![]() In comparison to monkeys, gorillas are gigantic. The largest species of monkey is the mandrill. The male mandrill has a maximum weight of 119 pounds! This is huge amongst monkeys, but relatively small amongst apes. A gorilla’s weight is equal to about four mandrills! The smallest species of monkey is the pygmy marmoset, which weighs 3.5 ounces. A gorilla’s weight is therefore equal to over 2,100 pygmy marmosets! Why do gorillas get so big? A male western lowland gorilla.Ī gorilla’s massive size has an evolutionary explanation. Gorillas exhibit a high degree of sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism is when there is a substantial difference in appearance between males and females of the same species. In many bird species, for example, this presents as colorful feathers in males and dull feathers in females, like peacocks and peahens. In many primate species, there is a substantial difference in size between the sexes. Sexual dimorphism is most often a product of sexual selection. Sexual selection describes how one sex chooses an individual of the opposite sex based on preferred characteristics that suggest higher fitness. To continue with the peacock example, peacocks with the most colorful and most elaborate tailfeathers are superior mates over a peacock with duller tailfeathers. Elaborate, colorful feathers suggest a male is healthy, has access to resources, and is able to evade predators despite being so conspicuous. A female is more likely to mate with the most flamboyant male because they will produce the most fit offspring.Īlthough male gorillas don’t have colorful feathers, their incredible size compared to females is an example of sexual dimorphism. ![]() Large bodies and large canine teeth are the product of competition between males for access to females. Larger males exhibit greater fitness by dominating other males and as a result have more reproductive opportunities.
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