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| Gigantopthicus | ||||||||||||||
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Gigantopithecus (Latin for "Giant Ape") is an extinct genus of apes. As the name indicates, these were remarkably large animals, possibly attaining an adult height of over three meters (10 feet) and a weight of 550 kilograms (1200 pounds) -- much larger and heavier than current-day gorillas. They lived in Asia, and probably inhabited the bamboo forests; they are often found together with extinct ancestors of the panda.
In the past, it has been thought that Gigantopithecus was an ancestor of hominids from which humans are descended, such as Australopithicus, on the basis of molar evidence; this is now regarded a result of convergent evolution. More rigorous studies have concluded that it is much farther removed from the Homo sapiens ancestral line than previously assumed by scientists. In fact, Gigantopithicus is the common ancestor of the Gorilla and the Orangutan (though it is a closer relative of the older Orangutan genus). This conclusion essentially entails that Gigantopithicus would share even less genetic similarity with modern humans than our most distant living hominid relatives, the Orangutans.
The only known fossils of Gigantopithecus are a few teeth and part of a maxilla (jaw bone) and mandible. These are appreciably larger than those of living gorillas, but the exact size and structure of the rest of the body can only be estimated in the absence of additional findings.
The method of locomotion is uncertain, as no pelvis or leg bone has been found. the dominant view is that gigantopithecus walked on all fours like modern gorillas and chimpanzees, a minority opinion holds that the mandible shape and structure suggests bipedal locomotion.
Enthusiasts of the Yeti or "Abominable Snowman" and Bigfoot theorize that these creatures could be present-day specimens of Gigantopithecus. Without additional evidence, this suggestion must be regarded as highly speculative.
