Smilodectes gracilis

Taxobox | name = "Smilodectes gracilis"
fossil_range = Early Eocene

---

regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Primates
familia = Nothactidae
subfamilia = Nothactinae
genus = "Smilodectes"
species = "S. gracilis"
binomial = "Smilodectes gracilis"
binomial_authority = (Marsh, 1871a)

"Smilodectes gracilis" was an adapiformes primate from the early Eocene, some 55 million years ago. "Smilodectes gracilis" was found on the land mass of North America and based on its dental morphology, "Smilodectes gracilis" was a folivore.

Morphology

"Smilodectes gracilis" had a dental formula of 2:1:4:3 on both the upper and lower jaw and had a relatively short snout, with rounded frontal bone as compared to other nothactines. This species lacked symphyseal fusion and this species of primate had comparatively reduced olfactory bulbs and a more expanded visual cortex. This suggests that "Smilodectes gracilis" was a diurnal species. "Smilodectes gracilis" had a cranial capacity of 9.5 cc. [Martin, R.D. 1990. Primate Origins and Evolution: A Phylogenetic Reconstruction. Princeton University Press: Princeton, New Jersey.] It is thought that "Smilodectes gracilis" had an average body mass of around 2.1 kilograms.

Locomotion

Based upon its postcranial skeleton, "Smilodectes gracilis" was a vertical clinger and leaper.

References

*Fleagle, J.G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press: New York.
*http://members.tripod.com/cacajao/smilodectes_gracilis.html
* [http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/Deuterostoma/Chordata/Synapsida/Eutheria/Primates/Strepsirrhini/Nothactinae.htm Mikko's Phylogeny Archive]