Hominoidea is a superfamily of primates. Members of this superfamily are called hominoids or apes, and include gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, gibbons, bonobos, and humans. Hominoidea is one of the six major groups in the order Primates. The majority are found in forests in Southeastern Asia and Equatorial Africa, with the exception of humans, which have spread worldwide to every biome. They range in size from some gibbon species in the genus Nomascus , at 40 cm (16 in), to the eastern gorilla, at 196 cm (77 in), not including limbs. Hominoids primarily eat fruit, leaves, flowers, and insects, though humans are omnivorous. Most hominoids do not have population estimates, but the ones that do range from 10 mature individuals to 47,000, in addition to over 8 billion humans. Nearly every species is categorized as endangered or critically endangered; aside from humans, the only exception is the eastern hoolock gibbon, classified as vulnerable.
The twenty-eight extant species of Hominoidea are divided into two families: Hominidae, containing five gorilla, chimpanzee, and human species divided into three genera in the subfamily Homininae, and three orangutan species in a single genus in the subfamily Ponginae; and Hylobatidae, containing twenty gibbon species divided into four genera. Dozens of extinct prehistoric hominoid species have been discovered, though due to ongoing research and discoveries the exact number and categorization is not fixed. [1]
Conservation status | |
---|---|
EX | Extinct (0 species) |
EW | Extinct in the wild (0 species) |
CR | Critically Endangered (10 species) |
EN | Endangered (16 species) |
VU | Vulnerable (1 species) |
NT | Near threatened (0 species) |
LC | Least concern (0 species) |
Other categories | |
DD | Data deficient (0 species) |
NE | Not evaluated (1 species) |
Conservation status codes listed follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Range maps are provided wherever possible; if a range map is not available, a description of the hominoid's range is provided. Ranges are based on the IUCN Red List for that species unless otherwise noted. All extinct genera, species, or subspecies listed alongside extant species went extinct after 1500 CE, and are indicated by a dagger symbol "†".
The superfamily Hominoidea consists of two extant families: Hominidae and Hylobatidae. Hominidae is divided into two subfamilies: Homininae, containing five species divided between three genera, and Ponginae, containing three species in a single genus. Hylobatidae contains twenty species in four genera.
Family Hominidae
Family Hylobatidae
The following classification is based on the taxonomy described by the reference work Mammal Species of the World (2005), with augmentation by generally accepted proposals made since using molecular phylogenetic analysis, as supported by both the IUCN and the American Society of Mammalogists. [3]
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern gorilla | G. beringei Matschie, 1903 Two subspecies
| Central Africa | Size: 160–196 cm (63–77 in) long [4] Habitat: Forest [5] Diet: Roots, leaves, stems, and pith, as well as bark, wood, flowers, fruit, fungi, galls, invertebrates, and gorilla dung [6] | CR
|
Western gorilla | G. gorilla (Savage, 1847) Two subspecies
| Western Africa | Size: 130–185 cm (51–73 in) long [7] Habitat: Forest [8] Diet: Leaves, berries, ferns, and fibrous bark [9] | CR
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Human | H. sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 | Worldwide (population density shown) | Size: 140–210 cm (55–83 in) long, including legs [10] Habitat: Varied Diet: Omnivorous | NE
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bonobo | P. paniscus Schwarz, 1929 | Central Africa | Size: 70–83 cm (28–33 in) long [11] Habitat: Forest [12] Diet: Fruits and seeds, as well as leaves, stems, shoots, pith, bark, flowers, truffles, fungus, and honey [12] | EN
|
Chimpanzee | P. troglodytes (Blumenbach, 1775) Four subspecies
| Central and western Africa | Size: 63–90 cm (25–35 in) long [13] Habitat: Forest and savanna [14] Diet: Fruit, leaves, stems, buds, bark, pith, seeds, and resins, as well as insects, small vertebrates, and eggs [15] | EN
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bornean orangutan | P. pygmaeus (Linnaeus, 1760) Three subspecies
| Borneo | Size: 78–97 cm (31–38 in) long [16] Habitat: Forest [17] Diet: Fruit, leaves, shoots, as well as insects, sap, vines, spider webs, bird eggs, fungi, flowers, bark, and soil [18] | CR
|
Sumatran orangutan | P. abelii Lesson, 1827 | Northern island of Sumatra in Indonesia | Size: 78–97 cm (31–38 in) long [16] Habitat: Forest [19] Diet: Fruit, leaves, flowers, and bark, as well as insects and eggs [20] | CR
|
Tapanuli orangutan | P. tapanuliensis Nurcahyo, Meijaard, Nowak, Fredriksson, Groves, 2017 | South Tapanuli in Sumatra | Size: 78–97 cm (31–38 in) long [16] [21] Habitat: Forest [22] Diet: Fruit and leaves [23] | CR
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern hoolock gibbon | H. leuconedys (Groves, 1967) | Southern Asia | Size: About 55 cm (22 in) long [24] Habitat: Forest [25] Diet: Fruit, as well as leaves and shoots [25] | VU
|
Skywalker hoolock gibbon | H. tianxing Fan, 2017 | Southern Asia | Size: About 81 cm (32 in) long [26] Habitat: Forest [27] Diet: Fruit and leaves, as well as invertebrates, bird chicks, and flowers [27] | EN
|
Western hoolock gibbon | H. hoolock (Harlan, 1834) | Southern Asia | Size: 45–65 cm (18–26 in) long [28] Habitat: Forest [29] Diet: Fruit and leaves [29] | EN
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Agile gibbon | H. agilis F. Cuvier, 1821 | Southeastern Asia | Size: 45–65 cm (18–26 in) long [30] Habitat: Forest [31] Diet: Fruit, as well as flowers, leaves, and insects [31] | EN
|
Bornean white-bearded gibbon | H. albibarbis Lyon, 1911 | Southern Borneo | Size: 45–65 cm (18–26 in) long [30] [32] Habitat: Forest [33] Diet: Fruit, as well as leaves, insects, and flowers [33] | EN
|
Eastern grey gibbon | H. funereus I. Geoffroy, 1850 | Northern Borneo (in yellow) | Size: 47–49 cm (19–19 in) long [34] Habitat: Forest [35] Diet: Fruit, as well as leaves, flowers, and insects [34] | EN
|
Kloss's gibbon | H. klossii (Miller, 1903) | Mentawai Islands, west of Sumatra | Size: 44–64 cm (17–25 in) long [36] Habitat: Forest [37] Diet: Fruit, as well as flowers, eggs, small vertebrates, and insects [36] | EN
|
Lar gibbon | H. lar (Linnaeus, 1771) Five subspecies
| Southeastern Asia | Size: 45–60 cm (18–24 in) long [30] Habitat: Forest [38] Diet: Fruit, as well as leafy plants, flowers, and insects [39] | EN
|
Müller's gibbon | H. muelleri Martin, 1841 | Southeastern Asia | Size: 44–64 cm (17–25 in) long [40] Habitat: Forest [41] Diet: Fruit, as well as leaves [40] | EN
|
Pileated gibbon | H. pileatus (Gray, 1861) | Southeastern Asia | Size: 45–64 cm (18–25 in) long [42] Habitat: Forest [43] Diet: Fruit, as well as leaves, shoots, insects, eggs, and small vertebrates [42] | EN
|
Silvery gibbon | H. moloch (Audebert, 1798) | Island of Java in Indonesia | Size: 42–64 cm (17–25 in) long [44] Habitat: Forest [45] Diet: Fruit and leaves, as well as flowers and insects [45] | EN
|
Western grey gibbon | H. abbotti Kloss, 1929 | Western Borneo | Size: 42–64 cm (17–25 in) long [44] Habitat: Forest [46] Diet: Leaves, fruit, flowers, and insects [46] | EN
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Black crested gibbon | N. concolor (Harlan, 1826) Four subspecies
| Southeastern Asia | Size: 43–54 cm (17–21 in) long [47] Habitat: Forest [48] Diet: Leaves and fruit, as well as buds, flowers, insects, eggs, and small vertebrates [47] | CR
|
Eastern black crested gibbon | N. nasutus (Künckel d'Herculais, 1884) | Southeastern Asia | Size: 40–60 cm (16–24 in) long [49] Habitat: Forest [50] Diet: Fruit, leaves, and buds, as well as animals, flowers, and plant parts [50] | CR
|
Hainan black crested gibbon | N. hainanus (Thomas, 1892) | Island of Hainan in China | Size: 40–60 cm (16–24 in) long [49] Habitat: Forest [51] Diet: Fruit [51] | CR
|
Northern buffed-cheeked gibbon | N. annamensis Thinh, 2010 | Southeastern Asia | Size: 40–60 cm (16–24 in) long [49] Habitat: Forest [52] Diet: Fruit, leaves, shoots, and flowers, as well as small mammals and lizards [52] | EN
|
Northern white-cheeked gibbon | N. leucogenys (Ogilby, 1840) | Southeastern Asia | Size: 45–63 cm (18–25 in) long [53] Habitat: Forest [54] Diet: Fruit, as well as leaves, flowers, and insects [53] | CR
|
Southern white-cheeked gibbon | N. siki (Delacour, 1951) | Southeastern Asia | Size: 47–64 cm (19–25 in) long [55] Habitat: Forest [56] Diet: Fruit [56] | CR
|
Yellow-cheeked gibbon | N. gabriellae (Thomas, 1909) | Southeastern Asia | Size: 45–50 cm (18–20 in) long [57] Habitat: Forest [58] Diet: Fruit, leaves, and flowers [58] | EN
|
Common name | Scientific name and subspecies | Range | Size and ecology | IUCN status and estimated population |
---|---|---|---|---|
Siamang | S. syndactylus (Raffles, 1821) | Southeastern Asia | Size: 71–90 cm (28–35 in) long [59] Habitat: Forest [60] Diet: Fruit and leaves, as well as flowers and insects [60] | EN
|
Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae. The family historically contained one genus, but now is split into four extant genera and 20 species. Gibbons live in subtropical and tropical rainforests from eastern Bangladesh to Northeast India to southern China and Indonesia.
The agile gibbon, also called the black-handed gibbon, is an Old World primate, and is a part of the gibbon family. It is native to Indonesia, specifically, on the island of Sumatra. The agile gibbon can also be found in Malaysia, and southern Thailand. As appointed by the IUCN Red List, this species is endangered, and mainly due to the destruction of their habitat and pet trade.
The silvery gibbon, also known as the Javan gibbon, is a primate in the gibbon family Hylobatidae. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Java, where it inhabits undisturbed rainforests up to an altitude of 2,450 m (8,040 ft). It has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2008, as the wild population is estimated to comprise less than 2500 mature individuals.
Müller's gibbon, also known as the southern grey gibbon, is a primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae.
Trachypithecus is a genus of Old World monkeys containing species known as lutungs, langurs, or leaf monkeys. Their range is much of Southeast Asia.
Presbytis is a genus of Old World monkeys also known as langurs, leaf monkeys, or surilis. Members of the genus live in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, on Sumatra, Borneo, Java and smaller nearby islands.
The genus Hylobates is one of the four genera of gibbons. Its name means "forest walker", from the Greek hūlē and bates.
Nomascus is the second-most speciose genus of the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. Originally, this genus was a subgenus of Hylobates, with all individuals considered to be one species, H. concolor.
The eastern black-crested gibbon, also known as the Cao-vit black crested gibbon or the Cao-vit crested gibbon, is a species of gibbon from southeast China and northern Vietnam, with two subspecies. The term "Cao-vit" originated from the sounds of their calls or songs that villagers of Ngoc Khe, Phong Nam and Ngoc Con communes of Trung Khanh District, Cao Bang Province of Vietnam use to name for them.
The yellow-cheeked gibbon, also called the golden-cheeked gibbon, the yellow-cheeked crested gibbon, the golden-cheeked crested gibbon, the red-cheeked gibbon, or the buffed-cheeked gibbon, is a species of gibbon native to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The species was discovered and named after the British naturalist Gabrielle Maud Vassal.
The northern white-cheeked gibbon is a Critically Endangered species of gibbon native to South East Asia.
The western hoolock gibbon is a primate from the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. The species is found in Assam, Mizoram, and Meghalaya in India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar west of the Chindwin River.
The southern white-cheeked gibbon is a species of gibbon native to Vietnam and Laos. It is closely related to the northern white-cheeked gibbon and the yellow-cheeked gibbon ; it has previously been identified as a subspecies of each of these.
The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates is a list of highly endangered primate species selected and published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) Primate Specialist Group (PSG), the International Primatological Society (IPS), Global Wildlife Conservation (GWC), and Bristol Zoological Society (BZS). The IUCN/SSC PSG worked with Conservation International (CI) to start the list in 2000, but in 2002, during the 19th Congress of the International Primatological Society, primatologists reviewed and debated the list, resulting in the 2002–2004 revision and the endorsement of the IPS. The publication was a joint project between the three conservation organizations until the 2012–2014 list when BZS was added as a publisher. The 2018–2020 list was the first time Conservation International was not among the publishers, replaced instead by GWC. The list has been revised every two years following the biannual Congress of the IPS. Starting with the 2004–2006 report, the title changed to "Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates". That same year, the list began to provide information about each species, including their conservation status and the threats they face in the wild. The species text is written in collaboration with experts from the field, with 60 people contributing to the 2006–2008 report and 85 people contributing to the 2008–2010 report. The 2004–2006 and 2006–2008 reports were published in the IUCN/SSC PSG journal Primate Conservation,, since then they have been published as independent publications.
The northern buffed-cheeked gibbon is a newly discovered species of crested gibbon which is found in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Its habitat is in the humid subtropical and seasonal tropical forests of these countries.
The western grey gibbon, also known as Abbott's grey gibbon, is a primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. It was named after zoologist William Louis Abbott.
The eastern grey gibbon or northern grey gibbon is a primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae.