• Home
  • WHO WE ARE
  • Mammals
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Lists
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Wild Letter | The What's What In Wildlife
Logo
Lists

Get to Know the Different Types of Chimpanzees

Alice Guzman
No Comments
April 11, 2023
4 Mins read
chimpanzee

Studies show that chimpanzees and bonobos are humans’ closest living relatives.

While many consider that these two are both chimpanzees, the truth is that the bonobo is a slightly different animal. 

Both the chimpanzee and the bonobo are part of the Pan genus and were once the same species.

Later, however, the two were recognized as separate species because they exhibited different social and sexual behaviors and distinctive appearances.

As such, today we’ll tell you some key facts about the only chimpanzee species, the Pan troglodytes, and also share some aspects of the link between bonobos and chimpanzees.

By the end of this article, you’ll know how to distinguish the two!

The Chimpanzee

chimpanzee relaxing on a tree | Baehaki Hariri via Getty Images

The Pan troglodytes are otherwise known as the common or robust chimpanzee.

The species is divided into four subspecies based on geographic distribution:

SpeciesNumber of living individualsDistribution
Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, or Eastern chimpanzee180,000-256,000South Sudan, Central African Republic, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia
Pan troglodytes troglodytes, or central chimpanzee140,000Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Pan troglodytes verus, or Western chimpanzee52,800Guinea, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Mali, Ghana, and Senegal
Pan troglodytes ellioti, or Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee6,000-9,000Nigeria and Cameroon

Additionally, some taxonomy specialists recognize a fifth subspecies, the Pan troglodytes marungensis, or the southeastern chimpanzee, which is found in Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi.

However, the IUCN doesn’t recognize it.

Having set aside their geographic distribution, let’s discuss their appearance.

A chimpanzee’s head is rounded, while its face features what we now call a Habsburg jaw and a pronounced brow ridge.

Chimpanzees aren’t as robust as gorillas, and their hands, equipped with long fingers, are longer than their legs.

Their bodies are covered in coarse black, brown, or ginger hair.

However, the fingers, toes, hand palms, face, and soles of the feet are hairless.

Additionally, chimpanzees can develop bald spots and gray hair patches as they age.

Portrait of western chimpanzee | miroslav_1 via Getty Images

On average, these animals can reach standing heights of roughly 3.2-5.5 feet and have a forearm length of 0.9-1 foot. In terms of weight,

chimpanzees rarely exceed 110-156 pounds in the wild, although individuals living in captivity can weigh as much as 300 pounds!

It’s important to note that males are heavier and larger than females.

Chimpanzees can be found in various habitats, starting with dry savannas and ending with deciduous forests.

These animals prefer eating fruits but occasionally delight in leaves, bark, seeds, and stems.

They sleep in nests built in trees but never use them more than once. As such, they’re constantly on the move.

Unfortunately, the Pan troglodytes are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Their population is constantly decreasing due to poaching, habitat loss and degradation, and diseases like Ebola.

Chimpanzee vs. Bonobo: What’s the Difference?

Bonobos | USO via Getty Images

Chimpanzees and bonobos were once considered the same animal.

Later, however, scientists concluded that they diverged around 1-2 million years ago.

The split is believed to have happened after bonobo ancestors crossed the Congo River as its waters receded.

Afterward, the river flooded, and they were separated from their relatives (what we now call the chimpanzees) living north of the river.

Since life north of the river was more difficult, and the apes had to fight for survival, they developed different behaviors compared to those living in the south, where life was much easier, and food was plentiful.

Having discussed some historical details, let’s see what exactly distinguished chimpanzees from bonobos.

Key DifferencesChimpanzeeBonobo
Size– Standing height: 3.2-5.5 feet- Forearm length: 0.9-1.03 feet- Weight: up to 110-156 pounds– Standing height: 3.64-3.90 feet- Forearm length: 1.01 feet- Weight: 75-132 pounds
Appearance– Prominent brow ridges- Larger head- Shorter legs and robust bodies- Darker lips– Less prominent brow ridgesSmaller head- Longer legs and slender bodies- Pink lips
Behavior– Lives in communities of 20-150+ individuals led by males- Travels in small groups; may forage alone- Never uses a nest more than once- Highly territorial– Lives in communities with a matriarchal social structure led by males and females, as well as an old matriarch- Less territorial and violent- Less strict with territory borders
DistributionForests and savannas of tropical AfricaThe Congo Basin, the Democratic Republic of Congo
Communication– Vocal sounds, postures, facial expressions- Lower-pitched voice– Vocal sounds, hand gestures, facial expressions- Higher-pitched voice

Check out our other animal FAQs here:

  • The Types of Bison That Still Roam the Earth
  • Exploring All the Types of Raccoons
  • Alligator Kingdom: A Fascinating Look at the Two Types of Alligators

Sources:

  • https://www.apeinitiative.org/bonobos-chimpanzees
  • https://animaldiversity.org/site/accounts/information/Pan_troglodytes.html
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4675323/
  • https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15933/129038584

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
chimpanzee mammals wildlife
Shares
Written by

Alice Guzman

Alice is a wildlife enthusiast and writer who has been passionate about animals since she was a child. Growing up in a rural area, she was exposed to a variety of wildlife, which sparked her interest in animal behavior and conservation.
Write Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Previous Post

Alligator Kingdom: A Fascinating Look at the Two Types of Alligators

Next Post

Chinchillas Unleashed: An Exploration of the Two Types

Featured Posts
Lists

A List of the Endangered Species of Angola

April 28, 2023
Lists

A List of the Endangered Species of Algeria

April 26, 2023
Lists

A List of Endangered Species of Andorra

April 24, 2023
You might also like
lynx looking at camera near snowy field in nature
Lists

Get to Know the 4 Wild Species of Lynx

5 Mins read
April 2, 2023
close up shot of a springbok
Lists

What Are Springbok Predators? The Hunters Of These Antelopes

6 Mins read
October 26, 2022
selective focus photography of monkey on top of brunch
Lists

Monkey Predators: 13 Animals That Hunt Monkeys in the Wild

7 Mins read
October 2, 2022
black and brown reptile on green grass
Reptiles

Are Dragons Real?

3 Mins read
January 13, 2022
orange and white cat looking up
Mammals

Why Do Cats Purr?

3 Mins read
February 16, 2022
seal on white sand
Mammals

Why Do Seals Swim Upside Down? The Reasons Behind This Behavior

6 Mins read
October 21, 2022
© 2022 Wild Letter. All Right Reserved.
Logo
  • WHO WE ARE
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
Logo
  • Home
  • WHO WE ARE
  • Mammals
  • Birds
  • Reptiles
  • Lists
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy
I accept use of cookies
 

Loading Comments...