Sinanthropus

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Illustration of Peking Man

Sinanthropus (from Sino-, "China", and anthro-, "man") is an archaic genus in the scientific classification system to which the early hominid fossils of Peking Man, Lantian Man, Nanjing Man, and Yuanmou Man were once assigned. All of them have now been reclassified as Homo erectus, and the genus Sinanthropus is disused.[1] Beginning in the year 1928 to the year 1937, 14 fragmented skulls belonging to the hominids were found in various locations in China.[2] Peking and Chou K’ou-tien are two notable places with fossils found. It has been noted by researchers that it is likely that the found fragmented skulls were brought to the cave after being severed from the bodies they belonged to.[3] This is very likely, because most of the found pieces are teeth and jaws. Some skulls are missing large parts which indicates separation before they were fossilized, not the loss of pieces due to fossilization process.[3]

Sinanthropus contained four species:

  • Peking Man — Sinanthropus pekinensis (currently Homo erectus pekinensis)
  • Lantian Man — Sinanthropus lantianensis (currently Homo erectus lantianensis)
  • Nanjing Man — Sinanthropus nankinensis (currently Homo erectus nankinensis)
  • Yuanmou Man — Sinanthropus yuanmouensis (currently Homo erectus yuanmouensis)
Homo erectus pekinensis
  1. ^ "The mandibles of Sinanthropus pekinensis (Peking Man)". 6 October 2015.
  2. ^ Hooton, E. A. (1944). "The skull of Sinanthropus pekinensis; A comparative study on a primitive hominid skull. By Franz Weidenreich. Palaeontologica Sinica, New Series D. no. 10, Whole Series no. 127, 1943, xxi + 298 pp., 38 tables, 93 figures, 245 references, index". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 2 (3): 317–319. doi:10.1002/ajpa.1330020308. ISSN 0002-9483.
  3. ^ a b Weidenreich, Franz (2009-05-29). "The Sinanthropus Population of Choukoutien (Locality 1) with a Preliminary Report on New Discoveries: Weidenreich- Sinanthropus Population of Choukoutien". Bulletin of the Geological Society of China. 14 (4): 427–468. doi:10.1111/j.1755-6724.1935.mp14004001.x.