Ape Scientific Name​, Genus, Habitat, Diet, Types, and Facts

What is the scientific name for apes? The ape scientific name is Hominidae.

Apes are tailless, intelligent primates that share a very close evolutionary relationship with humans. They are part of a diverse group that comprises gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gibbons. In this article, you will be informed about the ape scientific name, pronunciation, meaning, classification, types, diet, habitat, lifespan, and the key differences that distinguish apes from monkeys.

What is the Biological Name For Apes?

The scientific name for ape refers to the superfamily Hominoidea, which includes the great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, bonobos, and humans) and the lesser apes (gibbons).

How to Pronounce the Ape Scientific Name

Hominoidea Pronounced: /hoʊˈmɪnɔɪdiə/

• Ho: like hoe in gardening
• mi: like mi in minute
• noi: rhymes with toy
• dea: sounds like dee-uh

Meaning of the Ape Scientific Name

The word Hominoidea comes from its Greek roots.

• Homo: human
• oidea: resembling or like

This is because they reflect the fact that apes are indeed the living closest relatives of humans in the animal kingdom.

Biological Classification of Apes

Types of Apes with Scientific Names

Apes are tailless primates known for their intelligence, social behaviour, and the close link to humans. They are divided between lesser apes and great apes.

1. Lesser Apes (Family: Hylobatidae)

Lesser apes are small animals compared to great apes. They are highly adapted to aquatic life, and all species are found in the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they perform “brachiation” by swinging from branch to branch with the help of their long arms.

Common Lesser Apes:

Gibbons (Genus: Hylobates, Nomascus, Symphalangus, Hoolock)

These apes fly through miles and miles of forest, sending songs.

• Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar): Found in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia; best known for their loud, melodic calls.
• Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus): The largest gibbon, distinguished by a throat sac that acts like an amplifier for its calls.
• Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys): Males are black with white cheeks; females are golden.

2. Great Apes (Family: Hominidae)

The great apes are larger than average in size, more intelligent, and show signs of tool use. They have a complex emotional life, long life spans, and rich social structures.

Orangutans (Genus: Pongo):

Orangutans are the only great apes native to Asia. Rarely seen together, they live solitary for most of their lives and are arboreal animals.

• Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus): Bigger and darker-haired than other species.
• Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii): Lighter hair and slimmer build; critically endangered.
• Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis): The rarest among great apes, with fewer than a thousand individuals left.

Gorillas (Genus: Gorilla):

Gorillas are the largest living primates and are social animals that live in family groups called troops, often led by a dominant male.

• Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla): Consists of the Western Lowland Gorilla and Cross River Gorilla.
• Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei): Consists of the Mountain Gorilla and Eastern Lowland Gorilla.

Chimpanzees and Bonobos (Genus: Pan):

Chimpanzees are known for their tool use and complex political systems, while bonobos are famous for their peaceful, matriarchal societies.

• Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes): Inhabits savanna and forest in Africa; uses tools made of sticks, rocks, and/or leaves.
• Bonobo (Pan paniscus): Smaller and more slender than chimpanzees; called the peaceful ape.

Habitat of Apes

Apes are primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and Asia, where they thrive in warm, densely vegetated areas. Here, the distribution of habitats is as follows:

• Dense rainforests:
  • The great apes rely on a thick forest canopy to satisfy their needs for food, shelter, and protection from predators. For example, they include the gorillas, the chimpanzees, and the orangutans.
• Mountain areas:
  • Mountain gorillas are found on volcanic mountain ranges in central Africa, where cooler temperatures and altitude create forests growing in a very unique environment.
• Swamps and lowland forests:
  • Some species, like lowland gorillas, inhabit swampy regions, where dense areas of water-rich vegetation occur.
• Woodlands Mixed forests:
  • Gibbons are mostly found swinging from tree to tree, roaming open forest areas.

For they depend on tree communities for food, nesting, and protection; apes do not usually reside in open grasslands. Their habitat is also of great importance to world biodiversity, thus making conservation efforts a need.

Diet of Apes

Although both plant and animal materials are consumed in a balanced diet, the majority of a ape’s diet is plant-based. Common foods include:

• Fruits: The most abundant source of energy for most monkey species, providing natural sugars and vitamins.
• Leaves and stems: Provide important fiber and minerals.
• Seeds and nuts: A good source of healthy fats and protein.
• Flowers and buds: Eat them when they are in season for extra nutrition.
• Insects: For example, termites and ants provide a rich source of protein.

Some species, particularly chimpanzees, occasionally hunt small game such as monkeys or birds. Maintaining a varied diet meets their nutritional needs while providing an important ecological function of dispersing seeds to preserve the forest ecosystem.

Lifespan of Apes

In the Wild

• Gorillas: 35–50 years
• Chimpanzees: 33–38 years
• Orangutans: 30–40 years
• Gibbons: 25–35 years

In Captivity

Apes live longer lives due to a constant supply of food, animal care, and the absence of predators. Great apes live for over 60 years in zoos and sanctuaries.

Apes Names in Different Languages

Sound and Characteristics of Apes

Sounds and Communication:

• Apes make sounds and gestures.
• Grunt and hoot (in the case of gibbons).
• Thud against the chest (gorillas).
• Screeches and pant hoots from the chimpanzees.
• Complex calls vocal (in that of orangutans).

Special Features of Apes:

• Absence of tail.
• Flexible joints of the shoulder
• Within the body size, a large brain was present.
• There is a very high intellect in solving problems.
• Great Social Bonds.

Conclusion

The scientific name for ape, “Hominoidea,” refers to highly intelligent and social primates, mostly flexible and adaptable to a variety of habitats. Because of this and learning their classification, habitats, diet, sounds, and types, one comes to know a little more about one’s own evolutionary history.

Related Articles

• Human Biological Name
• Gorilla Scientific Name
• Chimpanzee Scientific Name
• Monkey Binomial Name