Apes

Apes are a clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, which together with its sister group Cercopithecidae form the catarrhine clade, cladistically making them monkeys. Apes do not have tails due to a mutation of the TBXT gene.

Apes

Apes are mammals that belong to the order Primate, along with monkeys. Apes are divided into two families: lesser and greater apes. Great apes include gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans.

Apes are generally larger than monkeys and lack tails. The easiest way to tell a monkey from a great ape is by looking for a tail. Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and gibbons are all apes because they don't have tails.

Apes diverged from their common ancestor with the Old World Monkeys about 25 million years ago. Around that time, they lost their tails.

Apes are mammals that belong to the order Primate, along with monkeys. Apes are divided into two families: lesser and great apes.

Great apes are a small group of primates that share many features with monkeys, but are larger, smarter, and tail-less. Great apes also share a closer genetic connection to humans.

The great apes include: Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Bonobo, Orangutan.

Gibbons are also known as the small or lesser apes. They are apes, like gorillas or chimpanzees, but they don't get as big. Gibbons are tailless, with the broad chest and upright position characteristic of apes.

Chimpanzee - Wikipedia

Great Apes

Apes are divided into two groups: great apes and lesser apes. Great apes are larger and more intelligent than lesser apes.

Great apes include: Chimpanzees, Bonobos, Orangutans, Gorillas.

Here are some differences between great apes and lesser apes:

Size: Great apes are larger than lesser apes.
Intelligence: Great apes are more intelligent than lesser apes.
Sexual dimorphism: Lesser apes have low sexual dimorphism.
Nesting: Lesser apes don't make nests.
Pair bonds: Lesser apes often form long-term pair bonds.

Great apes are members of the Hominidae family, along with humans. Lesser apes are members of the Hylobatidae family.

Great apes include three species that live in Africa and one species that lives in Southeast Asia.

Lesser Apes

Lesser apes include: Gibbons, Siamangs.

Lesser apes are small-bodied apes with long arms that help them swing through trees. They are found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.

White-Handed Gibbon, Facts, Photos - National Geographic KidsWhite-handed gibbons are small tailless apes with soft, thick fur. They live in trees and like to stay high up in the canopy of trees. Their very long arms allow them to swing effortlessly among the tree branches. They can also change direction in a split second, and can catch birds in midair and eat them after landing. Gibbons are among the fastest of all primates. They are so fast that they barely touch a branch before swinging off and grabbing the next branch, and they "fly" up 40 feet through the air and leap long distances before landing. They can cross rivers or large openings in the forest with this acrobatic technique. Gibbons sometimes have accidental falls if a branch breaks and they do suffer from bone fractures in the wild. They sleep sitting up in trees with bent knees and faces buried between the knees and chest. Gibbons are bipedal and walk across tree limbs on two feet. They hold their arms high in the air for balance when they walk or run along the ground or on branches. White-handed gibbons have white fur on the upper sides of their hands and feet. They live in small family groups made up of a male and female pair and their young. They sing duets, with the male and female complementing each other’s part. These duets help the couple bond and mark their territory. The white-handed gibbon is sometimes hunted for its meat and young gibbons are sold in the pet trade in some countries, particularly Thailand. Many are white at birth and do not develop their final color until two to four years old. Text by Anne A. McCormack/NGS Staff