Primates first appeared in fossil record as forest dwelling creatures 55 million years ago near the Cretaceous period. Gorillas originated from a human-chimp lineage about 10 million years ago.

The name "gorilla" was derived from an ancient account of an explorer nearly 2,500 years ago. He coined this name from the local communities that called the great apes Gorilla for "hairy man".

Gorillas share various homologous structures with humans due to our shared lineage. Characteristics of the Order Primates include large complex brains, stereoscopic vision, and five-digit hands and feet for grasping objects.

Gorillas have opposable hands and feet. Their big toe is placed lower on the foot than that of a humans. This characteristic assists in climbing and gripping tree branches.

The Family Hominidae separates apes and humans from other primates. Characteristics of this group includes erectness of the upper body and occasional bipedalism. The Hominidae Family also shows behavioral characteristics such as tool use and communication through language.