Very very stupid question about apes ....

[Sun Wukong]

but those in different genera cannot interbreed.

Too bad that the babirusa boar, the domestic sow and their hybrid offspring at Copenhagen Zoo can't read...

Don't forget that taxonomy is an attempt to squeeze nature into a human concept of order and rules. It works (more or less), but due to the complexity, has to have serious flaws.

the same "generic name" does not guarantee the likeliness of hybridsation-just as said example above shows that hybridisation over the artificial boundaries of genera is possible.

And to correct your primate taxonomy:
Family: Hominidae
* Subfamily Ponginae
o Pongo – orangutans
* Subfamily Homininae
o Gorilla – gorillas
o Homo – humans
o Pan – chimpanzees

 

[zooman64]

In my original post I did say there were plenty of exceptions to the rule.

 

[Sun Wukong]

@zooman64: So if there are plenty of exceptions, how can it be a solid rule?

 

[Pygathrix]

but those in different genera cannot interbreed

More examples:
Asian/African elephant born at Chester in 1978, but only lived 10 days
Domestic cat/serval; domestic cat/leopard cat (although previously they were all classified in the genus Felis.)

I'm sure there are more.

 

[Tim May]

I'm sure there are more.

Another example:- Leopard x Puma hybrid. (There is one mounted in the Tring Zoological Museum.)

 

[James27]

I believe the Russians did some serious experiments with human/ape hybrids trying to create an army that would be twice as strong as humans and not as fusy about their food. Any results of this I would say are kept under lock and key which is a pity as it would be very interesting and scientifically valuable.

I could imagine that going horribly wrong, what if they had the dominance issues of chimps?!
Edit: Getting really creeped out by "humanzee" videos on youtube. It's horrible! I know he's probably just a bald humanised chimp but still, creepy as hell.

 

[Vulpes]

I have to agree! the first time I saw him the hairs stood up on the back of my neck! very creepy indeed.

 

[Pygathrix]

I could imagine that going horribly wrong, what if they had the dominance issues of chimps?!

The dominance issues of pure-bred humans can be pretty nasty too

 

[Yero]

Chimps and bonobos can hybridize and it has happened a number of times in (the same) captive group:

abstracts

 

[zooman64]

It is no surprise that Chimps (the so-called Common Chimpanzee) and Bonobos (the so-called Pygmy Chimpanzee) can hybridise as they are very closely related, the former being Pan troglodytes, the latter being Pan paniscus. The birth 31 years ago of Motty, a hybrid African/Asiatic Elephant at Chester Zoo, was more remarkable, as it has been argued that humans are more closely related to Chimps than the African and Asiatic Elephants are to each other. A hybrid elephant should not be possible, but it happened, although poor Motty (named in honour of George Mottershead, founder of Chester Zoo) survived just ten days.

 

[Pertinax]

Chimps and bonobos can hybridize and it has happened a number of times in (the same) captive group:

abstracts

Any further details such as where(Antwerp Zoo?) and when?

 

[Jurek7]

Any further details such as where(Antwerp Zoo?) and when?

I would second that!

I would also ask: does any zoochatter knows anything about alleged chimp x gorilla hybrids reported in the literature?

AFAIK, no case of human x ape hybrid was ever documented or likely, despite many, many rumors. Also, all recent claims of 'billi apes' and other chimp x gorilla hybrids were disproven.

 

[Vulpes]

This is really interesting and confirms my suspicions! I would be very interested to learn more!