Head to head
Siamang vs White-Handed Gibbon
The siamang and white-handed gibbon are both monogamous, duet-singing apes from the same lesser ape family, but their size and calling methods set them clearly apart.
| Siamang | White-Handed Gibbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Symphalangus syndactylus | Hylobates lar |
| Relative size | Largest gibbon species | Smaller, more typical gibbon size |
| Vocal adaptation | Inflatable throat sac amplifies calls | No throat sac, standard gibbon call |
| Distinctive marking | Uniform black coat | Pale hands and feet |
| Range | Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula | Broader parts of Southeast Asia |
| Conservation status | Endangered | Endangered |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Decreasing |
| Habitat | Rainforest | Rainforest, forest |
Siamang vs White-Handed Gibbon: common questions
Why is the siamang louder than the white-handed gibbon?
The siamang has a large inflatable throat sac that acts as a resonating chamber, turning its calls into some of the loudest sounds produced by any land animal, an amplification structure the white-handed gibbon does not have despite singing similarly structured daily duets.
How can you tell a white-handed gibbon from a siamang?
Size and colouring are the clearest clues: the white-handed gibbon is noticeably smaller than the siamang and has distinctive pale hands and feet contrasting with a darker body, while the siamang is larger with a more uniformly black coat and no such pale markings.
Do both species sing duets with their mates?
Yes, both the siamang and the white-handed gibbon live in monogamous pairs that perform coordinated vocal duets to advertise territory and reinforce the pair bond, though the siamang's version is dramatically amplified by its unique inflatable throat sac.