dryopithecus

Thân thiện

A paleontologist carefully examines a Dryopithecus fossil.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Genus of Old World hominoids; Miocene and Pliocene: Dryopithecus is the scientific name for a genus of extinct apes that lived during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. These primates are considered part of the evolutionary lineage of hominoids (apes and humans) and are known from fossil evidence found in the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Fossils of Dryopithecus provide important clues about ape evolution.
  • Scientists study Dryopithecus to understand the environment of the Miocene epoch.

Advanced Usage

• In paleoanthropological context: The genus name is often used in scientific discussions about primate phylogeny and the divergence of hominid lineages.
  • The dental morphology of Dryopithecus suggests a diet of soft fruits.

Variants and Related Words

• Dryopithecine (adj/n): Pertaining to or a member of the genus or its subfamily.
  • The dryopithecine fossils were discovered in Europe.

Synonyms

• Proconsul (Note: is a different but related genus of fossil apes from a similar period. They are not exact synonyms but are often discussed together in evolutionary biology.)
• Miocene ape
• Fossil ape

Related Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs or Idioms)

• Hominoid: A member of the superfamily Hominoidea, which includes apes and humans.
• Miocene: The geological epoch from about 23 to 5.3 million years ago.
• Pliocene: The geological epoch from about 5.3 to 2.6 million years ago.

Học thuật

Noun

1. genus of Old World hominoids; Miocene and Pliocene

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Dryopithecus
• genus Dryopithecus