Pithecanthropus

views updated Jun 27 2018

Pithecanthropus a former genus name applied to some fossil hominids found in Java in 1891. Also called Java man. The term was originally coined as a name for a hypothetical creature bridging the gap in evolutionary development between apes and man, and came from Greek pithēkos ‘ape’ + anthropos ‘man’.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

Pithecanthropus

views updated Jun 08 2018

Pithecanthropus See Homo.

A Dictionary of Biology

More From encyclopedia.com

About this article

Pithecanthropus

All Sources -
Updated Aug 08 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic

You Might Also Like