Question

Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Monkeys belong to the same
A. Species
B. Genus
C. Family
D. Order

Answer 1

Hint: Taxonomy or systematics is the branch of biology that classifies organisms using a hierarchical manner with one or more groups.

Complete Answer:
The taxonomic classification of living organisms consists of the following levels, which are domain, kingdom, phylum, classes, order, families, genus, and species.

1) The domain is the highest rank of organisms while species is the lowest rank of organisms. The domain - Eukaryota is defined as organisms having a true nucleus and gorilla, chimpanzee, monkeys have true nucleus therefore they are grouped under the same domain.

2) The kingdom Animalia includes all the members which are animals including humans. Animals are heterotrophs,i.e. they completely depend on other organisms for a food source and are multicellular organisms. They reproduce sexually. Therefore, gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys belong to the same kingdom Animalia.

3) The phylum is ranked next to the kingdom. Phylum Chordata includes characteristics such as the presence of notochord which is an elastic rod that extends between the digestive tube and nerve cord, also called the spinal cord. The dorsal nerve cord, post-anal tail are some of the features of Chordata. Therefore, gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys show features of Chordata, they are grouped under the phylum Chordata.

4) Gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys belong to class Mammalia as they share some characteristics of mammals, which is the presence of mammary glands and giving birth to young ones.

5) Gorilla and chimpanzee are also called great apes because they tend to share more similarities with humans and also lack tails while most species of monkeys have a tail. The apes and monkeys are therefore two kinds of animals but biologically they belong to the same order primates. These are characterized by animals having fingers, highly flexible arms, forward-facing eyes. Primates have flexible limbs and grasping hands that make it easy for them to climb from one tree to another.

Therefore, the correct answer is option D Order.

Additional information:
- Monkeys resemble other mammals than apes and humans.
For example, apes and humans can swing from branch to branch but most monkeys can't swing because their shoulder bones have a different structure. Instead, monkeys run faster on the tops of branches. Their skeletal structure is similar to a cat, dog or other four-footed animal.
- According to comparison of anatomy and genetics, chimpanzees are more related to humans than gorillas.

Note: Species, Family, and Genus are different in gorillas, chimpanzees, and monkeys. Apes of species are around 23 only while species of monkeys are hundreds. The family of apes is Hominidae and the family of monkeys is Callitrichidae. The genus of gorillas, chimpanzees is Gorilla and Pan respectively while the genus is absent in monkeys.