Heritage Album

What species of mammals are closest genetically to human beings after the great apes and other primates?

As I understand it humans are most closely related to chimpanzees and then gorillas, orang utangs, gibbons, baboons, monkeys, lemurs and other small primates in more or less that order. In the mammalian genetic framework what comes next? After primates what is the relationship to say, rodents, canids, felines etc...Has a genetic-dna family tree of mammals been constructed? Thanks for the really intelligent and scientific answers so far....

Public Comments

1. oh yes... its mapped and available thru google... comparative DNA... and often you will see apparently inferior mammals with more DNA than humans...and plants...
2. Mother's in law, are almost as evolved as apes, and are genetically close.
3. some say we evolved from fish
4. Hoodies, closely folowed by any mammals wearing Burberry skip caps.
5. It's pigs actually - we are very close to pigs. We already use recycled pigs heart valves and other body parts for replacements.
6. Politicians
7. There's an online project called the Tree Of Life Web project which shows the relationships between animals. Unfortunately, it seems to be down just now, but hopefully it'll be back online later. Actually, I have just found a really good website which provides heaps of information on life and how species are related. It's on the universiry of Michigan site, and called the Animal Diversity Web. To (partly) answer your question, then, we are all part of a branch of Placental Mammals, which includes aardarks, hedgehogs, elephants, and also cats and dogs. Have fun!