Bilaterally symmetrical animals
FAMILY: Gibbons
Gibbons are well known for having developed long arms and versatile wrists, which make them experts at brachiation, or swinging from tree to tree.
The versatile wrist has developed much more like a shoulder, in that it is a ball and socket joint. This is not the case for the great apes, which are the other ape family.
Gibbons use their vocal ability to attract a mate and to deter other gibbons from invading their territory.
Gibbons have large eyes in comparison to the rest of their face.
Gibbons are the smallest of the apes, and they were they were distinguishable before the apes which are called the orangutan, the gorilla, the chimpanzee and the human. This has led to the gibbon being called the lesser ape to distinguish it from the great apes.
It is thought that the gibbon speciated from the rest of the apes around 15 million years ago.
Gibbons are threatened in the same manner as all non-human apes by habitat destruction and poaching, both by humans.
Their are four genera of gibbon, all of which have been distinguished by their diploid chromosome number, each of which is unique to their genus. The diploid chromosome number refers to the amount of chromosomes passed down from the mother and father of the individual. The mother and father will have each passed down half of the total chromosomes. Chromosomes are found in cells and carry DNA which is integral in moulding the characteristics of the new individual.
The hylobates are the most populous of the gibbon genera. They all share a diploid chromosome number of 44 and often have a white ring around their face.
The nomascus are the second most populous species of gibbon. The species of the nomascus genus have various fur colouration. They have a diploid chromosome number of 52.
The symphalangus genus is the one which contains the siamang species, which is the largest of the gibbons. Symphalangus members have black fur, a first finger which is partially fused to the middle finger and a throat sac which can enlarge to the size of the individual's head. Their diploid chromosome number is 50.
The hoolock gibbons are the second largest of all gibbons and have white ringed eyes and mouths. The diploid chromosome number is this genus is 38.
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Gibbons with white ringed faces. |
NOMASCUS Second most populous gibbon. |
SYMPHALANGUS Largest of the gibbons. |
HOOLOCK Second largest of the gibbons. |
