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Early evolution and biogeography of lorisiform strepsirrhines
Author(s) -
Seiffert Erik R.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
american journal of primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1098-2345
pISSN - 0275-2565
DOI - 10.1002/ajp.20324
Subject(s) - postcrania , biogeography , eutheria , fossil record , paleontology , evolutionary biology , biology , phylogenetic tree , theria , character evolution , crown (dentistry) , cladistics , zoology , cenozoic , taxon , clade , phanerozoic , medicine , biochemistry , dentistry , structural basin , gene
This brief review summarizes new paleontological and molecular data that together support a late middle Eocene Afro‐Arabian origin for crown Lorisiformes. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that late Eocene Karanisia is a possible stem lorisiform, late Eocene Saharagalago and Wadilemur and Miocene Komba are stem galagids, and early Miocene Mioeuoticus and Progalago may be crown lorisids. Character evolution along the lorisid and galagid stem lineages is reconstructed as having occurred primarily in postcranial and dental morphology, respectively. These patterns have important implications for interpreting an early lorisiform fossil record that is still composed primarily of jaws and isolated teeth. Am. J. Primatol. 69:27–35, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.