Hominidae
Taxonomic family of great apes including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.
The Hominidae, commonly called great apes, is a primate family with eight living species spread across four genera: *Pongo* (Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli orangutans), *Gorilla* (eastern and western gorillas), *Pan* (chimpanzees and bonobos), and *Homo* (which today includes only modern humans, *Homo sapiens*). The word "hominid" has shifted in meaning over time. Originally, it referred strictly to humans and their extinct close relatives, but by the 1990s, the term had expanded to cover all great apes. The older, narrower sense is now largely taken over by "hominin," a group that also includes *Pan*. Within hominins, those more closely related to humans than to chimpanzees are called Hominina. Meanwhile, the current broad definition of "hominid" encompasses all great apes, including humans. Usage still varies, though; some scientists and the public continue to use "hominid" in its original restrictive sense, and scholarly literature generally stuck with the traditional meaning until around the year 2000.
Within Hominidae, several living and extinct genera are arranged into subfamilies: humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas belong to Homininae, while orangutans are placed in Ponginae. The most recent common ancestor of all Hominidae lived about 14 million years ago, when the orangutan lineage split from the line leading to the other three genera. Earlier, the ancestors of Hominidae had already diverged from the gibbon family (Hylobatidae), likely between 15 and 20 million years ago.
Because humans and other great apes are so closely related genetically, some animal rights groups—like the Great Ape Project—argue that nonhuman great apes should be considered persons and granted basic human rights. Twenty-nine countries have banned scientific testing on great apes to protect them.
**Evolution**
Around 22 million years ago, in the early Miocene, East Africa was home to many species of primitive, tree-dwelling catarrhines, hinting at a long prior history of diversification. Fossils from 20 million years ago include fragments attributed to *Victoriapithecus*, the earliest known Old World monkey.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Hominidae
- Type Genus
- Homo
- Type Genus Authority
- Linnaeus, 1758
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The classification of the great apes has been revised several times. Originally, Hominidae referred only to humans and their extinct relatives, with other great apes placed in a separate family, Pongidae. However, that definition made Pongidae paraphyletic because chimpanzees are more closely related to humans than to other great apes. Most taxonomists now encourage monophyletic groups, so many biologists assign Pongo as subfamily Ponginae to Hominidae. The earlier restrictive meaning is now largely assumed by the term 'hominin', which includes Pan. Usage still varies, with some scientists and laypersons using 'hominid' in the original restrictive sense.
Reader's Guide
The Hominidae family is significant because it encompasses all great apes, including humans, and highlights the close genetic relationships among them. Molecular evidence indicates that the lineage of gibbons diverged from great apes 18–12 million years ago, and orangutans diverged from other great apes about 12 million years ago. The most recent common ancestor of all Hominidae lived roughly 14 million years ago. Due to the close genetic relationship, certain animal rights organizations argue that nonhuman great apes are persons and should be given basic human rights; twenty-nine countries have instituted research bans to protect great apes from scientific testing. The fossil record of gorillas and chimpanzees is limited due to poor preservation in rain forest soils and sampling bias. The earliest fossils argued by some to belong to the human lineage are Sahelanthropus tchadensis (7 Ma) and Orrorin tugenensis (6 Ma), followed by Ardipithecus (5.5–4.4 Ma).
Did You Know?
- The term 'hominid' originally referred only to humans and their closest extinct relatives, but by the 1990s it included all great apes.
- Human DNA is approximately 98.4% identical to that of chimpanzees when comparing single nucleotide polymorphisms.
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