Notharctus

Notharctus
Temporal range: Middle Eocene–Late Eocene
Notharctus tenebrosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Synapsida
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Strepsirrhini
Family: Notharctidae
Subfamily: Notharctinae
Genus: Notharctus
Leidy, 1870
Species

Notharctus is a genus of adapiform primate that lived in North America during the late to middle Eocene.[1]

The body form of Notharctus is similar to that of modern lemurs. Its fingers were elongated for clamping onto branches, including the development of a thumb. Its spine is flexible and the animal was about 40 centimetres (16 in) in length, excluding the long tail.[2]

There were at least four different Notharctus species.[1] Fossils from at least seven other potential species have also been discovered.

Notharctus osborni skull

References

  1. 1 2 Gebo 2002, p. 25.
  2. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 287. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

Literature cited

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 5/20/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.