Pithecanthropus (Noun)
Meaning
Former genus of primitive apelike men now Homo erectus.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The fossil remains of Pithecanthropus were discovered in Java in the late 19th century and were initially thought to be the missing link between humans and apes.
- Pithecanthropus is now considered to be an outdated term and has been replaced by the genus name Homo erectus in modern scientific classification.
- The discovery of Pithecanthropus sparked a wave of interest in human evolution and the search for other early human ancestors.
- Pithecanthropus was characterized by its upright posture and primitive stone tools, which were seen as evidence of its intermediate status between humans and apes.
- The Pithecanthropus fossils found in Java were dated to around 700,000 years ago and were seen as a key transitional phase in human evolution.