Apes

Apes are a description and a kind of animal that is monkey-like, but less lithe and without a tail. In the real world ape is used to describe the closest relatives of humans: orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas. It is also used for gibbons and occaisonally for less related tailless monkeys. Apes are known for their intelligence. They are sometimes mischievous, but aside from chimps, are typically less mischievous than monkeys. They have more weight and thus are more likely to be depicted slowly hulking themselves up and down from objects like trees or walls. Like monkeys they are associated with jungles and bananas. They are more ferocious in some regards, especially gorillas. Sometimes apes are portrayed as the king of the monkeys, like in Tarzan. It seems to me that they are seen not...as a better monkey, but as a greater kind of monkey. Hence ruling over monkeys. Or being seen as more intelligent or rational or calm than excitable but confused monkeys. They're like monkeys, but with something extra to them. Apes are also defined by their intelligence due to the real ability of them to learn some sign language and perform well on intelligence tests, as well as have closer-to-human emotional responses in some cases. There is the phrase "dumb ape" however, but it's usually said by a dumb person.