Hominini
Taxonomic tribe comprising humans, chimpanzees, and bonobos.
The Hominini (hominins) are a taxonomic tribe within the subfamily Homininae (hominines). They comprise two extant genera: Homo (humans) and Pan (chimpanzees and bonobos), and in standard usage exclude the genus Gorilla (gorillas), which is grouped separately within the subfamily Homininae. The tribe is central to the study of human evolution, as it includes both the human lineage and the closest living relatives of humans.
- extant_genera
- Homo and Pan
- subfamily
- Homininae
- family
- Hominidae
- excluded_genus
- Gorilla (standard usage)
- alternative_definitions
- Some sources include Gorilla or exclude Pan
Lore & Background
The classification of Hominini has been subject to ongoing debate. Traditionally, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans were grouped together as pongids, excluding humans. However, accumulating evidence from genetic phylogeny confirmed that humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas are more closely related to each other than to the orangutan. This led to the reassignment of orangutans to the family Hominidae and the grouping of gorillas as a separate tribe (Gorillini) within Homininae. Still, details of this reassignment remain contested, and not every source excludes gorillas or includes chimpanzees in Hominini.
Reader's Guide
The tribe Hominini is significant because it encompasses the evolutionary lineage that includes modern humans and their closest living relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos. The classification of Hominini has been central to debates in human taxonomy, particularly regarding the placement of gorillas and the definition of what constitutes a 'hominin'. The term itself has been used in multiple, sometimes conflicting, ways: some authorities include both Homo and Pan, while others restrict it to the human lineage after the split from chimpanzees. This ambiguity reflects the complex evolutionary history of the group, including evidence of hybridization between proto-human and chimpanzee lineages as late as 6.3 to 5.4 million years ago. The study of Hominini has been informed by genetic analysis, which shows that humans and Pan are 99% identical in DNA, though one study found only 94% commonality. Fossil evidence, including genera such as Sahelanthropus, Orrorin, Ardipithecus, and Australopithecus, has been evaluated for their probability of being ancestral to Homo and their relatedness to other living primates. The legacy of Hominini lies in its role as a framework for understanding human origins and the relationships among great apes.
Did You Know?
- Not every source excludes gorillas from Hominini, and not every source includes chimpanzees.
- Humans are the only extant species in the Australopithecine branch (subtribe), which also contains many extinct close relatives.
- Genetic analysis combined with fossil evidence indicates that hominoids diverged from Old World monkeys about 25 million years ago.
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