| Europolemur | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Radiographic comparison of middle Eocene primates from Geiseltal, Germany. A to D are fossils ofEuropolemur klatti | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | †Adapidae |
| Subfamily: | †Caenopithecinae |
| Genus: | †Europolemur Weigelt, 1933 |
| Type species | |
| †Europolemur klatti Weigelt, 1933 | |
| Species | |
| |
Europolemur is a genus ofadapiformprimates that lived inEurope during the middleEocene.[1]
Europolemur klatti is part of a group of long-digited fossils that most likely approximates early euprimate hand proportions.E. klatti has a graspinghallux and there is evidence that it may have hadnails rather thanclaws.[2] This implies that stabilizing the tips of the digits and hand must in some way have been important for its lifestyle in its habitat. Relative to the forearm, the hand ofE. klatti was large, which may be related to vertical climbing or posture.[citation needed] The shape of thecalcaneus resembles that found inSmilodectes andNotharctus.E. klatti had an average body mass of 1.7 kilograms.[3]
In 1995, two isolated upper molars belonging toE. klatti were found in an old lake deposit during excavations by the "Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz/Landessammlung für Naturkunde Rheinland-Pfalz".[4] The museum determined that the molars (as well as a mandible with nearly complete dentition belonging to another cercamoiines,Periconodon) were representative of the first primates from the Middle EoceneEckfelder Maar in the Southwest Eifel, Germany.E. klatti has a dental formula of2.1.3.32.1.3.3[2][5] (permanent dentition) and a deciduous dentition of2.1.4.32.1.4.3.[2] One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the genusEuropolemur is the lack of ametaconule. The dental anatomy of their genus is described in more detail by Franzen as consisting of "upper canines big and pointed; upper molars without postflexus; postprotocrista prominent; no metaconulus; M3 smaller and shorter than M2; P4 much shorter than broad, with a weak parastyle; P4 with a small and unicuspid talonid and a metaconid present to absent; protocristid of M nearly transversely oriented. Protoconid of P3 little higher than that of P4."[6]
