Editing Gigantopithecus (section)

==Description==
[[File:Gigantopithecus.png|thumb|Reconstruction of ''Gigantopithecus'' with a speculative large build, gorilla-like posture, and orange hair]]

===Size===
Total size estimates are highly speculative because only tooth and jaw elements are known. Molar size and total body weight do not always correlate, such as in the case of [[postcanine megadontia]] hominins (small-bodied primates exhibiting massive molars and thick enamel).<ref name= "Olejniczak2008"/> Still, ''Gigantopithecus'' is normally reconstructed as the biggest primate ever recorded.<ref name="NAT-20240110"/>
*In 1946, Weidenreich hypothesised that ''Gigantopithecus'' was twice the size of male gorillas.<ref name=Weidenreich1946/>
*In 1957, Pei estimated a total height of about {{convert|12|ft|abbr=in|order=flip}}.<ref name=Johnson1979/>
*In 1970, Simons and American palaeontologist Peter Ettel approximated a height of almost {{convert|9|ft|abbr=in|order=flip}} and a weight of up to {{convert|600|lb|abbr=in|order=flip}}, which is about 40% heavier than the average male gorilla.<ref name=Johnson1979/>
*In 1978, David P. Willoughby estimated a height of {{cvt|1.85|m|0}} and a weight of {{cvt|250|kg}}.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Willoughby |first=David P. |title=All about Gorillas |year=1978 |publisher=A. S. Barnes |isbn=9780498018459 |pages=50}}</ref>
*In 1979, American anthropologist Alfred E. Johnson Jr. used the dimensions of gorillas to estimate a [[femur]] length of {{cvt|54.4|cm|ftin|0}} and [[humerus]] length of {{cvt|62.7|cm|ftin|0}} for ''Gigantopithecus'', about 20–25% longer than those of gorillas.<ref name=Johnson1979>{{cite journal|first=A. E. Jr. |last=Johnson |year= 1979 |title= Skeletal Estimates of ''Gigantopithecus'' Based on a Gorilla Analogy|journal=Journal of Human Evolution|volume=8|issue=6|pages=585–587|doi=10.1016/0047-2484(79)90111-8|bibcode=1979JHumE...8..585J }}</ref>
*In 2017, Chinese palaeoanthropologist Yingqi Zhang and American anthropologist Terry Harrison suggested a body mass of {{convert|200|-|300|kg|abbr=in}}, though conceded that it is impossible to obtain a reliable body mass estimate without more complete remains.<ref name= ZhangHarrison2017/>
*In 2019, R. J. Hawley from the [[Tate Geological Museum]] wrote that it is unreasonable to reconstruct ''Gigantopithecus'' with bipedal standing height over {{cvt|230|cm|ftin|0}}.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gayford |first1=Joel H. |last2=Engelman |first2=Russell K. |last3=Sternes |first3=Phillip C. |last4=Itano |first4=Wayne M. |last5=Bazzi |first5=Mohamad |last6=Collareta |first6=Alberto |last7=Salas-Gismondi |first7=Rodolfo |last8=Shimada |first8=Kenshu |date=2024 |title=Cautionary tales on the use of proxies to estimate body size and form of extinct animals |journal=Ecology and Evolution |language=en |volume=14 |issue=9 |pages=e70218 |doi=10.1002/ece3.70218 |issn=2045-7758 |pmc=11368419 |pmid=39224151|bibcode=2024EcoEv..1470218G }}</ref> 

The average maximum length of the upper [[canine tooth|canines]] for presumed males and females are {{convert|21.1|mm|abbr=in|frac=4}} and {{convert|15.4|mm|abbr=in|frac=2}}, respectively, and Mandible III (presumed male) is 40% larger than Mandible I (presumed female). These imply [[sexual dimorphism]], with males being larger than females. Such a high degree of dimorphism is only surpassed by gorillas among modern apes in canine size, and is surpassed by none for mandibular disparity.<ref name= ZhangHarrison2017/>

===Teeth and jaws===
Like other apes, ''Gigantopithecus'' had a [[dental formula]] of {{DentalFormula|upper=2.1.2.3|lower=2.1.2.3}}, with two [[incisor]]s, one canine, two premolars, and three molars in each half of the jaw for both jaws.<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/> The canines, due to a lack of honing facets (which keep them sharp) and their overall stoutness, have been suggested to have functioned like premolars and molars (cheek teeth). Like other apes with enlarged molars, the incisors of ''Gigantopithecus'' are reduced.<ref name=Dean2003/><ref name=Ciochon1996>{{cite journal |last=Ciochon |first=R. |author-link=Russell Ciochon |year=1996 |title=Dated Co-Occurrence of ''Homo erectus'' and ''Gigantopithecus'' from Tham Khuyen Cave, Vietnam |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=93 |issue=7 |pages=3016–3020 |doi=10.1073/pnas.93.7.3016 |pmid=8610161 |pmc=39753|bibcode=1996PNAS...93.3016C |display-authors=etal|doi-access=free }}</ref> Wearing on the tongue-side of the incisors (the lingual face), which can extend as far down as the [[tooth root]], suggests an [[underbite]].<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/> Overall mandibular anatomy and tooth wearing suggests a side-to-side movement of the jaw while chewing (lateral excursion).<ref name=Kono2014/> The incisors and canines have extremely long tooth roots, at least double the length of the [[tooth crown]] (the visible part of the tooth). These teeth were closely packed together.<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/>

In the upper jaw, the average size of the 1st premolar (P<sup>3</sup>), 2nd premolar (P<sup>4</sup>), 1st and 2nd molar (which are difficult to distinguish, M<sup>1/2</sup>), and 3rd molar (M<sup>3</sup>) are:<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/>
*P<sup>3</sup> {{convert|20.3|x|15.2|mm|sigfig=1|abbr=in|frac=32}} in surface area
*P<sup>4</sup> {{convert|15.2|x|16.4|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}}
*M<sup>1/2</sup> {{convert|19.8|x|17.5|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}}
*M<sup>3</sup> {{convert|20.3|x|17.3|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}}.
In the lower jaw:<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/>
*P<sub>3</sub> {{convert|15.1|x|20.3|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}}
*P<sub>4</sub> {{convert|13.7|x|20.3|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}}
*M<sub>1/2</sub> {{convert|18.1|x|20.8|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}},
*M<sub>3</sub> {{convert|16.9|x|19.6|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}}.
The molars are the biggest of any known ape.<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/> Teeth continually evolved to become larger and larger.<ref name=Shao2017/> The premolars are high-crowned, and the lower have two tooth roots, whereas the upper have three. The lower molars are low-crowned, long and narrow, and waist at the midline—which is more pronounced in the lower molars—with low-lying and bulbous cusps and rounded-off crests.<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/>

[[File:Giganthopithecus blacki, molar.jpeg|thumb|''Gigantopithecus'' molar]]
The tooth enamel on the molars is in absolute measure the thickest of any known ape, averaging {{convert|2.5|-|2.9|mm|abbr=in|frac=32}} in three different molars, and over {{convert|6|mm|abbr=in|frac=4}} on the tongue-side (lingual) cusps of an upper molar.<ref name=Kono2014/> This has attracted comparisons with the extinct ''[[Paranthropus]]'' hominins, which had extremely large molars and thick enamel for their size.<ref name="Dean2003"/><ref name=Kono2014>{{cite journal|first1=R. T.|last1=Kono|first2=Y.|last2=Zhang|first3=C.|last3=Jin|first4=M.|last4=Takai|first5=G.|last5=Suwa|year=2014|title=A 3-dimensional assessment of molar enamel thickness and distribution pattern in ''Gigantopithecus blacki''|journal=Quaternary International|volume=354|pages=46–51|doi=10.1016/j.quaint.2014.02.012|bibcode=2014QuInt.354...46K}}</ref> However, in relation to the tooth's size, enamel thickness for ''Gigantopithecus'' overlaps with that of several other living and extinct apes. Like orangutans and potentially all pongines (though unlike African apes) the ''Gigantopithecus'' molar had a large and flat (tabular) grinding surface, with an even enamel coating, and short dentine horns (the areas of the dentine layer which project upwards into the top enamel layer).<ref name="Olejniczak2008">{{cite journal |last1=Olejniczak |first1=A. J. |display-authors=etal |year=2008 |title=Molar enamel thickness and dentine horn height in ''Gigantopithecus blacki'' |journal=[[American Journal of Physical Anthropology]] |volume=135 |issue=1 |pages=85–91 |doi=10.1002/ajpa.20711 |pmid=17941103 |url=http://www.anthonyolejniczak.com/PDF/olejniczak_et_al_2008_AJPA_Gigantopithecus.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233645/http://www.anthonyolejniczak.com/PDF/olejniczak_et_al_2008_AJPA_Gigantopithecus.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016 }}</ref> The molars are the most [[hypsodont]] (where the enamel extends beyond the gums) of any ape.<ref name=ZhangHarrison2017/>