Monkeys vs Apes: Understanding the Difference
When visiting a zoo or watching nature documentaries, it’s easy to use “monkey” and “ape” interchangeably.1 Both monkeys and apes belong to the order Primates, which includes over 500 species worldwide. However, these terms describe two distinct groups of primates with fundamental differences.
The Tail Tells the Tale
The most obvious distinguishing feature is the tail. Monkeys have tails—sometimes long and prehensile, sometimes short and stubby—but they always have them.2 Spider monkeys have prehensile tails so strong they can support their entire body weight while hanging. Apes, on the other hand, have no tails at all. If you see a primate swinging through trees with a tail, it’s definitely a monkey.
Size and Intelligence
Apes are generally larger and more intelligent than monkeys. The great apes—gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans—can weigh hundreds of pounds and possess remarkable cognitive abilities.3 Koko the gorilla reportedly understood over 1,000 signs in American Sign Language and 2,000 spoken English words. They can use tools, solve complex problems, and even learn sign language. Gibbons and siamangs, the lesser apes, are smaller but still lack tails and share many characteristics with their larger cousins.
Monkeys, while certainly clever, don’t typically demonstrate the same level of problem-solving capability. They’re also generally smaller, though some species like baboons can be quite large.
Evolutionary Relationships
From an evolutionary perspective, apes are more closely related to humans than monkeys are. Humans share about 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees and bonobos.4 The human-chimp lineage split from our common ancestor approximately 6-7 million years ago. This close relationship is reflected in apes’ more upright posture, broader chests, and more flexible shoulder joints compared to monkeys.
Apes also tend to be more social and form complex family structures. Their longer lifespans and extended childhoods allow for greater learning and cultural transmission between generations.
Understanding these differences helps us appreciate the diversity of primate life and our own place in the evolutionary tree.