Notharctus
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| Notharctus Fossil range: Eocene |
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†Notharctus pugnax |
Notharctus was an early primate that inhabited Europe and North America 50 million years ago. Modern lemurs evolved from primates similar to this genus. The body design of Notharctus echoes the existing primate lineages. Unlike lemurs, Notharctus had a shorter face and forward-facing eyes surrounded by an enclosed circle of bone. Its fingers are elongated for clamping onto branches. The evolution of the opposable thumb is distinguishable in this early primate. Its spine is flexible, like the living lemurs. It probably ate fruits and insects. The lineage the includes Notharctus, the Adapiformes, is extinct and their last representative (Sivaladapis) died out during the late Miocene.
There were at least 5 different Notharctus species. Fossils from at least seven other potential species have also been discovered.
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