Gigantopithecus blacki (Greek and Latin for "Black's Giant Ape") is an extinct species of ape. The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) is part of the geologic timescale. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera Subregnum Eumetazoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Radiata (unranked) Ctenophora Cnidaria Bilateria (unranked) Acoelomorpha Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata Hemichordata Echinodermata Chaetognatha Superphylum Ecdysozoa Kinorhyncha Loricifera Priapulida Nematoda Nematomorpha Onychophora Tardigrada Arthropoda Superphylum Platyzoa Platyhelminthes Gastrotricha Rotifera Acanthocephala Gnathostomulida Micrognathozoa Cycliophora Superphylum Lophotrochozoa Sipuncula Nemertea Phoronida Bryozoa Entoprocta Brachiopoda... {{{subdivision_ranks}}} See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Orders Multituberculata (extinct) Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Australosphenida Ausktribosphenida Monotremata Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Arctostylopida (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Cingulata Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Leptictida (extinct) Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata... Families 15, See classification A primate (L. prima, first) is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ... Genera The hominids are the members of the biological family Hominidae (the great apes), which includes humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. ... For the chess opening, see Sokolsky Opening. ... Species Gigantopithecus blacki Gigantopithecus bilaspurensis Gigantopithecus was a genus of ape that existed from as long ago as 5 million years ago and as recently as 100 thousand years ago in what is today the countries of China and India. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Professor Dr. Gustav Heinrich Ralph (often cited as G. H. R.) von Koenigswald (1902-1982) was a distinguished paleontologist and geologist who conducted research on hominins, including Homo erectus. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... Families Hylobatidae Hominidae Apes are the members of the Hominoidea superfamily of primates, which includes humans. ...

Characteristics

The only known fossils of G. blacki are a few teeth and mandibles found in cave sites in Southeast Asia. As the name suggests, 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. Recent research using high-precision absolute-dating methods has shown that after existing for about a million years, G. blacki died out 100,000 years ago. This means that it coexisted with (anatomically) modern humans (Homo sapiens) for a few dozen thousands of years, and with the most immediate ancestors of H. sapiens before that. An ammonite fossil Eocene fossil fish of the genus Knightia Petrified wood fossil formed through permineralization. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with jaw. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Type Species Troglodytes gorilla Savage, 1847 distribution of Gorilla Species Gorilla gorilla Gorilla beringei The gorilla, the largest of the living primates, is a ground-dwelling herbivore that inhabits the forests of Africa. ... Trinomial name Homo sapiens sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Humans, or human beings, are bipedal apes belonging to the mammalian species Homo sapiens (Latin for wise man or knowing man) under the family Hominidae (known as the great apes). ...

Based on the fossil evidence, paleontologists speculate that Gigantopithecus had an adult height of over three meters (ten feet) and a weight of 550 kg (1200 lb), and was thus much larger and heavier than current-day gorillas. An ammonite fossil Eocene fossil fish of the genus Knightia Petrified wood fossil formed through permineralization. ...

Bill Munns creates realistic statues of endangered apes.

The species lived in Asia and probably inhabited bamboo forests, since its fossils are often found alongside those of extinct ancestors of the panda. Most evidence points to Gigantopithecus being a plant-eater. Some believe that being a plant-eating species, G. blacki was placed at the losing end of the evolutionary competition with humans. Image File history File links Munns_clear. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Diversity Around 91 genera and 1,000 species Subtribes Arthrostylidiinae Arundinariinae Bambusinae Chusqueinae Guaduinae Melocanninae Nastinae Racemobambodinae Shibataeinae See the full Taxonomy of the Bambuseae. ... Look up panda in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Gigantopithecus's method of locomotion is uncertain, as no pelvis or leg bone has been found. The dominant view is that it walked on all fours like modern gorillas and chimpanzees; however, a minority opinion, most notably championed by the late Grover Krantz, holds that the mandible shape and structure suggests bipedal locomotion. Gordon S. Grover Krantz (November 5, 1931 – February 14, 2002) was a professor of physical anthropology at Washington State University, and a renowned Bigfoot researcher. ...

Classification

In the past, it had been thought that G. blacki was an ancestor of humans, on the basis of molar evidence; this is now regarded a result of convergent evolution. G. blacki is now placed in the subfamily Ponginae along with the orangutan. It has been suggested that Morphological convergence be merged into this article or section. ... Type Species Simia pygmaeus Linnaeus, 1760 Orangutan distribution Species Pongo pygmaeus Pongo abelii The orangutans are two species of great apes with long arms and reddish, sometimes brown, hair native to Indonesia and Malaysia . ...

Cryptozoology

Believers in the existence of the Yeti or "Abominable Snowman" and Bigfoot have theorized that these creatures could be present-day specimens of G. blacki. Without additional evidence, this must be regarded as highly speculative. Purported Yeti scalp at Khumjung monastery The Yeti, sometimes referred to as the Abominable Snowman, is a humanoid cryptid associated with the Himalaya. ... Frame 352 from the Patterson-Gimlin film Bigfoot and Sasquatch redirect here. ...

Due to the likelihood that G. blacki co-existed with anatomically modern H. sapiens, it is possible that encounters with the creatures over a hundred thousand years ago may have become, through oral tradition, the legends about the Yeti or Bigfoot still passed around today (Park, 177-178). Oral tradition or oral culture is a way of transmitting history, literature or law from one generation to the next in a civilization without a writing system. ...

See also

• Timeline of human evolution
• Timeline of crazy

The timeline of human evolution outlines the major events in the development of our species and the evolution of our ancestors. ...

References

• Park, Michael Alan. Biological Anthropology. Mayfield Publishing Co., 1996, ISBN 1-55934-424-5
• Giant ape lived along-side humans. Retrieved on November 15, 2005.

November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• University of Iowa Museum of Natural History: How Gigantopithecus was discovered
• From the Teeth of the Dragon: Gigantopithecus Blacki
• A Gigantopithecus sculpture at Hartwick College (This site is currently down.)
• Giant ape lived alongside humans
• The Bigfoot Giganto Theory
• Pre-Historic Giants: The Bigfoot Giganto Theory
• Bigfoot Research Organization