Question

Which of the following is the closest relative of man?
a) Chimpanzee
b) Gorilla
c) Orangutan
d) Gibbon

Answer 1

Hint: It shows about 99% genetic resemblance with its ancestor and it may have lived about 4 to 8 million years ago. The difference of chromosome number between it and humans is only two.

Complete answer:
Let’s discuss the given option and find the correct answer.
a) Chimpanzees are believed to have shared some common characteristics with humans. Their chromosome number is 48 whereas in man's the chromosome number is 46. Recently in 2005, a study of DNA sequence between man and chimpanzee suggests that there is a similarity of approximately 99%.
b)Gorilla By collecting the DNA from Gorilla, Chimpanzee and man, it is noticed that there is a similarity of about 15% DNA with others. So from this, it is concluded that Gorilla and Chimpanzees are very close relatives.
c) Orangutans are apes found in Indonesia and Malaysia. Because of some physiological resemblance, the genetic difference becomes shaded in case of Humans and Orangutans. Earlier, it was believed that it may be the close relative of humans and becomes controversial. Later, it is excluded.
d)Gibbons are small apes found in Southern Asia. Genomic study reveals that there is approximately 96% similarity of DNA between humans and Gibbons and they are distantly related to other apes.

Hence, the correct answer is option A. Chimpanzee.

Note:Gorillas are believed to be close relatives of Chimpanzee whereas Gibbons are closest ape cousins. Orangutan is somewhere believed to be the closest ancestor of humans but later it is dismissed. One should always have knowledge about their chromosome number.