Kingdom Animalia Suborder Haplorrhini Rank Subfamily | Class Mammalia Phylum Chordata Order Primate | |
 | ||
Similar Primate, Tetonius, Omomyidae, Teilhardina, Rooneyia | ||
Anaptomorphinae is a pre-historic group of primates known from Eocene fossils in North America and Europe and later periods of Paleocene Asia, and are a sub-family of omomyids. The anaptomorphines is a paraphyletic group consisting of the two tribes Trogolemurini and Anaptomorphini. Anaptomorphine radiation in Wyoming, one of the most detailed records of changes within populations and between species in the fossil record, has provided remarkable evidence of transitional fossils.
Contents
Description
The primate evolved anagenetically. (Bown and Rose 1987)
Teilhardina is the most primitive of the anaptomorphines with respect a number of dental features (e.g. four premolars and relatively unreduced canine). Most scientists recognize at least fourteen genera of anaptomorphine. The probable lineages of Tetonius, Absarokius and Anemorhysis evolved from Teilhardinia or a closely related form from North America.
The primates Tetonius and Shoshonius have by interpretation (Beard et al; 1991) had classification within the Tarsiiformes, therefore not belonging to human evolution. The Anaptomorphine population was apparently high during the Early Tertiary. Tetonius from the Early Eocene was first found in the late nineteenth century and is considered important due to the significance of the find in the forming the phylogeny of the primates. The last known animal belonging to the group was Trogolemur. A fossil discovered in Utah was a new species of Trogolemur.
Analyses of over hundred specimens of omomyid primates recovered in the Wasatch formation in Wyoming, suggest that anaptomorphines never developed the highly specialised molars seen in modern prosimians. Similarly, incisor enlargement was most likely an adaptation for grooming and food manipulation rather than a purely frugivorous or insectivorous diet.