What is the difference between a monkey and a ape?

Answer 1

Two main things differentiate monkeys from apes:

1. Apes don't have tails (but this isn't all that helpful as a few monkeys don't either - e.g. baboons).

2. Apes have rotatable shoulders - humans, gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, gibbons and siamangs can all lift their arms above their shoulders to hang from trees... Monkeys cannot do this.

More generally they are also larger and broader than monkeys.

To clarify a previous point made by another answerer: Monkeys are NOT Apes. Monkeys are species of the primate family cercopithecidae (old world monkeys) or parvorder platyrhini (new world monkeys). Apes are closely related to old world monkeys but are NOT a subgroup of them.

Answer 2

Monkeys and apes are NOT the same. Apes have no tails, which is the major difference. Apes are also larger and more intelligent. The anthropoid apes that are alive today include Gorillas, Orangutans, Chimpanzees, Bonobos, and of course, Man. Some include Gibbons as apes, and others say they are merely monkeys, without tails. Hard to know for sure.

Answer 3

A monkey has a tail, an ape does not. Apes are "higher" primates, and they have more complex social and intellectual abilities than monkeys. Apes include gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, and gibbons(??). Humans are sometimes considered apes, too.

Answer 4

All monkeys are apes. all apes are not monkeys. Monkey refers to the smaller breeds, thus, gorillas and orangutangs are not monkeys, though they are apes. "Ape" is the family name, just like "dog" is the family name for german shepards, labradors, etc.

Answer 5

an ape is like a gorilla and chimps monkeys are smaller

Answer 6

membership in the DNC...

Answer 7

tail/no tail I believe...