Hominid

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The term hominid has two common definitions.

  1. It can, colloquially [1], refer to the ancestors of modern humans. It is also commonly used by scientists to refer to human ancestors and closely related species like Neanderthals.[2] However, the correct term for this group is hominina
  2. In taxonomy, it can refer to humans, as well as the great apes, including gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and their evolutionary ancestors. This technical definition is preferred by biologists, as per the Linnaean System of Classification which groups organisms together by their ancestry.
  3. If you're reading this article, you're a hominid.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=hominid
  2. This museum exhibit on hominids does not include gorillas.


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