New adapid primate of European affinities from Texas.
The primate Margarita stevensi n. gen. and n. sp. is described from late Eocene sediments of Texas, North America. The crushed skull of the type specimen is in the size range of Lepilemur leucopus, and the most recent relative of the new form appears to be the middle Eocene European adapid Europolemur klatti from the Geiseltal localities of the DDR. There are no indications that Margarita is closely related to the notharctine adapids. The new primate suggests that the Eocene of eastern North America was the homeland of lemuriforms with close European phylogenetic affinities. The posteriorly directed foramen magnum indicates a relatively small brain size and the dentition suggests an insectivorous-carnivorous dietary regime.
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development; D005060:Europe; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005539:Foramen Magnum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010161:Paleodontology; D010163:Paleontology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D011443:Strepsirhini / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013781:Texas; D014072:Tooth Abrasion