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Mar 17, 2017 · Scientists will be able to compare skeletons collected by Fossey in the 1960s and 1970s to skeletons of gorillas that have died in the decades since, looking for differences over time.
May 24, 2024 · Gorillas belong to the genus Gorilla and are divided into two species: the Eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and the Western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla). Despite the differences between these species, their skeletal structures share many common features, tailored to their robust and largely terrestrial lifestyle.
- What Is A Gorilla?
- What Is Unique About Gorilla Skull Size?
- What Are Some Notable Features?
- What Do These Features Tell Us?
- How Are Gorillas Doing Today?
Gorillas are large land mammals that live primarily in Rwanda, the Congo, Uganda, Angola, Cameroon, Central Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria depending on the subspecies. There are two species of gorilla and four subspecies: western gorillas (including western lowland gorillas and Cross River gorillas) and eastern gorillas (including ea...
Gorilla skulls are exceptionally large amongst primates. In fact, the average male gorilla’s skull is 16 cm high, 34 cm long, and 18 cm wide. Human skulls are 19 cm high, 15 cm long, and 18 cm wide. Skulls consist of the cranium (the brain case) and the splanchnocranium (the facial bones). The human cranium has a much larger volume than a gorilla’s...
{image: gorilla skull} This table describes a few different features present on ape skulls and compares them in humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. Each of these features can not only show us how the species differ from each other, but also about how they live. From these skull features we can learn about an animal’s diet, mating strategy, posture, ...
Sagittal crest
The sagittal crest is a bony ridge on top of some ape skulls that spans the cranium from front to back. By running your hand through your hair, you can pretty easily tell humans do not have one. In gorillas, however, the sagittal crest is an important muscle attachment site. The large sagittal crest indicates the attachment of large masticatory muscles (chewing muscles) capable of processing tough foods. Gorillas are folivores, meaning they rely mostly on foliage as a food source. Chewing a l...
Facial prognathism
Prognathism describes the degree to which an animal’s lower face protrudes forward. There is a general trend of decreasing facial prognathism along the human evolutionary lineage. Generally speaking, Gorillas, who share a distant ancestor with humans 12-17 million years ago, have a high degree of facial prognathism. Chimpanzees, who share a more recent ancestor with humans 6-10 million years ago, have reduced prognathism. Human ancestor species predating the genus homo exhibit only a slight d...
Foramen magnum
The foramen magnum is the hole at the base of a skull where the spinal cord exits. It’s position on primate skulls provides very important information that anthropologists use to understand existing species and fossil species. For example, in modern humans the foramen magnum is in an anterior (forward) position on the base of the skull. This trait evolved as ancient humans began walking on two feet (bipedalism). Bipedalism is a distinctly human trait amongst apes and is important to understan...
Both western gorillas and eastern gorillas are classified as critically endangered. This means the species are in immediate danger and near extinction. Habitat loss, hunting, and disease threaten gorillas most. Gorilla poaching is common for trophies and for the illegal meat trade in Africadespite local law. For example, the Gorilla Agreement prohi...
Gorillas are some of the most sexually dimorphic animals on earth. The male's crest is much, much bigger. Female gorillas have temporal lines instead of the crest. Skeletally, female gorillas are actually really easy to mistake for male chimps.
Dec 10, 2014 · Anywhere from six months to a year after the animals’ deaths, McFarlin’s team exhumes the skeletons—providing an unprecedented opportunity to compare the gorilla bones with the apes’ recorded life history. The result: a unique snapshot of the effects of socioecology, stress and environmental factors on the gorillas’ skeletal development.
Feb 23, 2024 · The cranial capacity, which is also the amount of space dedicated for a brain, is 1325 cubic centimeters in humans, while gorillas have about 500 cubic centimeters. This means that gorillas have one-third of the human brain. No Chin. If you compare the facial features of a gorilla and that of a human, you will find that gorillas have no chin. Yes.
Im willing to bet it was a nasty shatter/compound fracture relatively early in life or the calcification wouldn't be so pronounced. Probably gave them limited mobility and for an adult to suffer that severe of an injury, they probably wouldn't have been around too long after.
