Notharctus Temporal range: Early-Mid Eocene (Wasatchian-Uintan) ~50.3–40.4 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
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Notharctus tenebrosus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
Family: | †Notharctidae |
Subfamily: | †Notharctinae |
Genus: | †Notharctus Leidy, 1870 |
Species | |
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Synonyms | |
Notharctus is a genus of adapiform primate that lived in North America and Europe during the late to middle Eocene.
The body form of Notharctus is similar to that of modern rats. 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.
There were at least four different Notharctus species. Fossils from at least seven other potential species have also been discovered.
References
- ^ Gebo 2002, p. 25.
- Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 287. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
Bibliography
- Gebo, D.L. (2002). "Adapiformes: Phylogeny and adaptation". In Hartwig, W.C. (ed.). The Primate Fossil Record. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-08141-2. OCLC 47254191.
External links
Taxon identifiers | |
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Notharctus |
- Notharctinae
- Prehistoric primate genera
- Eocene primates
- Ypresian life
- Lutetian life
- Bartonian life
- Wasatchian
- Bridgerian
- Uintan
- Eocene mammals of North America
- Fossils of the United States
- Paleontology in Colorado
- Paleontology in Nevada
- Paleontology in New Mexico
- Paleontology in Texas
- Paleontology in Utah
- Paleontology in Wyoming
- Fossil taxa described in 1870
- Taxa named by Joseph Leidy