Hominidae Biological Family
Uploaded by matty on Nov 11, 2007
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, Infraorder: 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...