There is a marked difference in tooth size between male and female gorillas within the same species. What other factors influenced the evolution of gorilla teeth? This female mountain gorilla lacks the large canine teeth of the male mountain gorilla Human teeth evolved to be smaller over time as food preparation made chewing easier. This is because with the discovery of fire, the ability to cook food has made it much easier for us to eat. Early human species also had larger canines, but throughout human evolution our teeth became smaller and less prominent.

Enlarged canines are essential for a diet that includes meat. Chimpanzee teeth are specialized for omnivorous food, including tough meats and plants. Likewise, other ape species, such as chimpanzees and humans, have teeth specialized for eating. As a result, gorillas have large teeth capable of grinding and breaking down large amounts of hard material. Also, animals that eat plants have to eat a lot because it is not a nutrient-dense food source. Western lowland and eastern lowland gorillas eat more fruit than mountain or river-crossing gorillas, and it is much softer than other plant materials.ĭiet has a huge impact on the evolution of teeth, as teeth of different sizes or shapes may process different materials more efficiently. These foods are high in fiber and difficult to process and digest. The diet of different species of gorillas varies, but generally consists of ripe fruit, leaves, roots, shoots, bark and other plant material. How does diet affect the size and shape of teeth? mountain gorilla eating leavesĪpart from the occasional insect, gorillas are herbivores, feeding mainly on leafy plants. Humans have transmitted the coronavirus to gorillas in captivity during the Covid-19 pandemic, with studies predicting possible outbreaks in the wild, but the risk to them is low due to outdoor air circulation. In 2004, the Ebola outbreak that severely affected humans also killed 95 percent of western lowland gorillas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. An unfortunate side effect of this close evolutionary relationship, however, is the ease with which zoonotic diseases spread between species. Humans and gorillas are so closely related, in fact, they share 98% of their DNA. Mammals appeared 210 million years ago! To learn more about early mammalian evolution, check out this article. While 10 million years may seem like a long time, it's a short period considering how long it took for the major animal classes (mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and invertebrates) to diverge. Gorillas are thus the most closely related living species to humans after chimpanzees and bonobos. The Hominini tribe includes humans, bonobos, and chimpanzees, while the Gorillini tribe includes only the gorilla species. This subfamily split into tribes of gorillas and tribes of humans, who shared a common ancestor about 10 million years ago. In primates, gorillas and humans belong to the same subfamily known as homininae. Habitat is important for understanding an animal's teeth because different regions have different food resources. Eastern lowland gorillas inhabit tropical forests and jungles in mountainous regions. River crossing gorillas live in tropical rainforests and dense jungle habitats. Western lowland gorillas live in montane and secondary forests as well as lowland marsh areas. Mountain gorillas live in higher altitude mountain forest habitats. Therefore, different species inhabit different habitats. Eastern and western gorillas are geographically separated by the Congo River and its associated tributary rivers. Significant genetic variation exists between gorilla species and subspecies. Two subspecies of the gorilla beringei (eastern gorilla) live in central and eastern Africa:.Gorilla Gorillas (Western gorillas) Two subspecies live in west-central Africa:.In this genus there are two species, each with two subspecies: They have their own genus called gorillas. Gorillas are large mammals that live in several African countries. So, why are gorillas' teeth so big? Let's find out! What are gorillas and where do they live? Large silverback male western lowland gorilla This article reviews what factors influenced the evolution of gorilla teeth, and how their teeth compare to ours. Have you ever watched a gorilla's toothy facial expression and thought, 'Wow! Those are some big teeth!'? As the world's largest primate, gorillas are known throughout the animal kingdom for their impressive size, and their teeth match those large proportions. ↓ Keep reading to watch this amazing video

Humans chimpanzee teeth anthropology