In: Biology
Gigantopithecus is placed in the superfamily Hominoidea. Gigantopithecus should be placed as a hominid because its most primitive state was gigantism and not dwarfism. Dwarfism being the most common primitive form of many mammals.
Gigantopithecus belonged to the Ponginae, rather than the Homininae, forming a clade with the modern orangutan (genus Pongo) and extinct genera like Sivapithecus and Ouranopithecus. The diet of Gigantopithecus is known far better than its postcranial morphology. Based on analyses of phytoliths (fossilized plant particles) and carbon isotopes on the teeth of Gigantopithecus, there is a relatively complete understanding of its diet. Phytolith analyses revealed that it subsisted mainly on grasses (especially bamboo), fruits, and seeds, similar to the diet of the modern orangutan, albeit more specialized.