Gigantopithecus

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Gigantopithecus is an extinct genus of giant ape, known from fossil remains in Asia and considered the largest primate to have ever lived.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ape
extinct genus
primate
bodySize largest known primate
class Mammalia
coexistedWith Pleistocene megafauna
early Homo sapiens in Asia
commonlyDescribedAs giant ape
megafaunal primate
describedBy Ralph von Koenigswald NERFINISHED
diet bamboo
herbivorous
estimatedHeight up to about 3 meters
estimatedMass several hundred kilograms
extinctionEpoch Late Pleistocene
extinctionStatus extinct
family Hominidae NERFINISHED
fossilRange Pleistocene
Pliocene NERFINISHED
fossilsFoundIn China NERFINISHED
India NERFINISHED
Vietnam NERFINISHED
geographicDistribution Asia NERFINISHED
habitat forests
woodlands
includesTaxon Gigantopithecus blacki NERFINISHED
inferenceBasis comparative anatomy with living apes
kingdom Animalia
knownFrom fossil remains
mandibles
teeth
locomotion likely terrestrial
nameEtymology from Greek for "giant ape"
order Primates
paleoenvironment subtropical forests of southern China and Southeast Asia
phylum Chordata
relatedTo orangutans
researchField paleoanthropology
paleoprimatology
sexualDimorphism likely pronounced
subfamily Ponginae NERFINISHED
taxonRank genus
teethMorphology adapted for tough vegetation
teethMorphology thick enamel molars
typeSpecies Gigantopithecus blacki NERFINISHED
yearDescribed 1935

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Ponginae hasExtinctGenera Gigantopithecus
Hominoidea includesExtinctTaxon Gigantopithecus
King Louie species Gigantopithecus
subject surface form: King Louie (2016 film character)