List of fossil primates
Encyclopedia
This is a list of fossil primates—extinct primate
s for which a fossil record
exists. Primates are generally thought to have evolved from a small, unspecialized mammal
, which probably fed on insects and fruits. However, the precise source of the primates remains controversial and even their arboreal origin has recently been questioned. As it has been suggested, many other mammal orders are arboreal too, but they have not developed the same characters as primates. Nowadays, some well known genera, such as Purgatorius
and Plesiadapis
, thought to be the most ancient primates for a long time, are not usually considered as such by recent authors, who tend to include them in the new order Plesiadapiformes
, within superorder Euarchontoglires
. Some, to avoid confusions, employ the unranked term Euprimates, which excludes Plesiadapiformes. That denomination is not used here.
There is an academic debate on the time the first primates appeared. One of the earliest probable primate fossils is the problematic Altiatlasius koulchii, perhaps an Omomyid
, but perhaps a non-Primate Plesiadapiform, which lived in Morocco, during the Paleocene
, around 60 Ma. However, other studies, including molecular clock studies, have estimated the origin of the primate branch to have been in the mid-Cretaceous
period, around 85 Ma, that is to say, in the time previous to the extinction of dinosaurs and the successful mammal radiation. Nevertheless, there seems to be a consensus about the monophyletic origin of the order, although the evidence is not clear. There are no fossils known that can be directly linked to the living African apes, nor any that could be considered representative of the last common ancestor between them and humans.
The order Primates, established by Linnaeus in 1758, includes humans and their immediate ancestors. However, contrarily to the common opinion, most primates do not have especially large brains. Brain size is a derived character, which only appeared with genus Homo
, and was lacking in the first hominid
. In fact, hominid encephalization quotient is only 1.5 Ma more recent than that of some dolphin species. The encephalization quotient of some cetaceans is therefore higher than that of most primates, including the nearest relatives of humans, such as Australopithecus
.
This list follows Walter Carl Hartwig
's 2002 book The Fossil Primate Record. Parentheses around authors' names (and dates) indicates a change in generic name
for the fossil, as stated in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
(ICZN).
Adapiformes
Notharctus
Leidy, 1870
Notharctus robustior Leidy, 1870
Notharctus tenebrosus
Leidy, 1870
Notharctus venticolus Osborn, 1902
Pelycodus
Cope, 1875
Pelycodus jarrovii (Cope, 1874)
Smilodectes
Wortman, 1903
Smilodectes gracilis (Marsh, 1871)
Smilodectes mcgrewi Gingerich, 1979
Cercamoniinae
Gingerich, 1975
Agerinia Crusafont-Pairo & Golpe-Posse, 1973
Anchomomys Stehlin, 1916
Anchomomys gaillardi Stehlin, 1916
Anchomomys milleri Simons, 1997
Anchomomys pygmaeus (Rütimeyer, 1890)
Anchomomys quercy (Stehlin, 1916)
Barnesia Thalmann, 1994
Buxella Godinot, 1988
Buxella prisca Godinot, 1988
Caenopithecus Rütimeyer, 1862
Cercamonius Gingerich, 1975
Darwinius
Franzen et al., 2009
Donrussellia Szalay, 1976
Donrussellia louisi
Donrussellia magna
Donrussellia provincialis
Donrussellia russelli
Europolemur
Weigelt, 1933
Europolemur klatti
Weigelt, 1933
Europolemur koenigswald Franzen, 1987
Mahgarita Wilson & Szalay, 1976
Pericodon Stehlin, 1916
Pericodon helveticus (Rütimeyer, 1891)
Pericodon huerzeleri Gingerich, 1977
Pericodon jaegeri Godinot, 1988
Pericodon lemoinei Gingerich, 1977
Protoadapis Lemoine, 1878
Protoadapis brachyrhynchus Stehlin, 1912
Protoadapis curvicuspidens (Lemoine, 1878)
Protoadapis ignoratus
Protoadapis muechelnensis
Protoadapis recticuspidens
Protoadapis weigelti
Pronycticebus Grandidier, 1904
Pronycticebus neglectus
Wadilemur Simons, 1997
Adapidae Trouessart, 1879
Leptadapis Gervais, 1876
Leptadapis capellae (Crusafont-Pairo, 1967)
Leptadapis leenhardti (Stehlin, 1912)
Leptadapis magnus (Filhol, 1874)
Leptadapis priscus (Stehlin, 1916)
Leptadapis ruetimeyeri (Stehlin, 1912)
Microadapis Szalay, 1974
Palaeolemur Delfortrie, 1873
Sivaladapidae Thomas & Verma, 1979
Indraloris Lewis, 1933
Rencunius Gingerich et al., 1994
Sinoadapis Wu & Pan, 1985
Sivaladapis Gingerich & Sahni, 1979
Sivaladapis palaendicus (Pilgrim, 1932)
Wailekia Ducrocq et al., 1995
Lorisiformes
Tarsiiformes
Pseudoloris Stehlin, 1916
Pseudoloris godinoti Köhler & Moyà-Solà, 1999
Pseudoloris isabenae Crusafont-Pairo, 1967
Pseudoloris parvulus Filhol, 1890
Anaptomorphinae Cope, 1883
Tribus: Anaptomorphini
Tetonius Matthew, 1915
Tetonius matthewi Bown & Rose, 1987
Tetonius mckennai Bown & Rose, 1987
Absarokius Matthew, 1915
Absarokius australis Bown & Rose, 1987
Absarokius nocerai Robinson, 1966
Absarokius metoecus Bown & Rose, 1987
Absarokius witteri Morris, 1954
Teilhardina
Simpson, 1940
Teilhardina asiatica Ni et al., 2004
Teilhardina belgica Teilhard de Chardin, 1927
Teilhardina brandti Gingerich, 1993
Teilhardina crassidens Bown & Rose, 1987
Teilhardina demissa Rose, 1995
Teilhardina tenuicula Jepsen, 1930
Anemorhysis Gazin, 1958
Anemorhysis pattersoni Bown & Rose, 1984
Anemorhysis pearcei Gazin, 1962
Anemorhysis savagei Williams & Covert, 1994
Anemorhysis sublettensis Gazin, 1952
Anemorhysis wortmani Bown & Rose, 1984
Chlororhysis Gazin, 1958
Chlororhysis knightensis Gazin, 1958
Pseudotetonius Bown, 1974
Arapahovius Savage & Waters, 1978
Arapahovius gazini Savage & Waters, 1978
Aycrossia Bown, 1979
Strigorhysis Bown, 1979
Strigorhysis huerfanensis Bown & Rose, 1987
Strigorhysis rugosus Bown, 1979
Gazinius Bown, 1979
Gazinius bowni Gunnell, 1995
Tatmanius Bown & Rose, 1991
Tribus: Trogolemurini
Sphacorhysis Gunnell, 1995
Omomyinae Trouessart, 1879
Tribus: Omomyiini
Steinius Bown & Rose, 1984
Steinius vespertinus Matthew, 1915
Chumashius Stock, 1933
Tribus: Washakiini
Shoshonius
Granger, 1910
Shoshonius cooperi Granger, 1910
Dyseolemur Stock, 1934
Loveina Simpson, 1940
Loveina wapitiensis Gunnell et al., 1992
Loveina zephyri Simspon, 1940
Tribus: Utahiini
Subtribus: Utahiina
Stockia Gazin, 1958
Chipetaia Rasmussen, 1996
Asiomomys Wang & Li, 1990
Subtribus: Mytoniina
Ageitodendron Gunnell, 1995
Ourayia Gazin, 1958
Ourayia uintensis Osborn, 1895
Tribus: Macrotarsiini
Hemiacodon Marsh, 1872
Hemiacodon gracilis Marsh, 1872
Yaquius Mason, 1990
Tribus: Uintaniini
Jemezius Beard, 1987
Tribus: Rooneyini
Tarsiidae Gray, 1825
Tribus: Pitheciini
Proteropithecia Kay et al., 1999
Cebupithecia Stirton & Savage, 1951
Nuciruptor Meldrum & Kay, 1997
Tribus: Homunculini
Carlocebus Fleagle, 1990
Carlocebus intermedius Fleagle, 1990
Atelinae
Gray, 1825
Tribus: Alouattini
Tribus: Atelini
Atelinae
, incertae sedis
Cebidae
Bonaparte, 1831
Dolichocebus
Kraglievich, 1951
Cebinae, incertae sedis
Flynn & al, 1995
Aotinae Elliot, 1913
Aotinae, incertae sedis
Hershkovitz, 1974
Callitrichinae
Thomas, 1903
Tribus: Callimiconi
Callitrichinae
, incertae sedis
Kay & Meldrum, 1997
Lagonimico Kay, 1994
Micodon Setoguchi & Rosenberger, 1985
Catarrhini
Pliopitheciinae
Epipliopithecus Zapfe & Hürzeler, 1957
Egarapithecus Moyà-Solà et al., 2001
Crouzeliidae
Laccopithecus Wu & Pan, 1984
(Note: this book treats humans as primates, and contains very accessible descriptions of primates, their evolution, and fossil history).
(Note: this book contains very useful, information dense chapters on primate evolution, including fossil history).
(Needs no real explanation. The title says it all).
(note: the catalogue loads with pages in reverse order - i.e. last page first)
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 for which a fossil record
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
exists. Primates are generally thought to have evolved from a small, unspecialized mammal
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
, which probably fed on insects and fruits. However, the precise source of the primates remains controversial and even their arboreal origin has recently been questioned. As it has been suggested, many other mammal orders are arboreal too, but they have not developed the same characters as primates. Nowadays, some well known genera, such as Purgatorius
Purgatorius
Purgatorius is the genus of the four extinct species believed to be the earliest example of a primate or a proto-primate, a primatomorph precursor to the Plesiadapiformes...
and Plesiadapis
Plesiadapis
Plesiadapis is one of the oldest known primate-like mammal species which existed about 58-55 million years ago in North America and Europe. Plesiadapis literally means "near-Adapis", which is a reference to the Eocene lemuriform, Adapis...
, thought to be the most ancient primates for a long time, are not usually considered as such by recent authors, who tend to include them in the new order Plesiadapiformes
Plesiadapiformes
Plesiadapiformes is an extinct order of mammals. It is either closely related to the primates or a precursor to them. Many are too derived to be ancestral to primates, but the earliest Plesiadapiformes have teeth that are strongly indicative of a common ancestor...
, within superorder Euarchontoglires
Euarchontoglires
Euarchontoglires is a clade of mammals, the living members of which are rodents, lagomorphs, treeshrews, colugos and primates .-Evolutionary relationships:...
. Some, to avoid confusions, employ the unranked term Euprimates, which excludes Plesiadapiformes. That denomination is not used here.
There is an academic debate on the time the first primates appeared. One of the earliest probable primate fossils is the problematic Altiatlasius koulchii, perhaps an Omomyid
Omomyid
Omomyids are a diverse group of early primates that radiated during the Eocene epoch between about 55 and 34 million years ago . Fossils of omomyids are found in North America, Europe, Asia, and possibly Africa...
, but perhaps a non-Primate Plesiadapiform, which lived in Morocco, during the Paleocene
Paleocene
The Paleocene or Palaeocene, the "early recent", is a geologic epoch that lasted from about . It is the first epoch of the Palaeogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era...
, around 60 Ma. However, other studies, including molecular clock studies, have estimated the origin of the primate branch to have been in the mid-Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
period, around 85 Ma, that is to say, in the time previous to the extinction of dinosaurs and the successful mammal radiation. Nevertheless, there seems to be a consensus about the monophyletic origin of the order, although the evidence is not clear. There are no fossils known that can be directly linked to the living African apes, nor any that could be considered representative of the last common ancestor between them and humans.
The order Primates, established by Linnaeus in 1758, includes humans and their immediate ancestors. However, contrarily to the common opinion, most primates do not have especially large brains. Brain size is a derived character, which only appeared with genus Homo
Homo
Homo may refer to:*the Greek prefix ὅμο-, meaning "the same"*the Latin for man, human being*Homo, the taxonomical genus including modern humans...
, and was lacking in the first hominid
Hominidae
The Hominidae or include them .), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees , gorillas , humans , and orangutans ....
. In fact, hominid encephalization quotient is only 1.5 Ma more recent than that of some dolphin species. The encephalization quotient of some cetaceans is therefore higher than that of most primates, including the nearest relatives of humans, such as Australopithecus
Australopithecus
Australopithecus is a genus of hominids that is now extinct. From the evidence gathered by palaeontologists and archaeologists, it appears that the Australopithecus genus evolved in eastern Africa around 4 million years ago before spreading throughout the continent and eventually becoming extinct...
.
This list follows Walter Carl Hartwig
Walter Hartwig
Walter Hartwig is an American anthropologist, paleontologist, anatomy professor and author in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently Dean of Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine ....
's 2002 book The Fossil Primate Record. Parentheses around authors' names (and dates) indicates a change in generic name
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
for the fossil, as stated in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
International Code of Zoological Nomenclature
The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals...
(ICZN).
Basal stem group Strepsirhini
-
-
- Azibiidae Gingerich, 1976
-
- AlgeripithecusAlgeripithecusAlgeripithecus is a genus of primates. Its status as an antherpoid or strepsirrhine is under debate.150 to 300 grams extinct primate of 50 to 46 million years ago; fossils found in Algeria; considered by some authorities the leading candidate for the first anthropoid...
Godinot & Mahboubi, 1992
-
- Algeripithecus minutus Godinot & Mahboubi, 1992
- Azibius Sudre, 1975
-
- Azibius trerki Sudre, 1975
- Algeripithecus
-
AdapiformesAdapiformesAdapiformes are an extinct group of primitive primates.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...
, incertae sedis
-
-
- Lushius Chow, 1961
-
- Lushius qinlinensis Chow, 1961
- Panobius
-
- Panobius afridi Russell & Gingerich, 1987
- Djebelemur
-
- Djebelemur martinezi Hartenberger & Marandat, 1992
- Omanodon
-
- Omanodon minor Gheerbrant et al., 1993
- Shizarodon
-
- Shizarodon dhofarensis Gheerbrant et al., 1993
- Muangthanhinius
-
- Muangthanhinius siami Marivaux et al., 2006.
-
Adapoidea
- NotharctidaeNotharctidaeNotharctidae is an extinct family of primitive primates.- Classification :*Family Notharctidae**Subfamily Cercamoniinae***Genus Anchomomys***Genus Buxella***Genus Darwinius***Genus Donrussellia***Genus Europolemur...
Trouessart, 1879- NotharctinaeNotharctinaeNotharctinae is an extinct subfamily of primates that were common in North America during the early and middle Eocene...
Trouessart, 1879- CantiusCantiusCantius was a genus of adapiformes primate that lived in the Eocene....
Simons, 1962 - Cantius angulatus (Cope, 1875)
- Cantius antediluvius Kihm, 1992
- Cantius eppsi Cooper, 1932
- Cantius frugivorusCantius frugivorusCantius frugivorus was a small adapiformes primate that lived in the early Eocene in North America. It is more advanced than the plesiadapiformes.-Morphology:...
(Cope, 1875) - Cantius mckennai (Gingerich & Simons, 1977)
- Cantius nuniensis (Cope, 1881)
- Cantius ralstoni (Matthew, 1915)
- Cantius savagei Gingerich, 1977
- Cantius torresi Gingerich, 1986
- Cantius trigonodus (Matthew, 1915)
- Cantius
- Copelemur Gingerich & Simons, 1977
- Copelemur praetutus (Gazin, 1962)
- Copelemur tutus (Cope, 1877)
- Notharctinae
- 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...
Gunnell, 1995
Notharctus
Notharctus was an early primate that inhabited Europe and North America 50 million years ago. Modern lemurs evolved from primates similar to this genus....
Leidy, 1870
Notharctus tenebrosus
Notharctus tenebrosus was an early primate from the early Eocene, some 54-38 million years ago. Its fossil was found by Ferdinand V. Hayden in 1870 in southwestern Wyoming. When first found, Notharctus tenebrosus was thought to be a small pachyderm due to the concentration of pachyderm fossils in...
Leidy, 1870
Pelycodus
Pelycodus 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...
Cope, 1875
Smilodectes
Smilodectes 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....
Wortman, 1903
Cercamoniinae
Cercamoniinae is a subfamily within the extinct primate family Notharctidae.- Classification :*Family Notharctidae**Subfamily Cercamoniinae***Genus Anchomomys***Genus Buxella***Genus Darwinius***Genus Donrussellia...
Gingerich, 1975
- Aframonius Simons et al., 1995
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....
Franzen et al., 2009
Europolemur
Europolemur 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...
Weigelt, 1933
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. The most recent relative to this species,appearing to be so from the Geiseltal localities of the DDR, is a recently discovered primate, Mahgarita stevensi, whose...
Weigelt, 1933
Pronycticebus neglectus
Pronycticebus neglectus was an adapiformes primate that lived during the middle to late Eocene. One almost complete specimen was found in Hostage Valley, Germany.-Morphology:...
- Wadilemur elegans Simons, 1997
- Adapinae Trouesart, 1879
- 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....
Cuvier, 1821- Adapis bruni
- Adapis collinsonae (Hooker, 1986)
- Adapis parisiensis de Blainville, 1841
- Adapis sudrei Gingerich, 1977
- Adapoides Beard et al., 1994
- Adapis
- Cryptadapis Godinot, 1984
- Cryptadapis tertius Godinot, 1984
- Microadapis lynnae
- Microadapis sciureus (Stehlin, 1916)
- Sivaladapinae Thomas & Verma, 1979
- Guangxilemur Qi & Beard, 1998
- Guangxilemur Qi & Beard, 1998
- Hoanghonius Zdansky, 1930
LorisiformesLorisiformesLorisiformes are a group of primates found throughout Africa and Asia. Members of this infraorder include the galagos and the lorises. As strepsirrhines, they are related to the lemurs.* Order Primates** Suborder Strepsirrhini: non-tarsier prosimians...
- LorisidaeLorisidaeLorisidae is a family of strepsirrhine primates. The lorisids are all slim arboreal animals and include the lorises, pottos and angwantibos. Lorisids live in tropical, central Africa as well as in south and southeast Asia....
Gray, 1821
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-
- KaranisiaKaranisiaKaranisia is an extinct genus of lorisid primate and is represented by two species, K. clarki and K. arenula.K. clarki was described in 2003 from isolated teeth and jaw fragments found in Late Middle Eocene sediments of the Birket Qarun Formation in the Egyptian Faiyum...
Seiffert et al., 2003
-
- Karanisia clarki Seiffert et al., 2003
- Mioeuoticus Leakey, 1962
-
- Mioeuoticus bishopi Leakey, 1962
- Mioeuoticus shipmani Phillips & Walker, 2000
- Nycticeboides Jacobs, 1981
-
- Nycticeboides simpsoni Jacobs, 1981
- Galagidae Gray, 1825
- Nycticeboides simpsoni Jacobs, 1981
- Progalago MacInnes, 1943
-
- Progalago dorae MacInnes, 1943
- Progalago songhorensis Simpson, 1967
- Komba Simspon, 1967
-
- Komba minor Le Gros Clark & Thomas, 1952
- Komba robustus Le Gros Clark & Thomas, 1952
- Komba winamensis McCrossin, 1992
- GalagoGalagoGalagos , also known as bushbabies, bush babies or nagapies , are small, nocturnal primates native to continental Africa, and make up the family Galagidae...
Geoffroy, 1796
-
- Galago farafraensis Pickford, Wanas & Soliman, 2006
- Galago howelli Wesselman, 1984
- Galago sadimanensis Walker, 1987
- Karanisia
-
Lemuriformes
- Archaeolemuridae G. Grandier, 1905
-
-
- ArchaeolemurArchaeolemurArchaeolemur is an extinct genus of lemurs that includes two species, Archaeolemur edwardsi and A. majori.The genus was widespread throughout Madagascar through much of the Holocene epoch, and its remains are often abundant at fossil sites across the island. The wide geographical and temporal range...
Filhol, 1895
-
- Archaeolemur edwardsi Filhol, 1895
- Archaeolemur majori Filhol, 1895
- HadropithecusHadropithecusHadropithecus is a medium-sized, extinct genus of lemur, or strepsirrhine primate, from Madagascar that includes a single species, Hadropithecus stenognathus. Due to its rarity and lack of sufficient skeletal remains, it is one of the least understood of the extinct lemurs...
Lorenz von Liburnau, 1899
-
- Hadropithecus stenognathus Lorenz von Liburnau, 1899
- Palaeopropithecidae Tattersall, 1973
- Hadropithecus stenognathus Lorenz von Liburnau, 1899
- MesopropithecusMesopropithecusMesopropithecus is an extinct genus of small to medium-sized lemur, or strepsirrhine primate, from Madagascar that includes three species, M. dolichobrachion, M. globiceps, and M. pithecoides. Together with Palaeopropithecus, Archaeoindris, and Babakotia, it is part of the sloth...
Standing, 1905
-
- Mesopropithecus dolichobrachion Simons et al., 1995
- Mesopropithecus globiceps Lamberton, 1936
- Mesopropithecus pithecoides Standing, 1905
- BabakotiaBabakotiaBabakotia is a medium-sized, extinct genus of lemur, or strepsirrhine primate, from Madagascar that contains a single species, Babakotia radofilai. Together with Palaeopropithecus, Archaeoindris, and Mesopropithecus, it forms the family Palaeopropithecidae, commonly known as the sloth lemurs...
Godfrey et al., 1990
-
- Babakotia radofilai Godfrey et al., 1990
- Palaeopropithecus G. Grandidier, 1899
-
- Palaeopropithecus ingens G. Grandidier, 1899
- Palaeopropithecus kelyus Gommery et al., 2010
- Palaeopropithecus maximus Standing, 1903
- ArchaeoindrisArchaeoindrisArchaeoindris fontoynonti is an extinct species of Malagasy lemur that was the largest primate to evolve on Madagascar. It weighed about and measured around 1.5m in height, more than a silverback gorilla. Archaeoindris is one of eight known members of the Palaeopropithecinae subfamily...
Standing, 1909
-
- Archaeoindris fontoynontii Standing, 1909
- Megaladapidae Forsyth-Major, 1894
- Archaeoindris fontoynontii Standing, 1909
- MegaladapisMegaladapisKoala lemurs, genus Megaladapis, belong to the family Megaladapidae, consisting of three extinct species of lemurs that once inhabited the island of Madagascar. The largest measured between in length.-Appearance and habits:...
Forsyth-Major, 1894
-
- Subgenus: Megaladapis
-
- Megaladapis (Megaladapis) grandidieri Standing, 1903
- Megaladapis (Megaladapis) madagascariensis Forsyth-Major, 1894
- Subgenus: Peloriadapis
-
- Megaladapis (Peloriadapis) edwardsi Grandidier, 1899
- LemuridaeLemuridaeLemuridae is a family of prosimian primates native to Madagascar, and one of five families commonly known as lemurs. These animals were thought to be the evolutionary predecessors of monkeys and apes, but this is no longer considered correct...
Gray, 1821
- Lemuridae
- Megaladapis (Peloriadapis) edwardsi Grandidier, 1899
- PachylemurPachylemurPachylemur is an extinct genus of lemur most closely related to the ruffed lemurs . Its two representative species, Pachylemur insignis and Pachylemur jullyi, are only known from subfossil remains found at sites in central and southwestern Madagascar...
Lamberton, 1946
-
- Pachylemur insignis Filhol, 1895
- Pachylemur jullyi Lamberton, 1948
- Daubentoniidae Gray, 1863
- Daubentonia É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1795
-
-
- Daubentonia robusta Lamberton, 1934
-
- Archaeolemur
-
TarsiiformesTarsiiformesTarsiiformes are a group of primates that was once ranged across Europe, northern Africa, Asia, and North America, but today all living species are found in the islands of Southeast Asia. Tarsiers are the only living members of the infraorder, and also include the extinct Tarsius eocaenus from the...
, incertae sedis
-
-
- EkgmowechashalaEkgmowechashalaEkgmowechashala is an extinct genus of primate. With a weight of approximately five pounds, around a foot tall and resembling a lemur, it is the only known North American primate of its time; it lived during the late Oligocene and early Miocene...
Macdonald, 1963
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- Ekgmowechashala philotau Macdonald, 1963
- Kohatius Russell & Gingerich, 1980
-
- Kohatius coppensi Russell & Gingerich, 1980
- AltaniusAltaniusAltanius is a genus of extinct primates found in the early Eocene of Mongolia. Though its phylogenetic relationship is questionable, many have placed it as either a primitive omomyid or as a member of the sister group to both adapoids and omomyids...
Dashzeveg & McKenna, 1977
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- Altanius orlovi Dashzeveg & McKenna, 1977
- AltiatlasiusAltiatlasiusAltiatlasius was a primate from the Paleocene. Its true taxonomic position remains controversial, it has been suggested that it should belong to the family Toliapinidae, the order Plesiadapiformes or that it should be recognized as a euprimate...
Sigé et al., 1990
-
- Altiatlasius koulchii Sigé et al., 1990
- Afrotarsius Simons & Brown, 1985
- Ekgmowechashala
-
Omomyoidea
- Omomyidae Trouessart, 1879
- Microchoerinae Lydekker, 1887
- Microchoerus Wood, 1846
- Microchoerus edwardsi Filhol, 1880
- Microchoerus erinaceus Wood, 1846
- Microchoerus ornatus Stehlin, 1916
- Microchoerus wardi Hooker, 1986
- Microchoerus Wood, 1846
- NecrolemurNecrolemurNecrolemur is an extinct genus of primate.The long creature closely resembled a tarsier; it was a nocturnal hunter with very large eyes and ears. Necrolemur had sharp teeth, which it probably used to bite through insect armor. Like modern tarsiers, it also possessed long fingers and toes, and a...
Filhol, 1873 - Necrolemur zitteli Schlosser, 1887
- Microchoerinae Lydekker, 1887
- Nannopithex Stehlin, 1916
- Nannopithex humilidens Thalmann, 1994
- Nannopithex quaylei Hooker, 1986
- Nannopithex raabi Heller, 1930
- Nannopithex zuccolae Godinot et al., 1992
- Anaptomorphus Cope, 1872
- Anaptomorphus westi Szalay, 1976
Teilhardina
Teilhardina was an early marmoset-like primate that lived in Europe, North America and Asia during in the Early Eocene epoch, about 56-47 million years ago. The paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson is credited with naming it after Jesuit paleontologist and philosopher Teilhard de Chardin...
Simpson, 1940
- Trogolemur Matthew, 1909
- Trogolemur fragilis Beard et al., 1992
- Trogolemur myodes Matthew, 1909
- Omomys Leidy, 1869
- Omomys lloydi Gazin, 1958
- Washakius Leidy, 1873
- Washakius izetti Honey, 1990
- Washakius laurae Simpson, 1959
- Washakius woodringi Stock, 1938
Shoshonius
Shoshonius lived about 50 million years ago during the late early Eocene era, with specimens found in Central Wyoming. Shoshonius belongs to the extinct primate family Omomyidae, and shares many features with modern-day tarsiers. Due to its complexity, some have theorized that the Shoshonius may be...
Granger, 1910
- Utahia Gazin, 1958
- Wyomomys Gunnell, 1995
- Macrotarsius Clark, 1941
- Macrotarsius macrorhysis Beard et al., 1994
- Macrotarsius montanus Clark, 1941
- Macrotarsius roederi Kelly, 1990
- Macrotarsius siegerti Robinson, 1968
- Uintanius Matthew, 1915
- Uintanius rutherfurdi Robinson, 1966
- RooneyiaRooneyiaRooneyia is an extinct genus of primate. The genus includes one species, Rooneyia viejaensis. It lived approximately 55 million years ago. Tim Ryan, at the Pennsylvania State University, has scanned the only known specimen....
Wilson, 1966
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-
- Tarsius Storr, 1780
-
- Tarsius eocaenus Beard & al, 1994
- Tarsius thailandicus Ginsburg & Mein, 1987
- Xanthorhysis Beard, 1998
-
- Xanthorhysis tabrumi Beard, 1998
-
Simiiformes, incertae sedis
-
-
- ArsinoeaArsinoeaArsinoea is an extinct genus of primates of which there is one known species....
Simons, 1992
-
- Arsinoea kallimos Simons, 1992
- Tabelia Godinot & Mahboubi, 1994
-
- Tabelia hammadae Godinot & Mahboubi, 1994
- Afrotarsiidae Ginsburg & Mein, 1987
- Tabelia hammadae Godinot & Mahboubi, 1994
- Afrotarsius Simons & Bown, 1985
-
- Afrotarsius chatrathi Simons & Bown, 1985
- EosimiidaeEosimiidaeEosimiidae is the family of extinct primates believed to be the earliest simians....
Beard
- Eosimiidae
- Afrotarsius chatrathi Simons & Bown, 1985
- EosimiasEosimiasEosimias was a genus of early primates, first discovered and identified in 1999 from fossils collected in the Shanghuang fissure-fillings of the southern Jiangsu Province, China. It is a part of the family Eosimiidae, which includes three known species: Eosimias sinensis, Eosimias centennicus, and...
Beard et al., 1994
-
- Eosimias centennicus Beard et al., 1996
- Eosimias sinensis Beard et al., 1994
- Bahinia Jaeger et al., 1999
-
- Bahinia pondaungensis Jaeger et al., 1999
- Amphipithecidae Godinot, 1994
- Bahinia pondaungensis Jaeger et al., 1999
- Pondaungia Pilgrim, 1927
-
- Pondaungia cotteri Pilgrim, 1927
- Amphipithecus Colbert, 1937
-
- Amphipithecus mogaungensis Colbert, 1937
- Siamopithecus Chaimanee et al., 1997
-
- Siamopithecus eocaenus Chaimanee et al., 1997
- Proteopithecidae Simons, 1997
- Siamopithecus eocaenus Chaimanee et al., 1997
- Proteopithecus Simons, 1989
-
- Proteopithecus sylviae Simons, 1989
- Serapia Simons, 1992
-
- Serapia eocaena Simons, 1992
- ParapithecidaeParapithecidaeParapithecidae is an extinct family of primates which lived in the Eocene and Oligocene periods in Egypt. Eocene fossils from Burma are sometimes included in the family in addition. They showed certain similarities in dentition to Condylarthra, but had short faces and jaws shaped like those of...
Schlosser, 1911
- Parapithecidae
- Serapia eocaena Simons, 1992
- ApidiumApidiumThe genus Apidium is that of at least three extinct primates living in the early Oligocene, roughly 36 to 32 millions years ago. Apidium fossils are common in the Fayoum deposits of Egypt...
Osborn, 1908
-
- Apidium bowni Simons, 1995
- Apidium moustafai Simons, 1962
- Apidium phiomense Osborn, 1908
- ParapithecusParapithecusParapithecus is an extinct genus of primates. There are two known species.-Species:*†Parapithecus fraasi Schlosser 1910*†Parapithecus grangeri Simons 1974...
Schlosser, 1910
-
- Parapithecus fraasi Schlosser, 1910
- Parapithecus grangeri Simons, 1974
- Qatrania Simons & Kay, 1983
-
- Qatrania fleaglei Simons & Kay, 1988
- Qatrania wingi Simons & kay, 1983
- BiretiaBiretiaBiretia is an extinct genus of Old World monkey, of the extinct family Parapithecidae. Fossils are found from Late Eocene strata of Egypt....
Bonis et al., 1988
-
- Biretia piveteaui Bonis et al., 1988
- Biretia fayumensis Seiffert et al., 2005
- Biretia megalopsis Seiffert et al., 2005
- Arsinoea
-
Platyrrhini
- AtelidaeAtelidaeAtelidae is one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. It was formerly included in the family Cebidae. Atelids are generally larger monkeys; the family includes the howler, spider, woolly and woolly spider monkeys...
Gray, 1825- PitheciinaePitheciinaePitheciinae is a subfamily of the New World monkey family Pitheciidae. It contains three genera and 9 species. Pitheciines are forest dwellers from northern and central South America, east of the Andes....
Mivart, 1865 - Tribus: Callicebini
- Xenothrix Williams & Koopman, 1952
- Xenothrix Williams & Koopman, 1952
- Antillothrix MacPhee et al., 1995
- Pitheciinae
- Paralouatta Rivero & Arredondo, 1991
- Paralouatta marianae
- Soriacebus Fleagle et al., 1987
- Soriacebus ameghinorum Fleagle et al., 1987
- Homunculus Ameghino, 1891
Homunculus patagonicusHomunculus patagonicus is an extinct New World monkey species that lived in Argentina during the Miocene. It is likely the ancestral species for the Callicebinae subfamily, whose living members are the titi monkeys....
Ameghino, 1891
Atelinae
Atelinae is a subfamily of New World monkeys in the family Atelidae, and includes the various spider and woolly monkeys. The primary distinguishing feature of the atelines is their long prehensile tail which can support their entire body weight....
Gray, 1825
- Stirtonia Hershkovitz, 1970
- Stirtonia victoriae Kay et al., 1987
- CaiporaCaiporaCaipora is an entity of the Tupi-Guarani mythology in Brazil. It is represented as a dark-skinned, small Indian, naked with a very long black mane, smoking a cigar and very mischievous. Other depictions are as a stout hairy anthropomorphic being with the head of a fox. Sometimes it is said that is...
Cartelle & Hartwig, 1996
Atelinae
Atelinae is a subfamily of New World monkeys in the family Atelidae, and includes the various spider and woolly monkeys. The primary distinguishing feature of the atelines is their long prehensile tail which can support their entire body weight....
, incertae sedis
Cebidae
The Cebidae is one of the five families of New World monkeys now recognised. It includes the capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys. These species are found throughout tropical and subtropical South and Central America.-Characteristics:...
Bonaparte, 1831
- Cebinae Bonaparte, 1831
- Tribus: Saimiriini
- Neosaimiri Stirton, 1951
- Neosaimiri Stirton, 1951
- Laventiana Rosenberger et al., 1991
Dolichocebus
Dolichocebus gaimanensis is an extinct New World monkey species that lived in Argentine Patagonia about 25 million years ago....
Kraglievich, 1951
Chilecebus carrascoensis
Chilecebus carrascoensis is an extinct species of New World monkey that lived in what is now Chile during the Early Miocene some 20 million years ago. It had a body mass of about 1.3 pounds .-References:...
Flynn & al, 1995
- Aotus Illiger, 1811
Tremacebus
Tremacebus harringtoni is an extinct species of New World monkey.Tremacebus was about in length, and would have resembled a modern night monkey, to which it may have been related. However, its eyes appear to have been smaller than the modern species, CT scans of the cranium suggest a relatively...
Hershkovitz, 1974
Callitrichinae
The Callitrichidae is one of five families of New World monkeys. The family includes several genera, including the marmosets, tamarins, and lion tamarins...
Thomas, 1903
- Mohanamico Luchterhand et al., 1986
Callitrichinae
The Callitrichidae is one of five families of New World monkeys. The family includes several genera, including the marmosets, tamarins, and lion tamarins...
, incertae sedis
Patasola
The Patasola or "one foot" is one of many myths in South American folklore about female monsters from the jungle, appearing to male hunters or loggers in the middle of the wilderness when they think about women...
Kay & Meldrum, 1997
Platyrrhini, incertae sedis
- Branisella Hoffstetter, 1969
Branisella bolivianaBranisella is an extinct genus of New World monkey from the Salla formation of what is now Bolivia during the late Oligocene, approximately 26 million years ago.It is the oldest fossil New World Monkey discovered....
Hoffstetter, 1969
CatarrhiniCatarrhiniCatarrhini is one of the two subdivisions of the higher primates . It contains the Old World monkeys and the apes, which in turn are further divided into the lesser apes or gibbons and the great apes, consisting of the orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans...
, incertae sedis
-
-
- Limnopithecus Hopwood, 1933
-
- Limnopithecus evansi MacInnes, 1943
- Limnopithecus legetet Hopwood, 1933
- Kalepithecus Harrison, 1988
-
- Kalepithecus songhorensis Andrews, 1978
- KamoyapithecusKamoyapithecusKamoyapithecus was a primate that lived in Africa during the late Oligocene period, about 24.2-27.5 million years ago. First found in 1948 as part of a University of California, Berkeley expedition, it was at first thought to be under a form of Proconsul by C.T...
Leakey et al., 1995
-
- Kamoyapithecus hamiltoni Madden, 1980
-
Propliothecoidea
- OligopithecidaeOligopithecidaeOligopithecidae is an extinct primate family from the late Eocene of Egypt . Its members were probably insectivorous due to their simple molars and cusp arrangement. This family split off the lineage of Old World monkeys and apes sometime after the New World monkeys also split off.- External links :*...
Kay & Williams, 1994
-
-
- CatopithecusCatopithecusCatopithecus is an early fossil catarrhine that post dates the platyrrhine – catarrhine divergence but predates the hominoid – cercopithecoid divergence...
Simons, 1989
-
- Catopithecus browni Simons, 1989
- Oligopithecus Simons, 1962
-
- Oligopithecus rogeri Gheerbrant et al., 1995
- Oligopithecus savageiOligopithecus savageiOligopithecus savagei is a fossil primate that lived in Africa during the Early Oligocene. This species is only known from one jaw bone and was found in Egypt...
Simons, 1962- Propliopithecidae Straus, 1961
- Moeripithecus Schlosser, 1910
-
- Moeripithecus markgrafi Schlosser, 1910
- PropliopithecusPropliopithecusPropliopithecus is an extinct genus of ape.The 40 cm long creature resembled today's gibbons. Its eyes faced forwards, giving it stereoscopical vision. Propliopithecus was most likely an omnivore. It is possible that Propliopithecus is the same creature as Aegyptopithecus...
Schlosser, 1910
-
- Propliopithecus ankeli Simons et al., 1987
- Propliopithecus chirobates Simons, 1965
- Propliopithecus haeckeli Schlosser, 1910
- AegyptopithecusAegyptopithecusAegyptopithecus zeuxis means “linking Egyptian ape”. It was discovered by E. Simons in 1965. There is controversy over whether or not Aegyptopithecus should be a genus on its own or whether it should be moved into the genus Propliopithecus. If Aegyptopithecus is placed in its own genus, then there...
Simons, 1965
-
- Aegyptopithecus zeuxis Simons, 1965
- Catopithecus
-
Pliopithecoidea
- Piopithecidae Zapfe, 1960
- Dionysopithecinae
- Dionysopithecus Li, 1978
- Dionysopithecus shuangouensis Li, 1978
- Dionysopithecus Li, 1978
- Platodonpithecus Li, 1978
- Dionysopithecinae
- PliopithecusPliopithecusPliopithecus is a genus of extinct primates of the Miocene and Pliocene. It was discovered in 1837 by Édouard Lartet in France, with fossils subsequently discovered in Switzerland and Spain....
Gervais, 1849 - Pliopithecus piveteaui Hürzeler, 1954
- Pliopithecus platyodon Bidermann, 1863
- Pliopithecus zhanxiangi Harrison et al., 1991
- Cruouzeliinae Ginsburg & Mein, 1980
- Plesiopliopithecus Zapfe, 1961
- Plesiopliopithecus lockeri Zapfe, 1961
- Plesiopliopithecus priensis Welcomme et al., 1991
- Plesiopliopithecus rhodanica Ginsburg & Mein, 1980
- Plesiopliopithecus Zapfe, 1961
- Anapithecus KretzoiMiklós KretzoiMiklós Kretzoi was a Hungarian geologist, paleontologist and paleoanthropologist and Széchenyi Prize winner....
, 1975Miklós KretzoiMiklós Kretzoi was a Hungarian geologist, paleontologist and paleoanthropologist and Széchenyi Prize winner....
, 1975
Pliopithecoidea, incertae sedis
-
-
- Paidopithex Pohlig, 1895
-
- Paidopithex rhenanus Pohlig, 1895
-
Cercopithecoidea
- Victoriapithecidae von Koenigswald, 1969
-
-
- Victoriapithecus von Koenigswald, 1969
-
- Victoriapithecus macinnesiVictoriapithecus macinnesiVictoriapithecus macinnesi was a primate. It was described from a single fossil specimen, the oldest Old World monkey skull fossil. It was discovered near Lake Victoria in Kenya and is from the middle Miocene and was closely related to the two or three extinct Prohylobates...
von Koenigswald, 1969
- Victoriapithecus macinnesi
- Prohylobates Fourtau, 1918
-
- Prohylobates tandyi Fourtau, 1918
- Prohylobates simonsi Delson, 1979
- Cercopithecidae Gray, 1821
- ColobinaeColobinaeColobinae is a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 59 species in 10 genera, including the skunk-like black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications split the colobine monkeys into two tribes, while others split them into...
Jernon, 1867 - Tribus: Colobini
- Colobinae
- Cercopithecidae Gray, 1821
- Rhinocolobus M.G. Leakey, 1982
- Colobinae
ColobinaeColobinae is a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 59 species in 10 genera, including the skunk-like black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications split the colobine monkeys into two tribes, while others split them into...
, incertae sedisMesopithecusMesopithecus is an extinct genus of Old World monkey that lived in Europe and western Asia 7 to 5 million years ago. It was once thought that it might be an ancestor of the grey langur, but a more recent study suggests that they are more closely related to the snub-nosed monkeys and...
Wagner, 1839- Mesopithecus monspessulanus Gervais, 1849
- Rhinopithecus É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1812
- Rhinopithecus (Rhinopithecus) lantianensis Hu & Qi, 1978
- Dolichopithecus Depéret, 1889
- Libypithecus
LibypithecusLibypithecus markgrafi is an extinct genus of primate that lived in the Late Miocene....
Stromer, 1913- Presbytis Eschscholtz, 1821
- Semnopithecus Desmarest, 1822
- Parapresbytis Kalmykov & Maschenko, 1992
- Cercopithecoides Mollett, 1947
- Cercopithecoides williamsi Mollett, 1947
- Paracolobus
ParacolobusParacolobus is an extinct genus of primate in the Colobini tribe, which also contains the living colobus monkeys. It lived in eastern Africa in the early to late Pliocene.-Literature cited:...
R.E.F. Leakey, 1969- Paracolobus mutiwa M.G. Leakey, 1969
- Cercopithecinae
CercopithecinaeThe Cercopithecinae are a subfamily of the Old World monkeys, that includes in its roughly 71 species the baboons, the macaques and the vervet monkeys...
Gray, 1821- Tribus: Papionini
PapioniniPapionini is a tribe of Old World monkey that includes several large monkey species, including the macaques, baboons and the Mandrill.- Classification :* FAMILY CERCOPITHECIDAE** Subfamily Cercopithecinae*** Tribe Cercopithecini*** Tribe Papionini...- Subtribus: Macanina
- MacacaMacaqueThe macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
Lacépède, 1799Macaca anderssoniMacaca anderssoni is a prehistoric species of Macaque from the Pleistocene of Japan. It weighed between 7.5 kg and 10.5 kg....
Schlosser, 1924 - Macaca jiangchuanensisMacaca jiangchuanensisMacaca jiangchuanensis was a prehistoric Macaque from the early Holocene of China....
Pan et al., 1992 - Macaca libycaMacaca libycaMacaca libyca was a prehistoric Macaque from the Late Miocene of Egypt...
Stromer, 1920 - Macaca majoriMacaca majoriMacaca majori was a prehistoric Macaque from the Pleistocene of Sardinia, Italy...
Schaub & Azzaroli in Comaschi Caria, 1969 (sometimes included in M. sylvanus)
- Procynocephalus Schlosser, 1924
- Procynocephalus wimani Schlosser, 1924
- Paradolichopithecus Necrasov et al., 1961
- Subtribus: Papionina
- ParapapioParapapioParapapio is a genus of prehistoric baboons closely resembling the forest dwelling mangabeys. Parapapio is distinguished from other Papio by the lack of an anteorbital drop, thin browridges, absence of maxillary fossae or a sagittal crest and only slight sexual dimorphism.There are four recognized...
Jones, 1937 - Parapapio antiquus Haughton, 1925
- Parapapio broomi Jones, 1937
- Parapapio jonesi Broom, 1940
- Parapapio whitei Broom, 1940
- Dinopithecus
DinopithecusDinopithecus was an extinct giant baboon that lived during the Pliocene....
Broom, 1937- Gorgopithecus
GorgopithecusGorgopithecus is an extinct genus of primate, closely related to the baboons....
Broom & Robinson, 1946- Theropithecus I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1843
- Subgenus:
- Theropithecus (Theropithecus) darti Broom & Jensen, 1946
- Theropithecus (Theropithecus) oswaldi Andrews, 1916
- Subgenus: Omopithecus Delson, 1993
- Theropithecus (Omopithecus) baringensis R.E.F. Leakey, 1969
- Theropithecus (Omopithecus) brumpti Arambourg, 1947
- Theropithecus (Omopithecus) quadratirostris Iwamoto, 1982
- Papio
-
Proconsuloidea
- ProconsulidaeProconsulidaeThe Proconsulidae are an early family of primates that lived during the Miocene epoch in Kenya, and was restricted to Africa. The family is split into two subfamilies....
Leakey, 1963- Proconsulinae Leakey, 1963
- Proconsul Hopwood, 1933
Proconsul africanusProconsul africanus is the first species of the oligocene-era fossil genus of primate to be discovered and was named by Arthur Hopwood, an associate of Louis Leakey, in 1933.- Discovery :...
Hopwood, 1933 - Proconsul heseloni Walker et al., 1993
- Proconsul majorProconsul majorProconsul major, an extinct primate of the genus Proconsul, was possibly the ancestor of Afropithecus and showed hominid characteristics. It occurred during the early Miocene and was roughly, the size of a gorilla....
Le Gros Clark & Leakey, 1950 - Proconsul nyanzaeProconsul nyanzaeProconsul nyanzae is a species of fossil primate first discovered by Louis Leakey on Rusinga Island in 1942, which he published in Nature in 1943. A joint publication of Wilfrid Le Gros Clark and Louis Leakey in 1951, "The Miocene Hominoidea of East Africa", first defines Proconsul nyanzae...
Le Gros Clark & Leakey, 1950
- Proconsul Hopwood, 1933
- Proconsulinae Leakey, 1963
- Nyanzapithecinae Harrison, 2002
- Nyanzapithecus Harrison, 1986
- Nyanzapithecus harrisoni Kunimatsu, 1997
- Nyanzapithecus pickfordi Harrison, 1986
- Nyanzapithecus vancouveringorum Andrews, 1974
- Mabokopithecus von Koenigswald, 1969
- Mabokopithecus clarki von Koenigswald, 1969
- Rangwapithecus Andrews, 1974
- Rangwapithecus gordoni Andrews, 1974
- Turkanapithecus Leakey & Leakey, 1986
- Turkanapithecus kalakolensis Leakey & Leakey, 1986
- Nyanzapithecus Harrison, 1986
Dendropithecoidea
- Dendropithecidae Harrison, 2002
-
-
- DendropithecusDendropithecusDendropithecus is an extinct genus of apes native to East Africa between 20 and 15 million years ago. It may have been the ancestor of modern gibbons, which it resembled in some respects.Dendropithecus was a slender ape, about in body length...
Andrews & Simons, 1977
-
- Dendropithecus macinnesi Le Gros Clark & Leakey, 1950
- Micropithecus Fleagle & Simons, 1978
-
- Micropithecus clarki Fleagle & Simons, 1978
- Micropithecus leakeyorum Harrison, 1989
- Simiolus Leakey & Leakey, 1987
-
- Simiolus enjiessi Leakey & Leakey, 1987
- Dendropithecus
-
Hominoidea
- Griphopithecidae Begun, 2002
-
-
- Griphopithecus Abel, 1902
-
- Griphopithecus africanus Begun, 2002
- Griphopithecus alpani Tekkaya, 1974
- Griphopithecus darwini Abel, 1902
- HominidaeHominidaeThe Hominidae or include them .), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees , gorillas , humans , and orangutans ....
Gray, 1825- Afropithecinae Andrews, 1992
- AfropithecusAfropithecusAfropithecus turkanensis, a new Miocene hominoid, was excavated from a small site near Lake Turkana called Kalodirr in northern Kenya in 1986 and was named by Richard Leakey and Meave Leakey...
Leakey & Leakey, 1986- Afropithecus turkanensis Leakey & Leakey, 1986
- HeliopithecusHeliopithecusHeliopithecus is an extinct genus of primates that existed 16 million years ago during the Miocene epoch. Fragmentary fossil remains of a jaw and isolated teeth were found in Saudi Arabia which have been described as belonging to H. leakeyi...
Andrews & Martin, 1987- Heliopithecus leakeyi Andrews & Martin, 1987
- Nacholapithecus Ishida et al., 1999
- Nacholapithecus kerioi Ishida et al., 1999
- Equatorius Ward et al., 1999
- Equatorius africanus Ward et al., 1999
- Afropithecus
- Kenyapithecinae Leakey, 1962
- Kenyapithecus Leakey, 1962
- Kenyapithecus wickeriKenyapithecus wickeriKenyapithecus wickeri was a fossil ape discovered by Louis Leakey in 1961 at a site called Fort Ternan in Kenya. The upper jaw and teeth were dated to 14 million years ago....
Leakey, 1962 - Kenyanthropus platyopsKenyanthropus platyopsKenyanthropus platyops is a 3.5 to 3.2 million year old hominin fossil that was discovered in Lake Turkana, Kenya in 1999 by Justus Erus, who was part of Meave Leakey's team...
Leakey et al., 2001
- Kenyapithecus wickeri
- Kenyapithecus Leakey, 1962
- HomininaeHomininaeHomininae is a subfamily of Hominidae, which includes humans, gorillas and chimpanzees, and some extinct relatives; it comprises all those hominids, such as Australopithecus, that arose after the split from orangutans . Our family tree, which has 3 main branches leading to chimpanzees, humans and...
Gray, 1825 - Tribus: Dryopithecini
- DryopithecusDryopithecusDryopithecus was a genus of apes that is known from Eastern Africa into Eurasia during the late Miocene period. The first species of Dryopithecus was discovered at the site of Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, France, in 1856...
Lartet, 1856- Dryopithecus brancoi Schlosser, 1901
- Dryopithecus crusafonti Begun, 1992
- Dryopithecus fontaniDryopithecus fontaniDryopithecus fontani is an extinct ape that was first discovered in Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, France, in the 19th century, and was dated to the middle Miocene.-Morphology:...
Lartet, 1856 - Dryopithecus laietanus Villalta & Crusafont, 1944
- Dryopithecus wuduensis Xue & Delson, 1988
- Ouranopithecus Bonis & Melentis, 1977
- Ouranopithecus macedoniensisOuranopithecus macedoniensisOuranopithecus macedoniensis, sometimes called Graecopithecus freybergi, is a prehistoric hominid species found in Greece and dated to the late Miocene. Based on O. macedoniensiss dental and facial anatomy, it is possible that O. macedoniensis was a dryopithecine. However, O...
Bonis & Melentis, 1977
- Ouranopithecus macedoniensis
- Dryopithecus
- Tribus: Gorillini
- Chororapithecus Suwa et al., 2007
- Chororapithecus abyssinicusChororapithecus abyssinicusChororapithecus abyssinicus was an ape that lived about during the Miocene Epoch. It is believed to be the earliest known species of gorilla...
Suwa et al., 2007
- Chororapithecus abyssinicus
- Chororapithecus Suwa et al., 2007
- Tribus: HomininiHomininiHominini is the tribe of Homininae that comprises Homo, and the two species of the genus Pan , their ancestors, and the extinct lineages of their common ancestor . Members of the tribe are called hominins...
- Sahelanthropus Brunet et al., 2002
- Sahelanthropus tchadensisSahelanthropus tchadensisSahelanthropus tchadensis is an extinct hominid species that is dated to about . Whether it can be regarded as part of the Hominina tree is unclear; there are arguments both supporting and rejecting it...
Brunet et al., 2002
- Sahelanthropus tchadensis
- ArdipithecusArdipithecusArdipithecus is a very early hominin genus. Two species are described in the literature: A. ramidus, which lived about 4.4 million years ago during the early Pliocene, and A. kadabba, dated to approximately 5.6 million years ago ....
White et al., 1995- Ardipithecus ramidus White et al., 1994
- Ardipithecus kadabba
- AustralopithecusAustralopithecusAustralopithecus is a genus of hominids that is now extinct. From the evidence gathered by palaeontologists and archaeologists, it appears that the Australopithecus genus evolved in eastern Africa around 4 million years ago before spreading throughout the continent and eventually becoming extinct...
Dart, 1925- Australopithecus anamensisAustralopithecus anamensisAustralopithecus anamensis is a stem-human species that lived approximately four million years ago. Nearly one hundred fossil specimens are known from Kenya and Ethiopia, representing over 20 individuals.- Discovery :...
Leakey et al., 1995 - Australopithecus afarensisAustralopithecus afarensisAustralopithecus afarensis is an extinct hominid that lived between 3.9 and 2.9 million years ago. A. afarensis was slenderly built, like the younger Australopithecus africanus. It is thought that A...
Johanson et al., 1978 - Australopithecus bahrelghazaliAustralopithecus bahrelghazaliAustralopithecus bahrelghazali is a fossil hominin that was first discovered in 1993 by the paleontologist Michel Brunet in the Bahr el Ghazal valley near Koro Toro, in Chad, that Brunet named Abel...
Brunet et al., 1995 - Australopithecus africanusAustralopithecus africanusAustralopithecus africanus was an early hominid, an australopithecine, who lived between 2–3 million years ago in the Pliocene. In common with the older Australopithecus afarensis, A. africanus was slenderly built, or gracile, and was thought to have been a direct ancestor of modern humans. Fossil...
Dart, 1925 - Australopithecus garhiAustralopithecus garhiAustralopithecus garhi is a gracile australopithecine species whose fossils were discovered in 1996 by a research team led by Ethiopian paleontologist Berhane Asfaw and Tim White, an American paleontologist. The hominin remains are believed to be a human ancestor species and the final missing link...
Asfaw et al., 1999 - Australopithecus sedibaAustralopithecus sedibaAustralopithecus sediba is a species of Australopithecus of the early Pleistocene, identified based on fossil remains dated to about 2 million years ago....
- Australopithecus anamensis
- ParanthropusParanthropusThe robust australopithecines, members of the extinct hominin genus Paranthropus , were bipedal hominids that probably descended from the gracile australopithecine hominids...
Broom, 1938- Paranthropus aethiopicusParanthropus aethiopicusParanthropus aethiopicus is an extinct species of hominid. The finding discovered in 1985 by Alan Walker in West Turkana, Kenya, KNM WT 17000 , is one of the earliest examples of robust pliocene hominids...
Arambourg & Coppens, 1968 - Paranthropus boiseiParanthropus boiseiParanthropus boisei was an early hominin and described as the largest of the Paranthropus species...
Leakey, 1959 - Paranthropus robustusParanthropus robustusParanthropus robustus was originally discovered in Southern Africa in 1938. The development of P. robustus, namely in cranial features, seemed to be aimed in the direction of a "heavy-chewing complex"...
Broom, 1938
- Paranthropus aethiopicus
- HomoHomoHomo may refer to:*the Greek prefix ὅμο-, meaning "the same"*the Latin for man, human being*Homo, the taxonomical genus including modern humans...
Linnaeus, 1758- Homo habilisHomo habilisHomo habilis is a species of the genus Homo, which lived from approximately at the beginning of the Pleistocene period. The discovery and description of this species is credited to both Mary and Louis Leakey, who found fossils in Tanzania, East Africa, between 1962 and 1964. Homo habilis Homo...
Leakey et al., 1964 - Homo erectusHomo erectusHomo erectus is an extinct species of hominid that lived from the end of the Pliocene epoch to the later Pleistocene, about . The species originated in Africa and spread as far as India, China and Java. There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
Dubois, 1892 - Homo rudolfensisHomo rudolfensisHomo rudolfensis is a fossil human species discovered by Bernard Ngeneo, a member of a team led by anthropologist Richard Leakey and zoologist Meave Leakey in 1972, at Koobi Fora on the east side of Lake Rudolf in Kenya. The scientific name Pithecanthropus rudolfensis was proposed in 1978 by V. P...
Alexeev, 1986 - Homo georgicusHomo georgicusHomo georgicus is a species of Homo that was suggested in 2002 to describe fossil skulls and jaws found in Dmanisi, Georgia in 1999 and 2001, which seem intermediate between Homo habilis and H. erectus. A partial skeleton was discovered in 2001. The fossils are about 1.8 million years old...
Vekua et al., 2002 - Homo ergasterHomo ergasterHomo ergaster is an extinct chronospecies of Homo that lived in eastern and southern Africa during the early Pleistocene, about 2.5–1.7 million years ago.There is still disagreement on the subject of the classification, ancestry, and progeny of H...
Groves & Mazak, 1975 - Homo antecessorHomo antecessorHomo antecessor is an extinct human species dating from 1.2 million to 800,000 years ago, that was discovered by Eudald Carbonell, Juan Luis Arsuaga and J. M. Bermúdez de Castro. H. antecessor is one of the earliest known human varieties in Europe. Various archaeologists and anthropologists have...
Bermúdez de Castro et al., 1997 - Homo cepranensisHomo cepranensisHomo cepranensis is a proposed name for a human species, known from only one skull cap discovered in 1994. The fossil was discovered by archeologist Italo Biddittu and was nicknamed "Ceprano Man" after a nearby town in the province of Frosinone, 89 kilometers Southeast of Rome, Italy.The age of...
Mallegni et al., 2003 - Homo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensisHomo heidelbergensis is an extinct species of the genus Homo which may be the direct ancestor of both Homo neanderthalensis in Europe and Homo sapiens. The best evidence found for these hominins date between 600,000 and 400,000 years ago. H...
Schoetensack, 1908 - Homo neanderthalensis King, 1864
- Homo rhodesiensisHomo rhodesiensisHomo rhodesiensis is a hominin species described from the fossil Kabwe skull. Other morphologically-comparable remains have been found from the same, or earlier, time period in southern Africa , East Africa and North Africa...
Woodward, 1921 - Homo floresiensisHomo floresiensisHomo floresiensis is a possible species, now extinct, in the genus Homo. The remains were discovered in 2003 on the island of Flores in Indonesia. Partial skeletons of nine individuals have been recovered, including one complete cranium...
P. Brown et al., 2004
- Homo habilis
- Sahelanthropus Brunet et al., 2002
- PonginaePonginaePonginae is a subfamily in the hominidae family. It contains a number of genera, all but one extinct:*Pongo *†Gigantopithecus*†Sivapithecus*†Lufengpithecus*†Ankarapithecus*†Ouranopithecus*†Griphopithecus...
Elliot, 1913 - Tribus: Sivapithecini
- SivapithecusSivapithecusSivapithecus is a genus of extinct primates. Fossil remains of animals now assigned to this genus, dated from 12.5 million to 8.5 million years old in the Miocene, have been found since the 19th century in the Siwalik Hills in what is now India, Nepal, and Pakistan...
Pilgrim, 1910- Sivapithecus indicus Pilgrim, 1910
- Sivapithecus parvada Kelley, 1988
- Sivapithecus sivalensis Lydekker, 1879
- GigantopithecusGigantopithecusGigantopithecus is an extinct genus of ape that existed from roughly one million years to as recently as three hundred thousand years ago, in what is now China, India, and Vietnam, placing Gigantopithecus in the same time frame and geographical location as several hominin species...
von Koenigswald, 1935- Gigantopithecus blacki von Koenigswald, 1935
- Gigantopithecus giganteus Pilgrim, 1915
- AnkarapithecusAnkarapithecusAnkarapithecus is a genus of extinct ape. It was probably frugivorous, and would have weighed about 60 pounds. Its remains were found close to Ankara in central Turkey beginning in the 1950s. It lived during the Late Miocene. It was similar to Sivapithecus....
Ozansoy, 1965- Ankarapithecus meteai Ozansoy, 1965
- Sivapithecus
- Tribus: Lufengpithecini
- LufengpithecusLufengpithecusLufengpithecus is a genus of extinct ape generally placed in the Ponginae subfamily.It contains three species: Lufengpithecus lufengensis, Lufengpithecus hudienensis and Lufengpithecus keiyuanensis....
Wu, 1987- Lufengpithecus chiangmuanensis Chaimanee et al., 2003
- Lufengpithecus hudiensis Zhang et al., 1987
- Lufengpithecus keiyuanensis Woo, 1957
- Lufengpithecus lufengensis Xu et al., 1978
- Lufengpithecus
- Oreopithecinae Schalbe, 1915
- Oreopithecus Gervais, 1872
- Oreopithecus bamboli Gervais, 1872
- Oreopithecus Gervais, 1872
- Afropithecinae Andrews, 1992
- HominidaeHominidaeThe Hominidae or include them .), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees , gorillas , humans , and orangutans ....
, incertae sedis
- Hominidae
- Graecopithecus von Koenigswald, 1972
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- Graecopithecus freybergi von Koenigswald, 1972
- Otavipithecus Conroy et al., 1992
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- Otavipithecus namibiensis Conroy et al., 1992
- SamburupithecusSamburupithecusSamburupithecus was a primate that lived in Kenya during the middle to late Miocene. The one species in this genus, Samburupithecus kiptalami, is known only from a maxilla fragment dated to 9.5 Ma discovered by Hidemi Ishida and Martin Pickford in 1997. Samburupithecus was approximately...
Ishida & Pickford, 1997
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- Samburupithecus kiptalami Ishida & Pickford, 1997
- Orrorin Senut et al., 2001
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- Orrorin tugenensisOrrorin tugenensisOrrorin tugenensis is considered to be the second-oldest known hominin ancestor that is possibly related to modern humans, and it is the only species classified in genus Orrorin...
Senut et al., 2001- Hominoidea, incertae sedis
- Orrorin tugenensis
- Pierolapithecus Moyà-Solà, 2004
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- Pierolapithecus catalaunicusPierolapithecus catalaunicusPierolapithecus catalaunicus is an extinct species of primate which lived about 13 million years ago during the Miocene in what is now Hostalets de Pierola, Catalonia giving the name to the species...
Moyà-Solà, 2004
- Pierolapithecus catalaunicus
- MorotopithecusMorotopithecusMorotopithecus bishopi is a species of fossil ape discovered in Moroto, Uganda.The phylogenetic status of Morotopithecus bishopi is debated to the extent that it challenges established views on the connection between Miocene primates and extant hominids...
Gebo et al., 1997
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- Morotopithecus bishopi Gebo et al., 1997
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Further reading
The following is a list of books that provide useful reviews or overviews of primate fossil histories, including (e.g.) diagrams, photos and good referencing.(Note: this book treats humans as primates, and contains very accessible descriptions of primates, their evolution, and fossil history).
(Note: this book contains very useful, information dense chapters on primate evolution, including fossil history).
(Needs no real explanation. The title says it all).
External links
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