Re: Please help me with my project on Orangutans

Superfamily: Hominoidea
Family: Pongidae
Genus: Pongo
Species: Pongo pygmaeus

You ask what these terms mean.

Yes, they are latin, or words that have been turned into latin. However, 
their translations into english do not mean much anymore.

The superfamily Hominoidea means "of the humans"
The family Pongidae means "of the apes"
The genus Pongo means "ape" (this word is from the Congolese language)
The species Pongo pygmaeus would traslate to "ape little man." This 
translation would suggest that orangutans were human. That's why 
translations do not mean much.

Scientists use these terms as part of a classification system. Each time 
you go one step higher, you are creating a broader group that includes more 
types of animals. Most scientists today would not use the family Pongidae, 
instead they use Hominidae, which suggests a closer relationship between 
apes and humans.