Notharctus

Notharctus Temporal range: Middle Eocene–Late Eocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Notharctus tenebrosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Suborder:	Strepsirrhini
Family:	†Notharctidae
Subfamily:	†Notharctinae
Genus:	†Notharctus Leidy, 1870
Species
†N. pugnax †N. robustior †N. tenebrosus †N. venticolus

Notharctus is a genus of adapiform primate that lived in North America during the late to middle Eocene.^[1]

The body form of Notharctus is similar to that of modern lemurs. 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.^[2]

There were at least four different Notharctus species.^[1] Fossils from at least seven other potential species have also been discovered.

Notharctus osborni skull

References

1. Gebo 2002, p. 25.
2. Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 287. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.

Literature cited

• Gebo, D.L. (2002). "Adapiformes: Phylogeny and adaptation". In Hartwig, W.C. The Primate Fossil Record. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-08141-2. OCLC 47254191.

External links

• Mikko's Phylogeny Archive