Abstract:
The superfamily Hominoidea is a taxonomic category that comprises the families Hylobatidae (small apes, also known as gibbons) and Hominidae (great apes and humans). The social systems of the various hominoid species are complex with respect to the observed variability in the nature of relationships at both the group and individual levels. Examining human evolution, in the context of continuity with the living apes, propels us into a continuous reinterpretation and realignment of the enigmatic animal–human/nature–social boundary.