Morphobank

Project 970: X. Ni, D. L. Gebo, M. Dagosto, J. Meng, P. Tafforeau, J. J. Flynn, K. C. Beard. 2013. The oldest known primate skeleton and early haplorhine evolution. Nature. 498 (7452):60-64.

Specimen: † Archicebus achilles (IVPP/V:18168)

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Abstract

Reconstructing the earliest phases of primate evolution has been impeded by gaps in the fossil record, so that disagreements persist regarding the palaeobiology and phylogenetic relationships of the earliest primates. Here we report the discovery of a nearly complete and partly articulated skeleton of a primitive haplorhine primate from the early Eocene of China, about 55 million years ago, the oldest fossil primate of this quality ever recovered. Coupled with detailed morphological examination using propagation phase contrast X-ray synchrotron microtomography, our phylogenetic analysis based on total available evidence indicates that this fossil is the most basal known member of the tarsiiform clade. In addition to providing further support for an early dichotomy between the strepsirrhine and haplorhine clades, this new primate further constrains the age of divergence between tarsiiforms and anthropoids. It also strengthens the hypothesis that the earliest primates were probably diurnal, arboreal and primarily insectivorous mammals the size of modern pygmy mouse lemurs.

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Project DOI: 10.7934/P970, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P970

This project contains	Matrices
11 Media 1 Matrix 157 Taxa 1 Specimen 1844 Characters Total size of project's media files: 81.28M Download Project SDD File	Total scored cells: 117939 Total media associated with cells: 0 Total labels associated with cell media: 0
	Characters
	Total characters: 1844 Total characters with associated media: 0 Total characters with media with labels: 0 Total character states: 4219 Total character states with associated media: 0 Total character states with media with labels:0 Total unordered/ordered characters:19/1825

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MorphoBank Project 970

Creation Date:
14 June 2013
Publication Date:
19 March 2014
Media downloads: 1
Matrix downloads: 129

This research
supported by

Authors' Institutions

Northern Illinois University

Northwestern University

American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)

Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), CAS

Carnegie Museum of Natural History

European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

Members

Xijun Ni
Project Administrator

157

1844

386

117939
(111870, 0, 6069)

MorphoBank Curator
Full membership

0
(0, 0, 0)

Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M2155' (157 Taxa)

taxon	unscored cells	scored cells	no cell support	NPA cells	"-" cells	cell images	labels on cell images	member access
[1] Echinosorex gymnura Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	166	1627	1622	0	56	0	0	2
[2] Erinaceus europaeus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	167	1596	1595	0	82	0	0	2
[3] † Aegyptopithecus zeuxis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1074	714	707	0	63	0	0	2
[4] Alouatta seniculus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	280	1530	1519	0	45	0	0	2
[5] † Altiatlasius koulchii Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1676	165	162	0	6	0	0	2
[6] Aotus azarae Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	66	1741	1736	0	42	0	0	2
[7] † Apidium phiomense Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1132	679	676	0	36	0	0	2
[8] † Arsinoea kallimos Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1611	223	223	0	10	0	0	2
[9] Ateles belzebuth Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	210	1611	1586	0	48	0	0	2
[10] † Bahinia pondaungensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1431	379	378	0	35	0	0	2
[11] † Biretia fayumensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1493	333	333	0	18	0	0	2
[12] † Biretia megalopsis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1527	306	304	0	13	0	0	2
[13] Brachyteles arachnoides Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	449	1358	1355	0	40	0	0	2
[14] † Branisella boliviana Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1406	412	411	0	27	0	0	2
[15] † Bugtipithecus inexpectans Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1600	235	234	0	10	0	0	2
[16] Cacajao calvus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	442	1354	1349	0	53	0	0	2
[17] Callicebus donacophilus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	226	1598	1576	0	42	0	0	2
[18] Callimico goeldii Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	435	1383	1364	0	45	0	0	2
[19] Callithrix jacchus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	44	1730	1721	0	79	0	0	2
[20] † Catopithecus browni Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1174	611	610	0	60	0	0	2
[21] Cebuella pygmaea Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	811	980	961	0	72	0	0	2
[22] † Cebupithecia sarmientoi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1281	529	529	0	34	0	0	2
[23] Cebus apella Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	382	1430	1424	0	38	0	0	2
[24] Cercocebus agilis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	176	1599	1591	0	77	0	0	2
[25] Cercopithecus neglectus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	23	1744	1734	0	87	0	0	2
[26] Chiropotes chiropotes Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	390	1419	1402	0	52	0	0	2
[27] † Dolichocebus gaimanensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1269	543	543	0	32	0	0	2
[28] † Eosimias centennicus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1405	413	411	0	28	0	0	2
[29] † Eosimias sinensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1371	450	446	0	27	0	0	2
[30] † Epipliopithecus vindobonensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1119	666	664	0	61	0	0	2
[31] † Homunculus patagonicus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1472	354	354	0	18	0	0	2
[32] Hoolock hoolock Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	39	1746	1734	0	71	0	0	2
[33] † Laccopithecus robustus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1307	473	473	0	64	0	0	2
[34] Lagothrix lagotricha Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	257	1562	1543	0	44	0	0	2
[35] Leontopithecus rosalia Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	419	1370	1356	0	69	0	0	2
[36] † Myanmarpithecus yarshensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1577	259	258	0	9	0	0	2
[37] † Oligopithecus rogeri Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1433	357	356	0	55	0	0	2
[38] † Oligopithecus savagei Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1600	222	222	0	22	0	0	2
[39] † Parapithecus fraasi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1600	215	215	0	29	0	0	2
[40] † Parapithecus grangeri Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1369	436	435	0	40	0	0	2
[41] † Phenacopithecus spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1509	328	320	0	15	0	0	2
[42] † Phileosimias kamali Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1589	250	250	0	5	0	0	2
[43] Pithecia pithecia Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	133	1675	1665	0	46	0	0	2
[44] † Pondaungia cotteri Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1397	435	435	0	12	0	0	2
[45] Presbytis melalophos Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	215	1565	1558	0	71	0	0	2
[46] † Proteopithecus sylviae Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1239	577	576	0	29	0	0	2
[47] † Saadanius hijazensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1609	208	208	0	27	0	0	2
[48] Saguinus oedipus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	255	1538	1524	0	65	0	0	2
[49] Saimiri sciureus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	72	1735	1723	0	49	0	0	2
[50] † Serapia eocaena Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1645	193	193	0	6	0	0	2
[51] † Siamopithecus eocaenus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1420	391	389	0	35	0	0	2
[52] † Victoriapithecus macinnesi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1216	570	564	0	64	0	0	2
[53] † Carpocristes oriens Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1459	366	366	0	19	0	0	2
[54] † Carpolestes simpsoni Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1047	702	702	0	95	0	0	2
[55] † Chronolestes simul Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1356	466	465	0	23	0	0	2
[56] Cynocephalus volans Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	6	1736	1735	0	103	0	0	2
[57] † Ellesmene eureka Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1427	410	410	0	7	0	0	2
[58] † Elphidotarsius florencae Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1390	438	435	0	19	0	0	2
[59] † Elpidophorus elegans Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1398	433	428	0	18	0	0	2
[60] † Eudaemonema cuspidata Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1422	411	409	0	13	0	0	2
[61] Galeopterus variegatus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	170	1584	1582	0	92	0	0	2
[62] † Ignacius graybullianus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1035	695	692	0	117	0	0	2
[63] † Microsyops latidens Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1198	601	595	0	51	0	0	2
[64] † Mixodectes pungens Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1339	447	441	0	64	0	0	2
[65] † Nannodectes gidleyi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1312	494	485	0	47	0	0	2
[66] † Navajovius kohlhaasae Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1414	388	388	0	42	0	0	2
[67] † Niptomomys doreenae Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1448	365	362	0	34	0	0	2
[68] † Palaechthon alticuspis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1386	442	433	0	25	0	0	2
[69] † Palenochtha minor Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1538	286	286	0	20	0	0	2
[70] † Paromomys maturus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1366	447	445	0	33	0	0	2
[71] † Phenacolemur jepseni Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1114	631	629	0	101	0	0	2
[72] † Plagiomene multicuspis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1388	451	447	0	9	0	0	2
[73] † Planetetherium mirabile Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1471	364	360	0	13	0	0	2
[74] † Plesiadapis tricuspidens Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1014	758	753	0	77	0	0	2
[75] † Plesiolestes problematicus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1409	422	414	0	21	0	0	2
[76] † Pronothodectes matthewi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1386	430	425	0	33	0	0	2
[77] † Purgatorius spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1477	347	347	0	20	0	0	2
[78] † Saxonella crepaturas Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1537	292	292	0	15	0	0	2
[79] † Tinimomys graybulliensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1208	571	570	0	66	0	0	2
[80] † Worlandia inusitata Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1394	445	440	0	10	0	0	2
[81] † Adapis parisiensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1026	800	793	0	25	0	0	2
[82] † Afradapis longicristatus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1351	440	433	0	60	0	0	2
[83] † Aframonius dieides Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1404	412	412	0	28	0	0	2
[84] † Algeripithecus minutus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1457	356	356	0	31	0	0	2
[85] † Asiadapis cambayensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1439	393	386	0	19	0	0	2
[86] Avahi laniger Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	244	1510	1502	0	98	0	0	2
[87] † Azibius trerki Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1466	357	356	0	22	0	0	2
[88] † Caenopithecus lemuroides Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1411	404	400	0	33	0	0	2
[89] † Cantius frugivorus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1297	540	530	0	17	0	0	2
[90] Cheirogaleus major Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	224	1565	1561	0	59	0	0	2
[91] Daubentonia madagascariensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	221	1380	1380	0	243	0	0	2
[92] † Djebelemur martinezi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1569	249	249	0	26	0	0	2
[93] † Donrussellia gallica Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1578	255	253	0	13	0	0	2
[94] † Donrussellia provincialis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1500	329	328	0	16	0	0	2
[95] Galago senegalensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	196	1606	1601	0	47	0	0	2
[96] † Guangxilemur spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1553	285	285	0	6	0	0	2
[97] Hapalemur griseus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	219	1578	1573	0	52	0	0	2
[98] † Hoanghonius stehlini Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1558	274	274	0	12	0	0	2
[99] Lemur catta Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	19	1780	1775	0	50	0	0	2
[100] Lepilemur leucopus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	209	1553	1549	0	86	0	0	2
[101] † Leptadapis magnus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1104	731	721	0	19	0	0	2
[102] Loris tardigradus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	54	1738	1736	0	54	0	0	2
[103] † Mahgarita stevensi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1354	458	458	0	32	0	0	2
[104] † Marcgodinotius indicus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1465	369	366	0	13	0	0	2
[105] † Microadapis sciureus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1551	286	286	0	7	0	0	2
[106] Microcebus murinus Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	202	1596	1583	0	59	0	0	2
[107] † Notharctus tenebrosus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	874	959	936	0	34	0	0	2
[108] † Nycticeboides simpsoni Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1294	500	500	0	50	0	0	2
[109] Nycticebus coucang Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	47	1740	1734	0	63	0	0	2
[110] Perodicticus potto Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	194	1629	1608	0	42	0	0	2
[111] † Pronycticebus spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1287	532	532	0	25	0	0	2
[112] † Propithecus verreauxi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	47	1721	1705	0	92	0	0	2
[113] † Rencunius spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1612	221	220	0	12	0	0	2
[114] † Sinoadapis shihuibaensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1369	446	445	0	30	0	0	2
[115] † Sivaladapis nagrii Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1422	398	398	0	24	0	0	2
[116] † Smilodectes gracilis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	882	928	923	0	39	0	0	2
[117] † Absarokius abbotti Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1340	481	474	0	30	0	0	2
[118] † Absarokius noctivagus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1412	397	387	0	45	0	0	2
[119] † Altanius orlovi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1438	383	383	0	23	0	0	2
[120] † Anaptomorphus spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1564	257	255	0	25	0	0	2
[121] † Arapahovius gazini Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1348	476	468	0	28	0	0	2
[122] † Araphovius advena Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1608	225	224	0	12	0	0	2
[123] † Archicebus achilles Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1122	695	692	0	30	0	0	2
[124] † Aycrossia lovei Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1433	364	363	0	48	0	0	2
[125] † Chumashius balchi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1568	262	262	0	14	0	0	2
[126] † Dyseolemur pacificus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1359	455	452	0	33	0	0	2
[127] † Hemiacodon gracilis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1213	615	604	0	27	0	0	2
[128] † Loveina zephyri Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1502	322	322	0	20	0	0	2
[129] † Macrotarsius jepseni Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1366	454	448	0	30	0	0	2
[130] † Macrotarsius montanus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1643	192	192	0	9	0	0	2
[131] † Macrotarsius siegerti Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1556	283	281	0	7	0	0	2
[132] † Microchoerus erinaceus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1293	506	503	0	48	0	0	2
[133] † Necrolemur spp. Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1160	643	637	0	47	0	0	2
[134] † Omomys carteri Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1100	709	709	0	35	0	0	2
[135] † Ourayia uintensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1582	257	257	0	5	0	0	2
[136] † Pseudoloris parvulus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1343	452	452	0	49	0	0	2
[137] † Rooneyia viejaensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1505	309	306	0	33	0	0	2
[138] † Shoshonius cooperi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1172	661	639	0	33	0	0	2
[139] † Steinius vespertinus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1493	343	332	0	19	0	0	2
[140] † Strigorhysis bridgerensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1445	341	340	0	59	0	0	2
[141] † Tarkadectes montanensis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1656	184	184	0	4	0	0	2
[142] † Tarka stylifera Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1476	338	336	0	32	0	0	2
[143] † Tarkops mckennai Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1653	182	182	0	9	0	0	2
[144] Tarsius syrichta Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	4	1793	1791	0	49	0	0	2
[145] † Teilhardina americana Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1406	416	416	0	22	0	0	2
[146] † Teilhardina asiatica Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1343	473	471	0	30	0	0	2
[147] † Teilhardina belgica Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1402	425	419	0	23	0	0	2
[148] † Teilhardina brandti Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1431	399	394	0	19	0	0	2
[149] † Teilhardina magnoliana Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1536	297	290	0	18	0	0	2
[150] † Tetonius homunculus Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1182	630	625	0	37	0	0	2
[151] † Tetonoides pearcei Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1627	210	209	0	8	0	0	2
[152] † Uintanius ameghini Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1453	355	355	0	36	0	0	2
[153] † Vectipithex raabi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1331	454	454	0	59	0	0	2
[154] † Washakius insignis Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1375	452	442	0	27	0	0	2
[155] † Xanthorhysis tabrumi Taxon name last Modified on 12/21/13	1640	197	197	0	7	0	0	2
[156] Ptilocercus lowii Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	176	1631	1628	0	40	0	0	2
[157] Tupaia glis Taxon name last Modified on 12/05/13	2	1795	1790	0	52	0	0	2

Project downloads

type	number of downloads	Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
Total downloads from project	899
Matrix downloads	129	Ni_et_al_2013 (129 downloads);
Project downloads	767
Document downloads	2	Data set S2 (1 download); Data set S1 (1 download);
Media downloads	1	M328419 (1 download);