Hominidae

Hominidae is a family of primates that includes eight extant species in four genera: Pongo, the Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan; Gorilla, the eastern and western gorilla; Pan, the common chimpanzee and the bonobo; and Homo, which includes modern humans and its extinct relatives (e.g., the Neanderthal, Denisovan, and Homo erectus), and possibly also the australopithecines.

Taxonomy and evolution

The Hominidae family, also known as the great apes, diverged from the Hylobatidae (gibbon) family 15–20 million years ago, and around 14 million years ago, the Ponginae subfamily diverged from the Hominidae family.

Genera

• Genus Pongo - orangutans
• Genus Gorilla - gorillas
• Genus Pan - chimpanzees and bonobos
• Genus Homo - humans

Characteristics

Members of the Hominidae family are characterized by their larger brain size, larger body size, less hair, and their abilities for tool use, problem solving, and complex social behaviors.

See also

• Primate
• Evolution of primates
• Human evolution

References

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External links

• Hominidae at WikiMD

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