Of The Species Within The Family example essay topic

Introduction A Hominid is any member of the biological family Hominidae, or more commonly known as the great apes. Hominids are categorised in these areas, Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Primates, Suborder: Haplorrhini, Infra order: Simiiformes, Parvorder: Catarrhini, Superfamily: Hominoidea, Family: Hominidae. The Hominidae family includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, as well as many other extinct species. The family has caused much division within the scientific community over the past few decades. Scientists use two main methods of determining the classifications of certain species, and what families they belong in. These methods are Genetics and Morphology.

Genetics is the study of the DNA of certain species while Morphology is the study of the outward appearance of the species, including the skeletal structure as well as the social and personal habits. Specifically When this is applied to the Hominids, there appears to be a large contradiction. While there are some similarities between the morphology of Hominids, there is not enough evidence to suggest that they should be classified within the same biological family. However, genetic studies have shown that the DNA of humans and chimpanzees are very similar.

In 2003, a study carried out by Morris Goodman of Wayne State University in Detroit found that 99.4 percent of the most critical DNA sites are identical in the equivalent human and chimp genes. The DNA of the two species is close enough to suggest that should definitely be classified within the same family, and it could even be suggested that they belong within the same genus. As a result, the Hominidae family has been subject to multiple revisions and changes. These changes have resulted in a varied use of the term Hominid. This poster should help to clear up the common misconceptions surrounding Hominids by providing a solid understanding of the entire Hominidae family.

The Hominoidea Family Tree - Living Members The diagram on the right shows the family tree for Hominids, stemming from the Super family Hominoidea. The Hominoidea Super family contains both the families Hominidae and Hylobatidae. The Hylobatidae family is more commonly known as the lesser apes. The prominent species within the family Hylobatidae are the gibbons.

The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number, which is in brackets, Hylobates (44), Hoolock (38), Nomascus (52), and Symphalangus (50). Diploid Chromosomes are two complementary chromosomes, with one chromosome being derived from the mother and the other from the father. All animals have a characteristic number of diploid chromosomes in their body cells and this number is called the diploid number. There are many differences between the lesser apes in the Hylobatidae family and the great apes in the Hominidae family.

The lesser apes are much smaller than the great apes, and their physiological make up is much closer to that of monkeys than a great ape. Some extant species that belong to the Hylobates genus are the Lar Gibbon or Hylobates Lar, the Agile Gibbon or Hylobates agi lis, the M"uller's Bornean Gibbon or Hylobates Mueller i, the Silvery Gibbon or Hylobates moloch, the Pileate d Gibbon or Hylobates pilatus and the Kloss's Gibbon or Hylobates kloss ii. Some extant species that belong to the Hoolock genus are the Western Hoolock Gibbon or Hoolock Hoolock and the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon or Hoolock leuconedys. An extant species that belongs to the Symphalangus genus is the Siamang or Symphalangus syndactyl us.

Some extant species that belong to the Nomascus genus are the Concolor Black Crested Gibbon or Nomascus concolor, the Eastern Black Crested Gibbon or Nomascus nasutus, the White-cheeked Crested Gibbon or Nomascus leucogenys and the Yellow-cheeked Gibbon or Nomascus gabriella e. The two subfamilies of Hominidae are Homininae and Ponginae. In the past, the subfamily Ponginae was considered to be a separate family altogether called Ponginae, however due to some contradictions in the definitions of this family it was later regrouped and renamed. The subfamily Ponginae contains the genus, Pongo. Some extant species that belong to this genus are the Bornean Orangutan, or Pongo pygmaeus, as well as the Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus, the Pongo pygmaeus morio, the Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii and the Sumatran Orangutan, or Pongo abel ii. The subfamily Homininae contains some of the closest relatives to humans, including gorillas and chimpanzees.

Unlike the subfamily Ponginae, however, the subfamily Homininae then splits into two different tribes, called Hominini and Gorillini respectively. The tribe Hominini contains the genera Homo and Pan, while the tribe Gorillini contains the genus Gorilla. Some of the extant species that belong to the genus Gorilla are the Western Lowland Gorilla or Gorilla gorilla gorilla, the Cross River Gorilla or Gorilla gorilla diehl i, the Mountain Gorilla or Gorilla beringei beringei and the Eastern Lowland Gorilla or Gorilla beringei grau eri. Some of the extant species that belong the genus Pan are the Central Chimpanzee or Pan troglodytes troglodytes, the West African Chimpanzee or Pan troglodytes virus, the Nigerian Chimpanzee or Pan troglodytes vellerosus, the Nigerian Chimpanzee or Pan troglodytes vellerosus and the Pygmy Chimpanzee or Pan paniscus. The only extant members of the genus Homo are Humans. The Hominoidea Family Tree - Extinct Members The members of the super family Hominoidea have been walking on the earth for tens, if not thousands, of millions of years.

As a result of this massive time frame, many different species have died out and become extinct over time. There is a wide range of reasons for the species to have died out, including climate change, competition within the food chain, and having to contest with more advanced species. Also, as a result of the long time frame, many of the species within the family would most likely be direct ancestors. As the species evolved, there DNA would split, creating different species. At some stages it is possible that the two species could have even been living side by side, until the more evolved and advanced species became dominant, driving the other to extinction. Gigantopithecus was a genus of ape that existed from as long ago as five million years to as recently as 100 thousand years ago in what today are China, India, and Vietnam, placing Gigantopithecus in the same time frame and geographical location as early hominids such as Homo erectus.

The fossil record suggests that the Gigantopithecus species were the largest apes that ever lived. It was probably a quadruped and an herbivore, existing on a diet primarily of bamboo, possibly supplemented with seasonal fruits. However, recent theory suggests it was a generalist in its eating habits. Although it is not known why Gigantopithecus died out, researchers believe that climate change and resource competition with better adapted species were the main culprits.

Ardipithecus is a very early hominid genus. Ardipithecus shares several traits with the genera Pan and Gorilla, which is why it is considered by some to be contained in one of these genus, rather than the genus Homo, but most consider it a proto-human because of a likeness in teeth with Australopithecus. Ardipithecus lived about 4.4 million years ago during the early Pliocene period. Sahelanthropus tchadensis is classified as the oldest possible member of the human family tree. The species has been more recently identified as a Miocene ape related to humans and other living African apes. S. tchadensis is thought to have lived approximately 7 million years ago. Orrorin tugenensis is considered as the second oldest possible hominid ancestor related to modern humans (the oldest being Sahelanthropus tchadensis) and is the only species classified in genus Orrorin.

The name was given by the discoverers who found Orrorin fossils in the Tug en Hills of Kenya. By using radiometric dating techniques, the volcanic tufts where the fossils were found date to between 6.1 and 5.8 million years ago, during the Miocene. This find is very significant because it could represent one of the earliest fossils with evidence of bipedal locomotion in human ancestors. Oreopithecus is a prehistoric primate genus from the Miocene period whose fossils have been found in Italy and in East Africa. The most well known species in this genus is the Swamp Ape, or Oreopithecus bambolii. To date, over 50 individuals have been discovered from the Tuscan mines of Monte Bamboli, Baccinello, Montemassi, Caste ani, and Rib olla, making Oreopithecus one of the best-represented fossil apes..