Palaeopropithecus ingens

Taxobox | name = "Palaeopropithecus ingens"
fossil_range = Holocene
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Primates
superfamilia = Lemuroidea
familia = Palaeopropithecidae
genus = "Palaeopropithecus"
species = "P. ingens "
binomial = "Palaeopropithecus ingens"
binomial_authority = G. Grandider, 1899

"Palaeopropithecus ingens" is an extinct lemur that was found on Madagascar and has gone extinct fairly recently. New radiocarbon dates indicate that "Palaeopropithecus ingens" may have still been living around 1500 AD.

Morphology

This species had a dental formula of 2:1:2:3 on the upper jaw and 2:0:2:3 on the lower jaw. "Palaeopropithecus ingens" had lower incisors which were small and vertical and the lower incisors of this species were spatulate. The molars of this species were narrow and had well-developed shearing crests (Fleagle, 1988). "Palaeopropithecus ingens" had a relatively robust skull and a relatively long snout as compared to extinct indriids. A mandibular symphysis was present and "Palaeopropithecus ingens" had a tubular meatus which extended laterally from the tympanic ring which also differs from extinct indriids. The forelimbs were longer than the hindlimbs which is in opposition to extinct indriids which had long hind limbs. On the manus the pollex was short and the phalanges were long and curved and "Palaeopropithecus ingens" had an intermembral index of 138.

Diet

Due to "Palaeopropithecus ingens"'s dental morphology this was a folivorous species.

Locomotion

"Palaeopropithecus ingens" was a terrestrial quadruped, based upon postcranial remains.

ources

*http://www.animalbase.uni-goettingen.de/zooweb/servlet/AnimalBase/home/species?id=630
*http://www.amnh.org/science/biodiversity/extinction/Resources/Bestiary/Primates.html#SlothLemur
*Fleagle, J.G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press: New York.
*Martin, R.D. 1990. Primate Origins and Evolution: A Phylogenetic Reconstruction. Princeton University Press: Princeton, New Jersey.