Anatomy, Comparative; Embryology, Human; Evolution; Human beings -- Origin
The second, larger and stronger, genus of Asiatic anthropoid ape is
the orang (Satyrus); he is now found only in the islands of Borneo and
Sumatra. Selenka, who has published a very thorough Study of the
Development and Cranial Structure of the Anthropoid Apes (1899),
distinguishes ten races of the orang, which may, however, also be
regarded as "local varieties or species." They fall into two
sub-genera or genera: one group, Dissatyrus (orang-bentang, Figure
1.205), is distinguished for the strength of its limbs, and the
formation of very peculiar and salient cheek-pads in the elderly male;
these are wanting in the other group, the ordinary orang-outang
(Eusatyrus).
(FIGURE 1.206. The bald-headed chimpanzee (Anthropithecus calvus).
Female. This fresh species, described by Frank Beddard in 1897 as
Troglodytes calvus, differs considerably from the ordinary A. niger
Figure 1.207) in the structure of the head, the colouring, and the
absence of hair in parts.)
Several species have lately been distinguished in the two genera of
the black African anthropoid apes (chimpanzee and gorilla). In the
genus Anthropithecus (or Anthropopithecus, formerly Troglodytes), the
bald-headed chimpanzee, A. calvus (Figure 1.206), and the gorilla-like
A. mafuca differ very strikingly from the ordinary Anthropithecus
niger (Figure 1.207), not only in the size and proportion of many
parts of the body, but also in the peculiar shape of the head,
especially the ears and lips, and in the hair and colour. The
controversy that still continues as to whether these different forms
of chimpanzee and orang are "merely local varieties" or "true species"
is an idle one; as in all such disputes of classifiers there is an
utter absence of clear ideas as to what a species really is.
Of the largest and most famous of all the anthropoid apes, the
gorilla, Paschen has lately discovered a giant-form in the interior of
the Cameroons, which seems to differ from the ordinary species
(Gorilla gina Figure 1.208), not only by its unusual size and
strength, but also by a special formation of the skull. This giant
gorilla (Gorilla gigas, Figure 1.209) is six feet eight inches long;
the span of its great arms is about nine feet; its powerful chest is
twice as broad as that of a strong man.
(FIGURE 1.207. Female chimpanzee (Anthropithecus niger). (From Brehm.)
FIGURE 1.208. Female gorilla. (From Brehm.)
FIGURE 1.209. Male giant-gorilla (Gorilla gigas), from Yaunde, in the
interior of the Cameroons. killed by H. Paschen, stuffed by Umlauff.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account