关键词: Mandible; Ape; Longgupo; Wushan

Abstract: The present author made comparisons between the mandibular fragment and teeth attached on it from longgupo, Wushan on one side,and the corresponding specimens of early Homo of East Africa, Homo erectus from Dmanisi and Lufengpithecus from Yuanmou on other side. The results showed that the size of Wushan specimens are much smaller than those of early Homo of East Africa and Dmanisi mandible, and are concordant with that of Lufengpithecus from Yuanmou. Most of the characters which have been used to attribute Wushan mandible to Homo by some scholars, are shared by both hominid and ape. Among these characters, bifurcation of the root of the premolar is one of the characters of Lufengpithecusand seldom seen in hominid. The position of the anterior contact facet and the ratio of the length of talonid to that of the crown of Wushan premolar are characteristic in ape. Among the ape fossils avaliable in China Lufengpithecus is the closest relative of Wushan ape. Whether they have ancestor-descendant relation is waiting for more findings to prove.

Key words: Mandible; Ape; Longgupo; Wushan