ATR 250
Chapter 9: Primate Origins and Evolution: The First 50,000,000 Years

Adapids        Euprimates of the Eocene that were likely ancestral to modern lemurs and possibly ancestral to anthropoids.
Adapis    A genus of adapids from the Eocene.
Aegyptopithecus      A propliopithecid genus from the Oligocene, probably ancestral to 
catarrhines; the largest primate found in the Fayum, Egypt. 
angiosperm radiation hypothesis     The proposition that certain primate traits, such as visual 
acuity, occurred in response to the availability of fruit and flowers following the spread of angiosperms.
   arboreal hypothesis      The proposition that primates' unique suite of traits is an adaptation to 
living in trees.
basal anthropoids       Eocene primates that are possibly ancestral to anthropoids.
Biretia       A later basal anthropoid genus found in the Fayum, Egypt, that may be ancestral to 
anthropoids.
 Bransinella      A South American genus from the Oligocene, ancestral to platyrrhines.
Carpolestes     A plesiadapiform genus from the Paleocene, probably ancestral to the Eocene 
euprimates. 
dryopithecids         Early Miocene apes found in various locations in Europe.
Dryopithecus      A genus of dryopithecid apes found in southern France.
Eosimias       A genus of very small basal anthropoids from the Eocene. 
euprimates     The first true primates from the Eocene: the tarsierlike omomyids and the 
lemurlike adapids.
Gigantopithecus     A genus of Miocene pongids from Asia; the largest primate that ever lived.
   Khoratpithecus      A genus of Miocene apes from Asia, likely ancestral to orangutans.
Micropithecus      A genus of very small proconsulids from the Miocene, found in Africa.
Notharctus      A genus of one of the largest adapids from the Eocene.
oligopithecids      The earliest anthropoid ancestors in the Oligocene, found in the Fayum, 
Egypt.
omomyids       Eocene euprimates that may be ancestral to tarsiers.
oreopithecids      Miocene apes that were found in Europe.
Oreopithecus     A genus of oreopithecids found in Italy that was extinct within a million years of 
its appearance. 
Ouranopithecus    A genus of Miocene dryopithecids found in Greece.
Parapithecus      A genus of later parapithecids from the Oligocene, found in Fayum, Egypt.
parapithecids    Anthropoid ancestors from the Oligocene, found in Fayum, Egypt.
   plesiadapiforms    Paleocene organisms that may have been the first primates, originating 
from an adaptive radiation of mammals.
Proconsul   A genus of early Miocene proconsulids from Africa, ancestral to catarrhines.
proconsulids    Early Miocene apes found in East Africa
Propliopithecus      Oligocene propliopithecid genus.
propliopithecids    Anthropoid ancestors from the Oligocene, found in Africa. 
Proprimates    A  separate  order  of early primate  ancestors  from  the Paleocene, such as the 
plesiadapiforms.
sivapithecids    Early Miocene apes found in Asia.
   Sivapithecus    A genus of Miocene sivapithecids, proposed as ancestral to orangutans.
victoriapithecids    Miocene primates from Africa, possibly ancestral to Old World Monkeys. 
visual predation hypothesis    The proposition that unique primate traits arose as adaptations to 
preying on insects and on small animals.