近日,，國際雜志《國際第四紀》Quaternary International發(fā)表了中國科學院古脊椎動物與古人類研究所趙凌霞和張立召的研究論文“New fossil evidence and diet analysis of Gigantopithecus blacki and its distribution and extinction in South China,，“,，巨猿的系統(tǒng)演化和絕滅問題仍然存在謎團有待深究。新化石的發(fā)現(xiàn)和深入研究為解開巨猿之謎將提供證據(jù),。文章報道了貴州新發(fā)現(xiàn)的巨猿化石,，并結合巨猿牙齒特性、食性分析,、第四紀氣候環(huán)境變化等資料,，分析探討了巨猿在華南地區(qū)的地史分布和絕滅問題。
新發(fā)現(xiàn)的5枚巨猿牙齒化石出自貴州西部高原地區(qū),?；c位于畢節(jié)市何官屯鎮(zhèn)扒耳巖采石場（圖1），地理坐標27°22′12″N,， 105°15′16″E,，海拔高度約1630米，是華南目前發(fā)現(xiàn)的海拔最高的巨猿化石點,，為研究巨猿的地史分布,、演化變遷和絕滅問題贈加了重要依據(jù)。
豐富多樣的大哺乳動物化石常與巨猿化石相伴,。在畢節(jié)扒耳巖化石點發(fā)現(xiàn)的大哺乳動物化石,，初步鑒定有20多個類種，其中含有華南動物群早更新世早期的典型代表種類,，如小種大熊貓,、桑氏鬣狗、山原貘,、擬豺,、爪獸、最后雙尖齒豬等,，據(jù)此判斷貴州畢節(jié)扒耳巖巨猿時代應為早更新世早期,，與廣西柳城巨猿洞和重慶巫山龍骨坡巨猿的時代相近。
根據(jù)目前已發(fā)現(xiàn)的巨猿化石記錄,，更新世早期巨猿分布范圍較為廣闊,，在廣西、貴州,、鄂西-三峽地區(qū)都有發(fā)現(xiàn),，但到早更新世晚期至中更新世，巨猿的分布范圍明顯向南退縮,，主要局限于廣西地區(qū),，此外在海南和越南也有零星發(fā)現(xiàn)，到晚更新世巨猿似乎已經(jīng)絕跡,，迄今尚未發(fā)現(xiàn)晚更新世的巨猿化石,。作者綜合多項資料分析認為,，巨猿分布范圍逐漸退縮并走向絕滅，與第四紀氣候環(huán)境變化密切關聯(lián),，同時受到巨猿自身生物適應性的限制,，以及來自人類活動擴張的生存擠壓。
本項工作得到國家自然科學基金,、現(xiàn)代古生物學和地層學國家重點實驗室開放基金和科技基礎性工作專項資助,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2011.12.016
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New fossil evidence and diet analysis of Gigantopithecus blacki and its distribution and extinction in South China
L.X. Zhaoa, b, , , L.Z. Zhanga, b
The present paper reports the recently discovered fossil teeth of Early Pleistocene Gigantopithecus blacki and associated mammalian fauna from Baeryan Cave, Bijie County in Guizhou Province, and also reviews briefly the known fossil sites of Gigantopithecus in south China of Pleistocene. In Early Pleistocene, Gigantopithecus had a wider distribution, but withdrew southward in Middle Pleistocene to a limited area mainly in South China, and it disappeared in the Late Pleistocene according to the present fossil records. Diet and habitat analysis from carbon isotope evidence is used to investigate the reasons for the extinction of Gigantopithecus, which fed on a pure C3 diet and lived in a forest habitat. It was clearly different from early hominins in South and East Africa, such as Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus and Paranthropus boisei, which had C4 diets. The extinction of Gigantopithecus was also related to the great changes of climate and environment of the Pleistocene, especially the last one million years, during which Homo became more and more prosperous and exerted great pressure on G. blacki.
