What Is the Scientific Name of the Gorilla?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 12, 2023

The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: eastern gorillas and western gorillas. The scientific name of eastern gorillas is Gorilla beringei, and the scientific name of western gorillas is Gorilla gorilla.

Subspecies of the western gorilla include the western lowland gorilla and the Cross River gorilla, while subspecies of the eastern gorilla include the eastern lowland gorilla and the mountain gorilla. Gorillas share 98.3 percent of their genetic code with humans, making them the third-closest cousin to humans after chimpanzees and bonobos. First described in 1847, the name gorilla was derived from the Greek term meaning “tribe of hairy women.”