distinct coloring.
- Orangutans, the only great apes native to Asia, are solitary and arboreal creatures, with three distinct species spread across the islands of Indonesia.
- Humans, or Homo sapiens, are unique in their capacity for language, culture, and their global distribution.
In summary, the Hominidae family shares over 97% DNA similarity across gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans, underscoring the close evolutionary relationship between these species.