Plesiadapis

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Plesiadapis
Fossil range: late Paleocene to early Eocene[1]

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: †Plesiadapiformes
Superfamily: †Plesiadapoidea
Family: †Plesiadapidae
Genus: †Plesiadapis
Gervais, 1877
Type species
†Plesiadapis tricuspidens
Paleospecies[2][3]

†Plesiadapis walbeckensis Russell, 1964
†Plesiadapis remensis Lemoine, 1887
†Plesiadapis tricuspidens Gervais, 1877
†Plesiadapis russelli Gingerich, 1976
†Plesiadapis insignis (Piton, 1940)
†Plesiadapis praecursor Gingerich, 1975
†Plesiadapis anceps Simpson, 1936
†Plesiadapis rex (Gidley, 1923)
†Plesiadapis gingerichi Rose, 1981
†Plesiadapis churchilli Gingerich, 1975
†Plesiadapis fodinatus Jepsen, 1930
†Plesiadapis dubius (Matthew, 1915)
†Plesiadapis simonsi Gingerich, 1975
†Plesiadapis cookei Jepsen, 1930

Plesiadapis is one of the oldest known primate-like mammal species which existed about 58-55 mya in North America and Europe.[2] It looked a little like a squirrel. Plesiadapis still had claws and its eyes were located on each side of the head, making them faster on the ground than on the top of the trees, but they begin to spend long times on lower branches of trees, feeding on fruits and leafs.

[edit] References

  1. ^ McKenna, M. C, and S. K. Bell (1997). Classification of Mammals Above the Species Level. Columbia University Press. ISBN 023111012X. 
  2. ^ a b Gingerich, P.D. (1976). "Cranial anatomy and evolution of early Tertiary Plesiadapidae (Mammalia, Primates)". University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology 15: 1–141. 
  3. ^ Rose, K.D. (1981). "The Clarkforkian Land-Mammal Age and mammalian faunal composition across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary". University of Michigan Papers on Paleontology 26: 1–197. 

[edit] External links

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