hominoid

Hominoids, or the hominoid primates, constitute the primate superfamily Hominoidea. The group includes the gibbons (family Hylobatidae) and the great apes (family Hominidae), which in turn encompasses orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. Compared with monkeys, hominoids are generally tailless, have larger brains relative to body size, and show more prolonged development and social complexity. They also exhibit a wide range of locomotion, from brachiation in smaller apes to knuckle-walking in great apes and bipedal tendencies in humans.

Taxonomy and classification: Hominoidea is divided into two families: Hylobatidae (the gibbons) and Hominidae (the great apes and humans). Within Hominidae, the subfamily Ponginae includes the orangutans, while Homininae includes the African apes—gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans. The term hominid is sometimes used in modern literature to refer to members of Hominidae or to the human lineage and its fossil relatives.

Distribution and behavior: Gibbons are native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia; orangutans are found in parts of Southeast Asia; gorillas and chimpanzees inhabit various forest and woodland regions of Africa. Humans are globally distributed. Social structures range from pair-bonded groups in gibbons to more complex, variable multi-community associations in other species, with diets and tool use varying accordingly.

Evolution and fossil record: The Hominoidea lineage originated in the Miocene epoch, diverging from other primates roughly 25–30 million years ago. The two families emerged in subsequent epochs, with the human lineage (hominins) diverging from the chimpanzee lineage around roughly 6–7 million years ago. The fossil record includes early and diverse hominoids, illustrating a long trajectory toward increased brain size and social complexity.