Английская Википедия:Algeripithecus
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Speciesbox
Algeripithecus is an extinct genus of early fossil primate, weighing approximately Шаблон:Convert. Fossils have been found in Algeria dating from 50 to 46 million years ago.
It was once commonly thought to be one of the oldest simian primates (a group that includes monkeys and apes), and was crucial to the hypothesis that simians originated in Africa. Research on more complete specimens suggest it was instead a strepsirrhine primate, more closely related to living lemurs and lorisoids. However, this is still disputed.
Discovery
Fragmentary fossils were first found in the Glib Formation at the Glib Zegdou locality in Algeria and dated to the Early to Middle Eocene, 50 to 46 million years ago. The holotype was an upper left molar (M2).Шаблон:Sfn
Evolutionary history and taxonomy
First described in the journal Nature by Marc Godinot and Mohamed Mahboubi in 1992,Шаблон:Sfn Algeripithecus was once widely considered one of the oldest known fossil simian primates, giving weight to the African origins hypothesis for simians. It was originally interpreted as a propliopithecid, but was also seen as a proteopithecid by Godinot in 1994 and as a parapithecoid by Seiffert et al. starting in 2005.Шаблон:Sfn Based on the discovery of additional fossil teeth and a maxilla (upper jaw) between 2003 and 2009, Tabuce et al. reconstructed Algeripithecus as an azibiid,Шаблон:Sfn a group thought to be a type of stem lemuriform, or strepsirrhine primate.Шаблон:Sfn According to Tabuce et al., the mandible of Algeripithecus indicates it had an inclined canine tooth, similar to that found in toothcombed primates. Although the anterior dentition of azibiids is unknown, they may have possessed a toothcomb, indicating an ancient stem lineage of lemuriform primates in Africa,Шаблон:Sfn possibly descended from an early Asian branch of adapiformsШаблон:Sfn such as a primitive branch of cercamoniines predating Donrussellia (one of the oldest European adapiforms).Шаблон:Sfn As a result, the African origins of crown strepsirhines (including lemurs and lorisoids) is well supported, whereas the African origins of simians has been placed in doubt, possibly giving favor to an Asian origins hypothesis.Шаблон:Sfn However, in 2010, Godinot reasserted his view that Algeripithecus was a simian based on its upper molar morphology and hypothesized that this applied to all azibiids, favoring his earlier view that azibiids may be early simians instead of stem lemuriforms.Шаблон:Sfn In 2011, Marivaux et al. published an interpretation of recently discovered talus bonesШаблон:Efn of closely related Azibius found at Gour Lazib, which they claimed were more similar to those of living strepsirrhines and extinct adapiforms, not simians, thus reinforcing the strepsirrhine status favored by Tabuce et al. two years earlier.Шаблон:Sfn
Godinot also cautiously suggested that Dralestes may be a synonym of Algeripithecus based on a blade-like premolar.Шаблон:Sfn Alternatively, the second upper molar (M2) of Dralestes hammadaensis have been reinterpreted by Tabuce et al. as being the upper fourth premolar (P4) of Azibius, and therefore considered Dralestes to be a synonym of Azibius. Specimens of Dralestes are now recognized as being either Azibius and Algeripithecus.Шаблон:Sfn
Anatomy and physiology
Like all azibiids, Algeripithecus was a small-bodied primate.Шаблон:Sfn Initially thought to weigh Шаблон:Convert,Шаблон:Sfn Algeripithecus minutus is now estimatedШаблон:Efn to have weighed between Шаблон:Convert, nearly half the weight of the only other known azibiid, Azibius trerki.Шаблон:Sfn It was comparable in size to a hairy-eared dwarf lemur (Allocebus trichotis) or a brown mouse lemur (Microcebus rufus).Шаблон:Sfn
Notes
References
Literature cited
External links
- Algeripithecus and Azibius: Anthropoids or Strepsirhines? Шаблон:Webarchive, September 15, 2009
Шаблон:Strepsirrhini Шаблон:Taxonbar
