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🗿intro to anthropology review

Hominoid

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Hominoids are a group of primates that includes all the great apes, such as chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and humans. They are characterized by their large size, lack of a tail, and highly developed intelligence and social behavior.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Hominoids are the most intelligent and socially complex of all primates, with the ability to use tools and engage in complex communication.
  2. The great apes, including chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans, are all classified as hominoids.
  3. Hominoids are characterized by their large size, with most species weighing over 100 pounds, and their lack of a tail.
  4. Hominoids have a unique hand and finger structure that allows for precise manipulation of objects, a key adaptation for tool use.
  5. The evolution of hominoids has been a subject of intense study, as they are closely related to humans and provide insights into our own evolutionary history.

Review Questions

  • Describe the key physical characteristics that distinguish hominoids from other primates.
    • Hominoids are characterized by their large size, lack of a tail, and highly developed hands and fingers. These adaptations allow them to engage in complex tool use and manipulation, as well as to exhibit advanced social behaviors. Additionally, hominoids have a larger brain size compared to other primates, which is associated with their increased intelligence and problem-solving abilities.
  • Explain the evolutionary relationship between hominoids and humans.
    • Hominoids, including the great apes, are closely related to humans and are considered our closest living relatives. Humans are classified as a type of hominoid, belonging to the hominid family. The evolutionary divergence between hominoids and humans occurred millions of years ago, with humans and chimpanzees sharing a common ancestor around 6-7 million years ago. Understanding the evolutionary history and shared characteristics of hominoids provides valuable insights into the origins and development of human traits and behaviors.
  • Analyze the significance of hominoids in the study of primate evolution and behavior.
    • Hominoids, with their advanced cognitive abilities, complex social structures, and tool-using behaviors, are crucial to the study of primate evolution and behavior. By examining the similarities and differences between hominoids and other primates, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the evolutionary processes that led to the emergence of human-like traits and the factors that shape primate social and cognitive development. Additionally, the study of hominoids, particularly the great apes, can provide important insights into the origins of human language, culture, and cooperation, as well as the evolutionary basis for our own unique behavioral and cognitive capabilities.