| Bugtilemur | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | †incertae sedis |
| Genus: | †Bugtilemur Marivauxet al., 2001 |
| Species: | †B. mathesoni |
| Binomial name | |
| †Bugtilemur mathesoni Marivauxet al., 2001 | |
Bugtilemur is an extinct genus ofStrepsirhineprimate belonging to the adapiform family Ekgmowechashalidae.It is represented by only one species,B. mathesoni, which was found in theChitarwata Formation ofPakistan.[1]
When first described,Bugtilemur was classified in the lemur familyCheirogaleidae, complicating the picture of the early evolution of lemurs by suggesting that lemurs originated in Asia.[2]
Described from a few teeth, the specimen possesses a lower canine that, according to Marivaux et al., confirms the presence of the strepsirrhine-specifictoothcomb. Furthermore, on the basis of cheektooth morphology, the molars share strong affinities with those of the genusCheirogaleus (dwarf lemurs).[3] However,Bugtilemur appears to be much smaller than theextant Malagasy genus and its toothcomb was shorter and broader.[4] More recently, the structure and general presence of the toothcomb inBugtilemur has been questioned, as well as many other dental features, suggesting that it is most likely an adapiform.[5] The adapiform nature ofBugtilemur was confirmed in a 2016 cladistic analysis that recovered it in the family Ekgmowechashalidae, which is more consistent with the lemur fossil record.[6]
