Bonobo
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The Bonobo (pan paniscus) is a part of the [Hominidae] family which also includes the [Chimpanzee], the [Gibbon], the [Gorilla], the [Orangutan], and the Human. The Bonobo has commonly been linked to the chimpanzee as a "Pygmy Chimpanzee" however this classification has been deteriorating in use due to the fact that the name gives false implications about the species. The pygmy portion of the name was given after a study of a Chimpanzee's bones and a Bonobo's bones. The study found the latter to be more gracile in comparison to the former's, thus the name was given. However the Bonobo is in fact an entirely seperate species from the Chimpanzee, in fact it is as closely related to them as humans are. [1] According to Mitochondrial DNA research the Chimpanzee and Bonobo species likely split from each other about 1.5 to 2 million years ago. [2]
Features
The Bonobo is about the same height as a Chimpanzee however the body size itself is more gracile and slender, making its body weight about 20% less. [3] It is born with black hair and skin, and remains this way throughout it's life, a Chimpanzee infant can be identified by it's pink skin that slowly becomes darker as it ages. An adult Bonobo can typically be distinguished from it's cousin by the way its hair flares out above its ear, among other less prominent features. The face of the Bonobo is flatter or less prognathic and it's ears are relatively smaller than the Chimpanzee's. Other features that distinguish it from the Chimpanzee that are harder to recognize are the Bonobo's cranial capacity, which is relatively smaller, and sagital cresting and nuchal cresting are virtually non-existant in the species, whereas it has been observed in the Chimpanzee's.
The Debate Over The Bonobo's Phylogeny
Some researchers developed a theory about the Bonobo's skeletal make-up and it's surprising resemblance to that of the extinct Australopithecine's skeletal remains. After comparing the two, a hypothesis was created claiming that the Bonobo was the proto-form of these extinct hominid species. [4] However many anthropologists objected to this idea. The Chimpanzee and Hominids diverged from each other about 5 million years ago, each taking separate evolutionary paths. The Bonobo did not diverge from the Chimpanzee until about 1.5 million years ago. This means that it's relation to the Chimpanzee is much closer than to the Australopithecines. One theory objecting to the Bonobo's relation to ancient hominids is that the build of the ape is actually an adaption to their unique ecological environment.[5] This claim noted that the Bonobo's pelvis is suited for quadrupedal knuckle walking, whereas bipedalism was a defining factor in making the Australopithecines hominids. [6] However the debate continues.
References
Citations
- ↑ Leach, Michael (1996). The great apes: our face in nature's mirror. London: Blandford. ISBN 0-7137-2614-8.
- ↑ Kanō, Takayoshi (1992). The last ape: pygmy chimpanzee behavior and ecology. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-1612-9.
- ↑ Leach, Michael (1996). The great apes: our face in nature's mirror. London: Blandford. ISBN 0-7137-2614-8.
- ↑ Blount, Ben G. (1990-09). "Issues in Bonobo (Pan paniscus) Sexual Behavior". American Anthropologist 92 (3): 702-714.
- ↑ Johnson, Steven C. (1981-08). "Bonobos: Generalized Hominid Prototypes or Specialized Insular Dwarfs?". Current Anthropology 22 (4): 363-375.
- ↑ Johnson, Steven C. (1981-08). "Bonobos: Generalized Hominid Prototypes or Specialized Insular Dwarfs?". Current Anthropology 22 (4): 363-375.