Eosimias
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Eosimias sinensis |
Eosimias is the genus of two known early Old World primates that was discovered in 1999 in China. These species are among the oldest known member of the Catarrhini suborder (the group that includes all of the Old World primates, including humans) to date, at about 42 million years old during the Eocene. Only a few specimens have been uncovered and scientists assume that Eosimias looks like today's marmosets from South America. Several other early catarrhines came to light in these deposits. One of them was no bigger than a human thumb, making it the smallest primate known. About 16 species of early catarrhines inhabited Eocene China, leading some scientists to assume that life for the early catarrhines was an arms race to survive. Strangely Eosimias discounts a popular theory that the origins of catarrhines came from Africa. Possibly the kin of Eosimias reached Africa and settled to become the Old World monkeys and apes we know today.
[edit] The tale of the late Asian catarrhines
In May 2005, three new primate fossils were discovered in the Bugti Hills of Pakistan. These hills lock away many primate mysteries. Among them was made in 2001, when the early primate Bugtilemur was discovered and led to the assumption that lemurs came from Asia, not Africa. The three primates called Bugtipithecus inexpectans, Phileosimias kamali, and Phileosimias brahuiorum all date back to the Oligocene some 30 million years ago - when monkeys dominated only Africa. These were small lemur-like catarrhines that prospered in an ancient tropical rainforest. Possibly these Asian catarrhines led nowhere in evolution, a side branch from Eosimias. Other possible new catarrhines fossils were uncovered in China, Thailand, and Burma.
