Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Potoooooooo · 07-13-2007, 04:15 PM

were they closely related to orangutans? What would they have looked like alive?

Cheerful Charlie · 07-13-2007, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Potoooooooo

were they closely related to orangutans? What would they have looked like alive?

Like George W. Bush's momma.

CC

espritch · 07-13-2007, 06:30 PM

I did a little reading on Gigantopithecus a while back. I seem to recall the web sites I visited indicated they were more closely related to orangutans than to any other living great ape. I also get the impression that the available fossils are rather incomplete (teeth and jaws mostly) so they probably can't provide a very reliable reconstruction of what the whole animal would have looked like in life (I picture it as sort of a big foot type critter - but it probably wasn't bipedal).

Added: Wikipedia validate my memory.

Quote:

Based on the slim fossil evidence--primarily huge molars nearly one inch square recovered from Chinese traditional medicine shops, but clearly genuine-- Gigantopithecus likely stood about 3 metres (9 feet) tall and weighed from 300 to 500 kg (660 to 1100 lbs.). This is two to three times larger than modern gorillas, although its closest living relatives are the orangutans.

This rather limited fossil evidence hasn't stopped people from trying to envision what it might have looked like.

espritch · 07-13-2007, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheerful Charlie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Potoooooooo

were they closely related to orangutans? What would they have looked like alive?

Like George W. Bush's momma.

CC

Now why you gotta go insulting Gigantopithecus like that? What'd it ever do to you?

07-13-2007, 04:15 PM	#1
Potoooooooo Contributor Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA Posts: 13,541	what is the latest thinking on gigantopithecus were they closely related to orangutans? What would they have looked like alive?

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