Gigantopithecus

Gigantopithecus is an extinct genus of ape that inhabited South Asia during the Pleistocene epoch. Fossil evidence suggests it was the largest ape known to have ever lived. The genus is primarily known from fossil teeth and a few jaw fragments discovered in China, India, and Vietnam. The exact classification of Gigantopithecus within the primate family tree has been debated, but it is generally considered to be a member of the hominoid superfamily, making it a distant relative of modern humans and other great apes.

The most common species, Gigantopithecus blacki, is estimated to have stood up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) tall when on its hind legs and weighed as much as 540 kilograms (1,190 pounds). Its massive teeth, which are larger than those of any other known primate, indicate a diet consisting primarily of tough plant material such as bamboo and fruits. The exact reason for its extinction remains unclear, but climate change and competition for resources are considered likely factors. Gigantopithecus has captured public imagination and is often featured in speculative discussions about cryptids like Bigfoot.