Dryopithecine

/ˌdraɪoʊpɪˈθɛsaɪn/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or describing characteristics of Dryopithecus and related extinct apes from the Miocene epoch.

Etymology

From 'Dryopithecus' plus the adjective suffix '-ine', used to create adjectives describing membership in a group or possession of a group's characteristics.

Kelly Says

When paleontologists describe fossil teeth or jaw bones as 'dryopithecine features,' they're reading a biological record—each feature reveals how these ancestors adapted differently from us, showing that evolution is full of experiments that didn't lead anywhere.

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