CLASSIFICATION OF GORILLA
PHYLUM :- CHORDATA (Notochord, dorsal tubular nerve cord present and gill slits present )
Group :- CRANIATA ( Definite head. Cranium with brain present )
Sub-phylum :- VERTEBRATA ( vertebral column present)
Division :- GNATHOSTOMATA ( Jaws and paired appendages present )
Super class :- TETRAPODA ( Paired limbs, lungs, bony skeleton and cornified skin).
Class :-MAMMALIA ( Body covered with hairs. females have mammary glands ).
Sub-class :- THERIA ( Viviparous ).
Infra class :- EUTHERIA ( Placental mammals, vagina single ).
Order :- PRIMATES( Head turns easily on neck ).
Sub-Order :- ANTHROPOIDEA (Eyes directed forwards ).
Genus : Gorilla
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
They have a patchy distribution. The range of the two species is separated by the Congo River and its tributaries. The western gorilla lives in west central Africa, while the eastern gorilla lives in east central Africa.
HABIT AND HABITAT
Lives chiefly on ground leading social life. Forming family group of 30. Nomadic primate. Ferocious, untamable. Mostly eat foliage, such as leaves, stems, pith, and shoots, while fruit makes up a very small part of their diets.
GENERAL CHARACTERSTICS OF GORILLA
- Commonly called as Gorilla.
- They represents largest and heaviest of the primates measuring about 6 feet and measuring about 300 kg.
- Lifespan is normally between 35 and 40 years, although zoo gorillas may live for 50 years or more.
- Body divisible into heavily built head, neck, trunk and abdomen.
- Mountain gorilla are covered with black fur and low land gorilla with brown fur.
- Size 1.8 meters tall. Weight about 250 kg Except fingers and toes entire body is covered by hairs.
- Body inclined. Walks semierect on plantigrade soles of feet aided by knuckles of hands.
- Head contains eyes, nostrils and bulging mouth lips.
- Feeds on plants foliage and fruits.
- Construct nests for daytime and night use.Not noisy.
- They live in groups called troops. Troops tend to be made of one adult male or silverback, multiple adult females and their offspring.
- This Species are considered highly intelligent. A few individuals in captivity, such as Koko, have been taught a subset of sign language.
Special features
Hands elongated touching grounds. Hind limbs short. Lives in territorial family group of 10-20 animals dominated by an old polygamous male.
They rarely drink water “because they consume succulent vegetation that is comprised of almost half water as well as morning dew”.
Identification
The animal has heavy inclined body and all above features, hence it is Gorilla
REFERENCES
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla
- Book of Practical Zoology VERTEBRATE by S.S.LAL – Rastogi Publications.
- Source of image – Pixabay
