What is a hominid?
Q: What is a hominid?
A: A hominid is any member of the biological family Hominidae, which includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.
Q: What is the difference between a hominoid and a hominid?
A: A hominoid is a member of the superfamily Hominoidea which includes lesser apes (gibbons) and great apes. A hominid is a member of the family Hominidae which only includes the great apes.
Q: What does it mean to be a "hominine"?
A: A hominine is a member of the subfamily Homininae which includes gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans (but excludes orangutans).
Q: How are humans classified in terms of taxonomy?
A: Humans are classified as members of Homo sapiens.
Q: What led to bipedalism in early human evolution?
A: Bipedalism was likely caused by an evolutionary move from rainforest to savannah and woodland environments.
Q: Is there dispute over whether humans should be considered separate from other great apes?
A: Yes, there is debate over whether humans should be considered separate from other great apes due to differences in morphology and lifestyle versus genetics.
Q: What standard do most scientists use when classifying species today?
A: Most scientists use genetics as their primary standard for classifying species today.
