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Skeletal Structure
Skeletal Structure
A gorillas skeleton is adapted to hold their weight. Their bones are thicker and more dense than human bones. These large bones lead to a heavier weight, a mature gorilla can be up to 300-450 pounds. This adaptation in bone structure makes gorillas less susceptible to fractures and bone damage.
Gorillas also have a longer arm-length to height ratio. They have an arm span of about 8 feet that helps them climb and assists in quadrupedal movement. This extended arm-length also allows them to easily walk on all fours.
The Skull
Gorillas have a larger skull than humans, but their brain is 1/3 the size of a human brain. The cranial capacity of a human is about 1,325 cubic centimeters. A gorilla has a cranial capacity of only 500 cubic centimeters.
Gorillas also have a large brow ridge that is straighter than that of a humans and protrudes over their eyes. This brow ridge supports the smaller bones of the skull and assists in chewing hard food items.
You will also notice that gorillas do not have a chin. In a human skull, the area underneath the mouth sticks out and away from the skull. However, in a gorilla, this spot underneath its mouth slopes back towards the skull.
Characteristics
Hands and Feet
Hands and Feet
Opposable Thumbs
Gorillas have opposable thumbs for better dexterity, tool use and social interactions. They have been documented to use various hand gestures for communication.
Knuckle Walking
Knuckle walking is a form of quadrupedal movement that gorillas use. This form of movement involves bending the fingers in such a way that the knuckles hit the ground and take the impact of the body.
Gorillas have unique forearm and wrist bones that interlock to create a stable structure for their large body weight. The third metacarpal bone is their hands is shaped slightly different and includes a ridge that prevents joint hyperextension during knuckle walking.
Hand Structure
Both human and gorilla hands have a skeletal structure consisting of carpals, metacarpals and phalanges. Just like humans, they have nails instead of claws and there is no hair present on their palms. The average male gorilla hand is about 6 inches across and 12 inches long.
Teeth
Teeth
Large Canines
Similar to humans, gorillas have two full sets of 32 teeth within their lifetime. Adult male gorillas develop massive, 2 inch long, canine teeth capable of breaking down large amounts of tough materials. They have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom at a psi of 1,300, making their bite eight times stronger than that of a human.
Sexual Dimorphism
There is a difference in tooth size between males and females. This difference in characteristics is called sexual dimorphism and it is a result of sexual selection. Males with large canine teeth are able to show dominance and protect females from the smaller males. This feature makes the male a more attractive mate and will allow for large canines to pass on to the next generation.
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