List of largest primates

This is a list of large extant primate species that can be ordered by average weight or height range. There is no fixed definition of a large primate, so the length of the list is somewhat arbitrary. Primates exhibit the highest levels of sexual dimorphism amongst mammals, with males generally being larger than females within the given size ranges. The size ranges describe typical values and may not include the full extremes among all observed specimens.

Mandrills and baboons are monkeys; the rest of the species on this list are apes. Typically, Old World monkeys (paleotropical) are larger than New World monkeys (neotropical); the reasons for this are not entirely understood but several hypotheses have been generated. As a rule, primate brains are "significantly larger" than those of other mammals with similar body sizes.

Largest primates

ImageSpeciesBinomial nameWeight
range (kg)		Length (cm)Height (cm)Native areaFamilyRange map
Eastern gorilla Gorilla beringei 70 (small female) –
200 (large male)		 150 (female adult average) –
185 (male adult average)		 150–195 East Africa Hominidae

Western gorilla Gorilla gorilla 58–200 150–170 125 (female adult average) –
175 (male adult average): pages181-182 		 West Africa Hominidae

Human Homo sapiens 59 (female adult average) –
77 (male adult average)		 159 (female adult average) –
171 (male adult average)		 African origin with settlements worldwide Hominidae
Bornean orangutan Pongo pygmaeus 30–100 100–170 100–140 Borneo Hominidae

Sumatran orangutan Pongo abelii 45–90 120–150 90–170 Sumatra Hominidae

Tapanuli orangutan Pongo tapanuliensis 40 (female adult average) –
75 (male adult average)		 120–150 120–150 Sumatra Hominidae

Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes 27–70 63–93 100–170 Sub-Saharan Africa Hominidae

Bonobo Pan paniscus 34–60 70–83 110–119 Sub-Saharan Africa Hominidae
Mandrill Mandrillus sphinx 10–36 70–95 80 West Africa Cercopithecidae

Chacma baboon Papio ursinus 12–32 50–115 50–75 Southern Africa Cercopithecidae

Olive baboon Papio anubis 10–24 50–114 55–70 Sub-Saharan Africa Cercopithecidae

See also

References

  1. ↑ Size Influences on PrimateLocomotion and BodyShape, with SpecialEmphasis on theLocomotion of 'SmallMammals' In: Folia Primatologica Authors: H. Preuschoft, H. Witte, A. Christian, M. Fischer Date: 14 February 1996
  2. ↑ Dunham, A. E.; Maitner, B. S.; Razafindratsima, O. H.; Simmons, M. C.; Roy, C. L. (November 2013). "Body size and sexual size dimorphism in primates: influence of climate and net primary productivity". Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 26 (11): 2312–2320. doi:10.1111/jeb.12239. PMID 24016213.
  3. ↑ Cristoffer, Cris (1987). "Body Size Differences Between New World and Old World, Arboreal, Tropical Vertebrates: Cause and Consequences". Journal of Biogeography. 14 (2): 165–172. doi:10.2307/2845070. ISSN 0305-0270. JSTOR 2845070.
  4. ↑ Seyfarth, Robert M.; Cheney, Dorothy L. (2 April 2002). "What are big brains for?". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 99 (7): 4141–4142. Bibcode:2002PNAS...99.4141S. doi:10.1073/pnas.082105099. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 123613. PMID 11929989.
  5. 1 2 3 Lindsley, Tracy; Sorin, Anna Bess. "Gorilla beringei (eastern gorilla)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 22 January 2023. Gorillas are the largest primate, with average lengths of 150 cm for females and 185 cm for males.
  6. ↑ Estrada, Alejandro; Garber, Paul A.; Rylands, Anthony B.; Roos, Christian; Fernandez-Duque, Eduardo; Di Fiore, Anthony; Nekaris, K. Anne-Isola; Nijman, Vincent; Heymann, Eckhard W.; Lambert, Joanna E.; Rovero, Francesco; Barelli, Claudia; Setchell, Joanna M.; Gillespie, Thomas R.; Mittermeier, Russell A. (6 January 2017). "Impending extinction crisis of the world's primates: Why primates matter". Science Advances. 3 (1) e1600946. Bibcode:2017SciA....3E0946E. doi:10.1126/sciadv.1600946. ISSN 2375-2548. PMC 5242557. PMID 28116351.
  7. 1 2 Csomos, Rebecca Ann. "Gorilla gorilla (western gorilla)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 22 January 2023. Male gorillas have stocky bodies standing usually 1.75 meters in height with bent knees. On average, females are only 1.25 meters tall. This marked sexual dimorphism is critical in group structure and mating.
  8. ↑ Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005). Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 57557352.
  9. 1 2 Schlessingerman A (2003). "Mass Of An Adult". The Physics Factbook: An Encyclopedia of Scientific Essays. Archived from the original on 1 January 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  10. 1 2 Roser M; Appel C; Ritchie H (8 October 2013). "Human Height". Our World in Data. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  11. ↑ Marean, Curtis W. (14 July 2015). "The Most Invasive Species of All". Scientific American. 313 (2): 32–39. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0815-32. ISSN 0036-8733.
  12. ↑ Ciszek, D.; Schommer, M.K. (28 June 2009). "ADW: Pongo pygmaeus: Information". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 3 July 2009.[dead link]
  13. ↑ "Sumatran Orangutan | Species". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 22 January 2023. Weight 66–198 lbs. Height 4–5 ft.
  14. ↑ "Orangutan Pongo". Primate Info Net.[dead link]
  15. 1 2 3 "Tapanuli Orangutan, Pongo tapanuliensis". New England Primate Conservancy. 30 October 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2023. The average female measures a little under four feet (1.21 m) and weighs 82 pounds (37 kg). Males have two stages of maturity. A fully developed male is significantly larger, measuring just under five feet (1.53 m) and weighing twice the average female at 165 pounds (75 kg).
  16. ↑ Shefferly, Nancy. "Pan troglodytes (chimpanzee)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  17. ↑ Burnie D, Wilson DE, eds. (2005). Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife. DK Adult. ISBN 0-7894-7764-5.
  18. ↑ Coolidge, Shea (1982). "External body dimensions of Pan paniscus and Pan troglodytes chimpanzees". Primates. 23 (2): 245–251. doi:10.1007/BF02381164. S2CID 27818900.
  19. ↑ Dirks, W.; Lemmers, S. A. M.; Ngoubangoye, B.; Herbert, A.; Setchell, J. M. (2020). "Odontochronologies in male and female mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) and the development of dental sexual dimorphism". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 172 (4): 528–544. doi:10.1002/ajpa.24094. PMID 32510604. S2CID 219539657.
  20. ↑ Ingmarsson, Lisa. "Mandrillus sphinx (mandrill)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  21. 1 2 Burnie, D.; Wilson, D. E. (2005). Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife. DK Adult. ISBN 978-0-7894-7764-4.
  22. ↑ Nowak, R.M. (1991). Walker's Mammals of the World. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-5789-8.
  23. ↑ "Chacma baboon - Botswana Travel Guide". www.botswana-travel-guide.com. Retrieved 22 January 2023.

Further reading