Tag Archives: Gigantopithecus

New study suggests Gigantopithecus became extinct 215,000-295,000 years ago

Posted on by
Reply

Gigantopithecus brachyThe largest primate in history and one of the largest species of Southeast Asian megafauna, it lived in China from about 2 million years until its extinction during the Middle Pleistocene. New research shows that starting 2.3 million years ago, this environment was a mosaic of forests and grasses, providing ideal conditions to thrive. Gigantopithecus brachy population. However, from 295,000 years ago, just before and during the extinction period 215,000 years ago, increased seasonality led to increased environmental variability, changes in plant communities, and an increase in open forest environments. Although they are close relatives, Chinese orangutan (Pongo Weidenrach)managed to adapt their food preferences and behavior to this fluctuation. Gigantopithecus brachy There were signs of chronic stress and population decline. Ultimately, that struggle to adapt led to the extinction of the largest primate to ever live on Earth.

Impressions of a group of artists Gigantopithecus brachy In the forest of southern China. Image credit: Garcia / Joannes-Boyau, Southern Cross University.

Gigantopithecus brachy It is an extinct giant hominid that once lived in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

As the name suggests, this giant primate was larger than a gorilla, reaching up to 3 meters (10 feet) tall and weighing up to 540 kg (1,200 pounds).

“Our current understanding is that Gigantopithecus brachy “It originates from early to mid-Pleistocene cave deposits between the Yangtze River in southern China and the South China Sea,” said Professor Yingqi Zhang of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and colleagues.

“This primate is known for its unusually large molars, abnormally thick enamel, estimated height of about 3 meters, and weight of 200 to 300 kg, making it the largest primate to have ever existed on Earth. I am.”

“Despite 85 years of exploration, Gigantopithecus blacki's fossil record is limited to four mandibles and nearly 2,000 isolated teeth, with no postcranial evidence. ”

“The initial discovery as a 'dragon's tooth' in a pharmacy in Hong Kong led to the search for the first in situ finds, which led to the discovery of several cave sites in two major regions of Chongzuo and Fuping basins in Guangxi province. This led to the discovery of

“These sites contain important evidence of its survival and eventual demise.”

“Providing a clear cause for a species' extinction is a major feat, but establishing the exact time a species disappeared from the fossil record provides a target time frame for environmental reconstruction and behavioral assessment.” said Macquarie University geochronologist Dr John Martin. Kira Westaway.

“Without reliable dating, you're simply looking for clues in the wrong places.”

To identify potential causes Gigantopithecus brachy In case of extinction, the researchers applied a regional approach to 22 caves in the Chongzuo and Bupyeong basins. Gigantopithecus brachy-Bearing or non-bearing-Gigantopithecus brachy-Contains cave deposits.

They combined previous excavations with recently discovered caves to identify and sample fossil breccias for dating, paleoclimate estimation, and behavioral analysis.

Six different dating techniques were applied to the cave deposits and fossils, yielding 157 radiometric dates.

Luminescence dating measures light-sensitive signals in buried sediments. Gigantopithecus brachy Fossils were the primary technology supported by uranium series and electron spin resonance dating. Gigantopithecus brachy The tooth itself.

“Direct dating of the fossil remains allowed us to confirm that their ages match the luminescence order of the deposits in which they were found, providing a comprehensive and reliable chronology of the human extinction. Gigantopithecus brachy'' said Dr Renaud-Joan Boyau, a geochronologist at Southern Cross University.

The findings show that Gigantopithecus brachy They went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought.

Before this time, Gigantopithecus brachy They thrived in rich and diverse forests.

By 700,000 to 600,000 years ago, the environment had further changed due to increased seasonal intensity, leading to changes in the structure of forest communities.

orangutans etc. Pongo Weidenrach They adapted their size, behavior, and habitat preferences in response to changing conditions.

In comparison, Gigantopithecus brachy When preferences were not available, they relied on backup food sources with low nutritional value, reducing dietary diversity.

The primates experienced reduced locomotion, reduced geographic foraging range, chronic stress and population decline.

“Gigantopithecus brachy “It was the ultimate specialist compared to more agile adapters like orangutans, but this ultimately led to its demise,” Professor Chan said.

“With the threat of a sixth mass extinction looming over us, there is an urgent need to understand why species go extinct,” Dr Westaway said.

“Exploring the reasons for unresolved extinctions in the past is a good starting point for understanding the resilience of primates and the fate of other large animals in the past and future.”

of findings Published in today's diary Nature.

_____

Y. Chan other.The end of the giant ape Gigantopithecus brachy. Nature, published online on January 10, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06900-0

Source: www.sci.news

The Extinction of Gigantopithecus: An Exploration into Its Cause 295,000 Years Ago

Posted on by
Reply

Gigantopythos black probably lived in a “mosaic of forest and grass”

Garcia/Joanne Boyau (Southern Cross University)

The largest known primates went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, probably because they were unable to adapt their food preferences to a changing climate.

A relative of modern orangutans, Gigantopithecus brachy Known as “Giganto”, it was 3 meters tall and weighed up to 300 kilograms.

Despite living for more than two million years, the species has been shrouded in mystery since 1935, when a fossilized tooth was discovered in a traditional medicine store in Hong Kong. The giant tooth was initially thought to belong to a dragon, but paleontologists soon discovered it. In fact, it turns out that it belongs to a primate.

“When I think of them, I think of the giants,” he says. Kira Westaway Graduated from Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. “Usually when you think of giants, you think of dinosaurs, but this was a primate giant.”

To establish a timeline of when this ape became extinct, Westaway and her colleagues studied hundreds of teeth and four jawbone fragments found in caves throughout southern China's Guangxi province. By observing the radioactive decay of certain elements, such as uranium, in teeth and bones, researchers can determine how much time has passed since death.

They also examined other deposits in the cave, such as pollen and sediment, to determine its condition. G. Blackie – Herbivores – lived there.

“We show that starting 2.3 million years ago, the environment was a mosaic of forests and grasses, providing ideal conditions for flourishing. G. Blackie population,” the researchers wrote. “However, just before and during the extinction period between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, increased seasonality led to increased environmental variability, which led to changes in plant communities and an increase in open forest environments. the researchers added.

By studying the stripes on fossilized animals' teeth, researchers discovered signs of chronic stress caused by lack of access to their favorite foods. They say the creature's failure to adapt to a changing climate and accompanying fluctuations in food likely sealed its fate. In contrast, orangutans, of which three species survive, have adapted their dietary preferences and behavior in response to increasing climate change.

“eventually [G.blacki’s] “The struggle to adapt led to the extinction of the largest primate to ever live on Earth,” the researchers wrote. They also dispelled the idea that hominins may have competed with or hunted the species, precipitating its extinction. “There's no evidence for this,” Westaway says.

julian lewis Researchers at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia say they present a convincing case that environmental change, particularly increased habitat variability, has likely had negative effects on organisms. . G. Blackie.

However, he added that the fossils studied came from a very limited geographical area.resembles a fossil G. Blackie It is also found in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

“One thing seems almost certain: Their actual geographic range would have been much larger than current fossils indicate,” Ruiz says. “We don't know how much this will affect the timing of global extinction of this species.”

anne marie bacon Researchers at France's National Center for Scientific Research say this study can help us understand. Mr. G. Blackie But studying China's fossils only reveals part of its history.

“Although this paper focuses on records from China, we do not know whether the geographic range of great apes extended into Indochina because there are few paleontological remains in Asia.” [mainland South-East Asia]we also looked at what the southern limit of this range was,” she says.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com