Kingdom Animalia Suborder Strepsirrhini Phylum Chordata Order Primate | Class Mammalia Family Lorisidae (See text) Rank Genus | |
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Karanisia is an extinct genus of strepsirrhine primate and is represented by two species, K. clarki and K. arenula. Originally considered a crown lorisid, more comprehensive phylogenetic analyses suggest it is a more basal to living strepsirrhines, either as a stem lorisid or stem lemuroid.
K. clarki was described in 2003 from isolated teeth and jaw fragments found in Late Middle Eocene (c. 40 million years ago) sediments of the Birket Qarun Formation in the Egyptian Faiyum. The specimens indicate the presence of a toothcomb, making it the earliest fossil primate to indisputably bear this trait, which is unique to all living strepsirrhines (lemurs, lorises, and galagos).
In 2010 a second species, K. arenula, was described in the journal Nature from Late Middle Eocene rocks in Libya.