Nosmips | |
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Scientific classification![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Primates |
Family: | incertae sedis |
Genus: | †Nosmips Seiffert, 2010 |
Species: | †N. aenigmaticus |
Binomial name | |
†Nosmips aenigmaticus Seiffert, 2010[2] |
Nosmips aenigmaticus is a rare fossilprimate known only from 12 teeth. Most teeth were found at a site in theFayum Depression about 40 miles (64 km) outsideCairo,Egypt.[3]
Nosmips aenigmaticus probably lived 37 million years ago in Africa and has not been successfully classified within any group of primates.[4] In particular, it is distinct from the three main branches of primate found in Africa at the time -anthropoids,adapiforms andlemuriforms. It is weakly associated with theEosimiidae. Itspremolars are specialised and the tooth enamel displays extensive signs of pitting, which would appear to be consistent with a diet of either seeds or fruits with hard pits.[5]
Nosmips is an anagram of Simpson. The name was chosen to honour paleontologist and anagram enthusiastGeorge Gaylord Simpson.