Meganthropus
445565
221783135
2008-06-26T02:20:00Z
UtherSRG
33145
revert - just because the genus is abandoned, doesn't mean it shouldn't be italicized. It is still a name of a genus, but it is now relegated to the role of junior synonym.
{{Taxobox | name = ''Meganthropus''
| fossil_range = [[Pleistocene]]
| status=Fossil
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Primates]]
| familia = [[Hominidae]]
| genus = ''[[Homo (genus)|Homo]]''?
| species = ''[[Homo erectus|H. erectus]]?''
| subspecies = '''''H. e. palaeojavanicus'''''?
| trinomial = †''Homo erectus palaeojavanicus''?
}}
'''''Meganthropus''''' is a name commonly given to several large jaw and skull fragments from Sangiran, Central [[Java (island)|Java]]. The original [[scientific name]] was ''Meganthropus paleojavanicus'', and while it is very commonly considered invalid today, the [[genus]] name has survived as something of an informal nickname for the [[fossil]]s. As of 2005, the [[taxonomy]] and [[phylogeny]] for the specimens are still uncertain, although most [[paleoanthropologist]]s considering them related to ''[[Homo erectus]]'' in some way. However, the names ''Homo paleojavanicus'' and even ''Australopithecus paleojavanicus'' are sometimes used as well, indicating the classification uncertainty. Of particular interest is that the finds were sometimes regarded as those of giants, although that is unsubstantiated.
After the discovery of a robust skull in Swartkrans in [[1948]] (SK48), the name ''Meganthropus africanus'' was briefly applied. However, that specimen is now formally known as ''[[Paranthropus robustus]]'' and the earlier name is a junior synonym.
Some of these finds were accompanied by evidence of tool use similar to that of ''Homo erectus''. This is the reason it is often linked with that species.
==Fossil finds==
The number of fossil finds has been relatively small, and it is a distinct possibility that they are a paraphyletic assemblage. Due to this, they will be discussed in detail separately.
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Skullb.jpg|thumb|This is the boulder with the human skull protruding that Ed Conrad discovered in 1982, about a year after finding the specimen resembling the anthropoid skull. It was found in the same general area in precisely this position, with the jawbone facing downward. The Smithsonian had admitted that the protrusion does indeed resemble a human skull. ]] -->
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Edconrad_Bushy.jpg|thumb|At left, a viw of the boulder from a slight angle reveals how the skull-like specimen extends above the surface. At right, here's how prehistoric human skulls sometimes are found. Note similarities to the specimen embedded in the boulder.]] -->
===Meganthropus A/Sangiran 6===
This large jaw fragment was first found in [[1941]] by von Koenigswald. Koenigswald was captured by the Japanese in World War II, but managed to send a cast of the jaw to [[Franz Weidenreich]]. Weidenreich described and named the specimen in [[1945]], and was struck by its size, it was the largest [[hominid]] jaw then known. The jaw was roughly the same height as a [[gorilla]]'s, but was much thicker. Weidenreich considered acromegalic gigantism, but ruled it out for not having typical features such as an exaggerated chin and small teeth compared to the jaw's size. Weidenreich never made a direct size estimate of the hominid it came from, but said it was 2/3 the size of ''[[Gigantopithecus]]'', which was twice as large as a gorilla, which would make it somewhere around 8 feet (2.44 meters) tall. The jawbone was apparently used in part of [[Grover Krantz]]'s skull reconstruction, which was only 8.5 inches (21 centimeters) tall.
===Meganthropus B/Sangiran 8===
This was another jaw fragment described by Marks in [[1953]]. It was around the same size and shape as the original mandible, but it was also severely damaged. Recent work by a [[Japan]]ese/[[Indonesia]]n team repaired the fossil, which was an adult, and showed it to be smaller than known specimens of ''H. erectus''. Curiously, the specimen did retain several traits unique to the first mandibular find and not known in ''H. erectus''{{ref|resize}}. No size estimates have been made yet.
===Meganthropus C/Sangiran 33/BK 7905===
This mandibular fragment was discovered in [[1979]], and has some characteristics in common with previous mandible finds {{ref|MegC}}. Its connection with Meganthropus appears to be the most tenuous out of the mandibular discoveries.
===Meganthropus D===
This mandible and ramus was acquired by Sartono in [[1993]], and has been dated to between 1.4 and 0.9 million years ago. The ramus portion is badly damaged, but the mandible fragment appears relatively unharmed, although details of the teeth have been lost. It is slightly smaller than Meganthropus A and very similar in shape. Sartono, Tyler, and Krantz agreed that Meganthropus A and D were very likely to be representations of the same species, whatever it turns out to be {{ref|MegD}}.
===Meganthropus I/Sangiran 27===
Tyler described this specimen as being a nearly complete but crushed cranium within the size limit of Meganthropus and outside the (assumed) limit of ''H. erectus''. The specimen was unusual for having a double sagittal crest and a heavily thickened nuchal crest {{ref|MegITyler}}. A.C. Durband challenged the interpretation of the fossil, and showed it to be well within the known range for ''H. erectus'' {{ref|MegIDurband}}.
===Meganthropus II/Sangiran 31===
This skull fragment was first described by Sartono in [[1982]]. Tyler's analysis came to the conclusion that it was out of the normal range of ''H. erectus''. The cranium was thicker, lower vaulted, and wider than any specimen previously recovered, had the same double sagittal crest as Meganthropus I, and had a cranial capacity of around 800-1000cc {{ref|MegIITyler}}. However, Andrew Kramer analyzed the same fossil and came to the conclusion that the "sagittal crest" was due to damage, and that the specimen showed remarkable similarities with Sangiran 4, a certain ''H. erectus'' {{ref|MegIIKramer}}. Durband's analysis showed that while Meganthropus II had differences with ''H. erectus'', it was within the range of variation {{ref|MegIIDurband}}. This fossil was also used in Krantz's reconstruction.
===Meganthropus III===
Another fossil with only tenuous ties to Meganthropus. Durband's analysis showed it to be within the range of ''H. erectus'' {{ref|MegIIIDurband}}.
==Scientific interpretation==
Weidenreich theorized that Meganthropus was a descendant of ''[[Gigantopithecus]]'', and gave rise to ''[[Pithecanthropus]]'', and then modern [[Asia]]ns. This hypothesis, part of the multi-regional theory of human evolution, has been discarded by mainstream paleoanthropology.
The second major theory, first proposed by J.T. Robinson, was that the Meganthropus finds are representative of a Southeast Asian [[australopithecine]]. This position has been adopted by several authorities, such as Koenigswald and Krantz, but they were still regarded as a vocal minority {{ref|vocalminority}}. There was also discussion as to whether they are closer to ''[[Australopithecus]]'' or ''[[Paranthropus]]''.
The majority of paleoanthropologists believe that Meganthropus is related to ''H. erectus'', but it is not agreed upon how closely. Sartono believes that while it is related to ''H. erectus'', the finds represent a new species, ''H. paleojavanicus''. On the other side, several authors believe that they are merely the males of ''H. erectus'', the alleged large size and robusticity being only due to early author's assumption that the females were males {{ref|dimorphism}}. There appears to be a consensus that there are some differences between Meganthropus and conventional ''H. erectus'', but opinion is variable as to what the differences mean.
==Extreme claims==
Meganthropus has been the target of numerous extreme claims, none of which are supported by peer-reviewed authors. Perhaps the most common claim is that Meganthropus was a giant, one unsourced claim put them at 9 feet (2.75 meters) tall and 750 to 1000 pounds (340 to 450 kilograms). No exact height has been published in a peer reviewed journal recently, and none give an indication of Meganthropus being substantially larger than ''H. erectus''.
There have been some rumors of post-cranial material, but those have either yet to be published or belong to ''H. erectus''. Reports, most if not all apparently from [[Australia]]n researcher [[Rex Gilroy]], place Meganthropus in Australia, and attach it to giant tools and even modern day reports. However, most all paleoanthropologists maintain that Meganthropus was only known from central Java. In a similar way, some [[Bigfoot]] researchers claim that Meganthropus is their subject's identity.
Some [[creationism|creationists]] insist that Meganthropus are [[Nephilim]], but there is nothing to suggest that it was anything other than a hominid, albeit a particularly robust one.
==References==
* {{note|resize}} {{note|MegC}}. Yousuke Kaifu, Fachroel Aziz, and Hisao Baba. Hominid Mandibular Remains From Sangiran: 1952-1986 collection. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 2005. Abstract Available: [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/110429328/ABSTRACT here]
* {{note|MegD}} G. Krantz, S. Sartono, and D. Tyler. A New Meganthropus Mandible from Java. Human Evolution, 1995. Abstract Available in the 1995 Supplements of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
* {{note|MegITyler}} {{note|MegIITyler}} D. Tyler. Taxonomic Status of "Meganthropus" Cranial Material. Abstract Available in the 1993 Supplements of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
* {{note|MegIDurband}} {{note|MegII Durband}} {{note|MegIIIDurband}} A.C. Durband 2003 A re-examination of purported Meganthropus cranial fragments. Paper not yet published. Abstract available in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology supplements for 2003. Also available: [http://web.archive.org/web/20030318070308/http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/dbman/db.cgi?db=schedule2003&uid=default&view_records=1&ID=*&nh=2]
* {{note|MegIIKramer}} {{note|vocalminority}} A. Kramer. 1994. A Critical Analysis of Southeast Asian Australopithecines. Journal of Human Evolution volume 26, number 1.
* {{note|dimorphism}} Russell Ciochon, John Olsenm and Jamie James, Other Origins: The Search for the Giant Ape in Human Prehistory. Bantam Books, 1990.
*Bernard Heuvelmans. On the Track of Unknown Animals. Rupert Hart Davis, London, 1962.
*Franz Weidenreich. Apes, Giants, and Men. University of Chicago Press, 1996.
==External links==
*[http://www.boneclones.com/BC-141.htm Krantz's Skull Reconstruction]
*[http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/sciences/lifescience/PhysicalAnthropology/AbnormalStatures/ThereWereGiants/ThereWereGiants.htm Rex Gilroy's site on alleged Australian finds]
{{Human Evolution}}
[[Category:Early hominids]]
[[Category:Pleistocene mammals]]
[[Category:Pleistocene extinctions]]
[[ka:მეგანთროპი]]
[[pl:Megantrop]]