Question

Give any two distinctive features of Dryopethicus.

Answer 1

Dryopithecus is regarded as the common ancestor of human and apes.

Complete step by step answer:
Dryopethicus originated in Africa and its fossils were found in the Miocene and Pilocene deposits (23 to 2.6 million years old). The apes evolved and diversified during the early Miocene epoch but during the end of this epoch, many of the apes became extinct when the climate became cooler and dryer. Dryopethicus is one of the species which survived this change. It belongs to the hominidae family. Dryopethicus fontani was the 1st fossil great ape discovered in Saint Gaudens, France by Edward Lartet in 1856.
Though it is believed to be the common ancestor of both human and apes, it is more ape like. Their facial anatomy is similar to that of the gorillas, had large brains and reduced olfactory senses. They had larger canines than humans but not as large as those in other living apes. Males had larger canines than females, a feature which is similar to the higher levels of aggression in the modern primates. They probably inhabited forest areas where plenty of resources were present. They mostly ate fruits. They had fully extendable elbow joints, a character which can be attributed to their swing and hang motion on the branches.
Their distinctive features could be that they were semi erect and were knuckle walkers. Anatomy of their humerus and femur suggested that they walked on all four limbs. They also lacked the huge brow ridges found in modern apes.

Note:
Their place in human and ape evolution is still debated due to the fragmentary nature of the fossils. A recent study has suggested that Dryopethicus was the likely ancestor of African apes and humans. This would make the origin of the common ancestors of the African apes and humans in Eurasia and then their migration to Africa.