Gigantopithecus fossil record limited to teeth and jawbones. Only about 2,000 teeth and 4 mandibles have ever been found No cranium, leg bones, or other skeletal elements have been recovered Estimated height: 2.3 to 3 meters, weight: 200 to 300 kg
Here's the wild thing about Gigantopithecus - we only have about 2,000 teeth and 4 jawbones. No skull, no limb bones, nothing else. Based on those jaws, researchers estimate they stood 2.3-3 meters tall and weighed 200-300 kilograms. Protein analysis places them as close relatives to orangutans, sharing a common ancestor 10-12 million years ago. The tropical climate has prevented any DNA recovery so far. 🔬🦧
Key Facts
- Only about 2,000 teeth and 4 mandibles have ever been found
- No cranium, leg bones, or other skeletal elements have been recovered
- Estimated height: 2.3 to 3 meters, weight: 200 to 300 kg
- Lived approximately 2.2 million to 200,000 years ago
- Proteins analysis shows they shared a common ancestor with orangutans 10-12 million years ago
- No DNA has ever been successfully recovered due to the tropical climate
Source: Did we ever meet Gigantopithecus? by Stefan Milo