关键词: 步氏巨猿;牙齿;南方古猿类;食性假说

Abstract: The isolated teeth of Gigantopithecus blacki kept in our laboratory ate measured and statistically tested. The heterogeneity of Liucheng sample can be shown by a comparison of the teeth from locus C with those from non-C loci in the Gigantopithecus cave. A re_x001F_view of geological literature suggests that some teeth from non-C loci, which may be of later rage, are responsible for. this heterogeneity.
The teeth of G. blacki can be divided into early and late groups on 'temporal grounds； The late G. blacki is significantly larger than the early G. blacki in cheek teeth, but there are no significant differences in front tooth size between these two groups； It means that there is a differences in proportionate size of the canines to the cheek teeth between early and late G. blacki. The difference is like that seen between gracile and robust of South African australopithecines. The fauna and tooth chipping indicate that the difference in tooth size between eatly and late G. blacki can hardly be attributed to different dietary resources. TKe evdlutionary. trerfd in tooth size of G. blacki implies that ：a mote reasonable explanation of the difference between gracile and robust type of South African australopithecines might not be due to diets as suggested by Robinson.

Key words: Gigantopithecus blacki; Tooth; Australopithecines; Dietary hypo_x001F_thesis