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 are today the countries of China, India, and Vietnam. The fossil record suggests that the Gigantopithecus species were the largest apes that ever lived. It was probably a quadruped and an herbivore and with a diet that consisted primarily of bamboo, possibly supplemented with seasonal fruits, although recent theory suggests it was a generalist in its eating habits. Although it is not known why Gigantopithecus died out, if indeed it has at all, researchers believe that climate change and resource competition with better adapted species were the main reasons.

One study site, Liucheng Cave in Liuzhou China has produced numerous Gigantipithecus blacki teeth, though there may have been other sites declaring such finds in Viet Nam giving rise to suggest the range of Gigantopithecus foraging was south east Asia. A separate species, Gigantipithecus giganteus, was also found in northern India. Either species could have crossed the Bering Land Bridge much in the way it is thought humans may have brought themselves to the New World.

Based on the slim fossil evidence, primarily huge molars, nearly one inch square teeth, recovered from Chinese traditional medicine shops, but clearly genuine, Gigantopithecus was likely about 3 metres tall and weighed from 300 to 500 kg — 2 to 3 times larger than gorillas, although its closest living relatives are the orangutans. Some cryptozoologists have claimed that a race of gigantopithecines are the legendary primates known in various geographic locations as Bigfoot, Yowie, Yeren or Yeti. As the discovery and description of the creature first occurred in the 1920s, it may have had some influence on the core concept of a super large gorilla-like ape that became King Kong, the movie monster, in the 1933 film classic - in fact, a mock documentary about Skull Island on the DVD for the 2005 remake of the film suggests that Kong's species evolved from Gigantopithecus.

References

• History Channel, The, "Giganto: The Real King Kong" (Dec. 15, 2005).
• http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-11/mu-gal111005.php"

Prehistoric apes | Pleistocene mammals | Pleistocene extinctions

Gigantopithecus | Gigantopithecus | Gigantopithèque | Gigantopithecus | Gigantopitek