Bonobo
The bonobo is the closest extant relative to humans, alongside the common chimpanzee.
The bonobo (Pan paniscus), also historically called the pygmy chimpanzee, is the smallest species of great ape and one of the two species making up the genus Pan, the other being the common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). Initially thought to be a subspecies of Pan troglodytes due to physical similarities, bonobos are now recognized as a distinct species. Along with the common chimpanzee, the bonobo is the closest extant relative to humans, and its study provides insight into human evolution.
- scientific_name
- Pan paniscus
- also_known_as
- Pygmy chimpanzee, dwarf chimpanzee, gracile chimpanzee
- average_lifespan_in_captivity
- 40 years
- average_weight_male
- 45 kg (99 lb)
- average_weight_female
- 33 kg (73 lb)
- conservation_status
- Endangered (IUCN Red List)
- primary_threat
- Commercial poaching
Lore & Background
Major behavioral differences between bonobos and chimpanzees were first discussed in detail by Austrian zoologist Eduard Paul Tratz and German biologist Heinz Heck in the early 1950s, though American psychologist and primatologist Robert Yerkes had already noticed unexpected major behavioral differences in the 1920s, unaware of any taxonomic distinction.
Reader's Guide
Bonobos are distinguished from common chimpanzees by relatively long limbs, pinker lips, a darker face, a tail-tuft through adulthood, and longer, parted hair on their heads. They are predominantly frugivorous, compared to the often highly omnivorous diets of common chimpanzees. Because of political instability and the general timidity of bonobos, relatively little field work has been done observing the species in its natural habitat. The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with commercial poaching being the most prominent threat, along with habitat destruction and human population growth. Bonobos and common chimpanzees show remarkable evolutionary stasis in musculoskeletal anatomy since their split from humans 8 million years ago, with bonobos exhibiting no changes since diverging from common chimps around 2 million years ago, making them a better anatomical model for the last common ancestor of humans and chimps/bonobos.
Did You Know?
- Bonobos and common chimpanzees are separated by the Congo River, which formed around 1.5–2 million years ago and possibly led to the isolation and speciation of the bonobo.
- The bonobo genome is about 0.4% divergent from the chimpanzee genome, according to analysis by the National Human Genome Research Institute.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a bonobo?
The bonobo (Pan paniscus) is the smallest of the great apes and one of only two species in the genus Pan. It has also gone by the names pygmy chimpanzee, dwarf chimpanzee, and gracile chimpanzee, though it is now firmly recognized as a species entirely on its own rather than a subspecies of the common chimpanzee.
How is a bonobo related to humans?
Together with the common chimpanzee, the bonobo is the closest living relative to our species. Studying bonobo biology and behavior gives researchers meaningful clues about the evolutionary path that led to modern humans.
How long do bonobos live?
In captivity, a bonobo can reach roughly 40 years of age, making it one of the longer-lived primates outside of humans.
What is the bonobo's conservation status?
The IUCN Red List classifies the bonobo as Endangered, signaling a very high risk of extinction in the wild if current pressures continue unchecked.
How big are bonobos compared to other great apes?
Adult males average about 45 kg (99 lb) and females around 33 kg (73 lb), making bonobos the smallest members of the great-ape family. Their build is noticeably more slender than that of the common chimpanzee, which was part of why the two were long confused as a single species.
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