Adapiformes
Encyclopedia
Adapiformes are an extinct group of primitive primate
s.
The adapiformes radiated throughout much of the northern continental mass, reaching as far south as northern Africa
and tropical Asia
. The adapiformes existed from the Eocene
to the Miocene
epoch. Most of the adapiformes looked similar to living lemurs.
The adapiforms are known from the fossil record only, and it is unclear whether they form a monophyletic or paraphyletic group. When assumed to be a clade
, they are usually grouped under the "wet-nosed" taxon Strepsirrhini
, which would make them related to the lemurs, but not to the "dry-nosed" Haplorrhini
taxon that includes monkey
s and ape
s.
Franzen et al. (2009) place the newly-described Darwinius
genus in the "Adapoidea group of early primates representative of early haplorhine diversification" so that, according to these authors, the adapiforms would not be within the Strepsirrhini lineage as hitherto assumed but qualify as a stem "missing link" between Strepsirrhini and Haplorrhini. However, subsequent analysis on the Darwinius fossil by Erik Seiffert, et al rejects this "missing link" theory, classifying Darwinius within the Strepsirrhini.
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s.
The adapiformes radiated throughout much of the northern continental mass, reaching as far south as northern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and tropical Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The adapiformes existed from the Eocene
Eocene
The Eocene Epoch, lasting from about 56 to 34 million years ago , is a major division of the geologic timescale and the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Eocene spans the time from the end of the Palaeocene Epoch to the beginning of the Oligocene Epoch. The start of the...
to the Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
epoch. Most of the adapiformes looked similar to living lemurs.
The adapiforms are known from the fossil record only, and it is unclear whether they form a monophyletic or paraphyletic group. When assumed to be a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
, they are usually grouped under the "wet-nosed" taxon Strepsirrhini
Strepsirrhini
The clade Strepsirrhini is one of the two suborders of primates. Madagascar's only non-human primates are strepsirrhines, and others can be found in southeast Asia and Africa...
, which would make them related to the lemurs, but not to the "dry-nosed" Haplorrhini
Haplorrhini
The haplorhines, the "dry-nosed" primates , are members of the Haplorhini clade: the prosimian tarsiers and the anthropoids...
taxon that includes monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
s and ape
Ape
Apes are Old World anthropoid mammals, more specifically a clade of tailless catarrhine primates, belonging to the biological superfamily Hominoidea. The apes are native to Africa and South-east Asia, although in relatively recent times humans have spread all over the world...
s.
Franzen et al. (2009) place the newly-described Darwinius
Darwinius
Darwinius is a genus of Adapiformes, a group of basal primates from the Eocene epoch. Its only known species is Darwinius masillae, dated to 47 million years ago based on dating of the fossil site....
genus in the "Adapoidea group of early primates representative of early haplorhine diversification" so that, according to these authors, the adapiforms would not be within the Strepsirrhini lineage as hitherto assumed but qualify as a stem "missing link" between Strepsirrhini and Haplorrhini. However, subsequent analysis on the Darwinius fossil by Erik Seiffert, et al rejects this "missing link" theory, classifying Darwinius within the Strepsirrhini.
Classification
See also List of fossil primates- Family NotharctidaeNotharctidaeNotharctidae is an extinct family of primitive primates.- Classification :*Family Notharctidae**Subfamily Cercamoniinae***Genus Anchomomys***Genus Buxella***Genus Darwinius***Genus Donrussellia***Genus Europolemur...
- Subfamily CercamoniinaeCercamoniinaeCercamoniinae is a subfamily within the extinct primate family Notharctidae.- Classification :*Family Notharctidae**Subfamily Cercamoniinae***Genus Anchomomys***Genus Buxella***Genus Darwinius***Genus Donrussellia...
- Genus Anchomomys
- Genus Buxella
- Genus DarwiniusDarwiniusDarwinius is a genus of Adapiformes, a group of basal primates from the Eocene epoch. Its only known species is Darwinius masillae, dated to 47 million years ago based on dating of the fossil site....
- Genus Donrussellia
- Genus EuropolemurEuropolemurEuropolemur was a genus of adapiformes primates that lived in Europe during the Eocene.-Europolemur klatti:Europolemur klatti was an medium to large size adapiformes primate that lived on the continent of Europe from the middle to early Eocene...
- Genus Mahgarita
- Genus Panobius
- Genus Periconodon
- Genus Pronycticebus
- Subfamily NotharctinaeNotharctinaeNotharctinae is an extinct subfamily of primates that were common in North America during the early and middle Eocene...
- Genus CantiusCantiusCantius was a genus of adapiformes primate that lived in the Eocene....
- Genus Copelemur
- Genus HesperolemurHesperolemurHesperolemur actius is an extinct primate that lived in the middle Eocene of southern California. It is an immigrant taxa which appears to be most closely related to the earlier European forms of Cantius...
- Genus NotharctusNotharctusNotharctus was an early primate that inhabited Europe and North America 50 million years ago. Modern lemurs evolved from primates similar to this genus....
- Genus PelycodusPelycodusPelycodus is an extinct Adapiform primate that lived during the early Eocene period in North America, specifically Wyoming and New Mexico. It is very closely related to Cantius and may even be its subgenus. It may also have given rise to the Middle Eocene Uintan primate Hesperolemur, although...
- Genus SmilodectesSmilodectesSmilodectes is an extinct genus of primate that lived in Wyoming. It possesses a post-orbital bar and grasping thumbs and toes. Smilodectes has a small cranium size and the foramen magnum was located at the back of the skull, on the occipatal bone....
- Genus Cantius
- Subfamily Cercamoniinae
- Family Sivaladapidae
- Genus Guangxilemur
- Genus Hoanghonius
- Genus Indraloris
- Genus Kyitchaungia
- Genus Paukkaungia
- Genus Rencunius
- Genus Siamoadapis
- Genus Sinoadapis
- Genus Sivaladapis
- Genus Wailekia
- Family Adapidae
- Genus AdapisAdapisAdapis is an extinct genus of Adapidae primate belonging to the Adapinae subfamily The genus was named by Cuvier in 1822 and contains up to three species....
- Genus Adapoides
- Genus Afradapis
- Genus Leptadapis
- Genus GodinotiaGodinotiaGodinotia is an extinct genus of lemur-like prosimians belonging to the Adapidae family. It lived during the Eocene epoch , and its fossils have been found in the Messel Pit, Germany, showing that it already exhibited hominid features that would help make the primates such a successful group...
- Genus Adapis
- Family Incertae sedisIncertae sedis, is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Uncertainty at specific taxonomic levels is attributed by , , and similar terms.-Examples:*The fossil plant Paradinandra suecica could not be assigned to any...
- Genus Muangthanhinius
- Genus Lushius Chow, 1961
- Genus Djebelemur
- Genus Omanodon
- Genus Shizarodon