Monkeys and apes are both primates, which means they’re both part of the human family tree. As distinguished relatives, we should probably be able to tell them apart. But when you look at a gibbon or a marmoset, how do you know which is a monkey and which is an ape?

Apes (collectively Hominoidea / hɒmɪˈnɔɪdi.ə /) are a clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and Europe in prehistory, and counting humans are found globally).

Differences between apes and monkeys. Whilst all monkeys and apes are primates (and part of the same Primate suborder), there are lots of differences between them. Let’s explore these differences between apes and monkeys now: Apes have no tail. The easiest way to distinguish apes from monkeys is by the presence or absence of a tail.

Though ape and monkey are often used interchangeably in the English language, they are not the same from a scientific point of view. Apes and monkeys are primates that have evolved different physical and mental characteristics throughout time to …

5 days ago · Apes showed up millions of years later — Old World monkeys and apes shared a common ancestor around 25 million years ago. About 17 million years ago, apes split into the lesser apes and the ...

Mar 12, 2025 · Monkeys and apes belong to the taxonomic order Primates. Although primates have many similarities, there are some important distinguishing characteristics between monkeys and apes. This article will dissect the 5 main features that differentiate monkeys vs. apes.

To make a long story short, "ape" and "monkey" are not synonymous. Apes, such as gorillas and chimpanzees, have evolved along parallel lines with human beings, and are quite close to us in a number of respects (chimpanzees and humans share 98 percent of their genetic material).

How do monkeys and apes differ in appearance? The easiest way to distinguish between a monkey or an ape is to see if it has a tail. Almost all monkeys have tails, while apes do not. Also take note of the primate’s body shape, size, and other physical attributes. Apes are generally larger with wider chests and almost naked faces.

May 21, 2020 · Apes are more reliant on vision than smell and their noses are shorter and broader than monkeys. They also tend to be larger (and in the case of gorillas, much larger!) than monkeys. Though...

Monkeys and apes both use sounds and gestures to communicate, but apes are generally considered more intelligent than monkeys. Most ape species exhibit some use of tools, and some individual apes have even been trained to learn human sign language.