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Extinct Fossil Adapis parisiensis

Adapis parisiensis was a primate species that existed from the late Eocene to early Oligocene (55 to 35 million years) and was extinct during the grand Coupure. The extinction coincided with a major temperature drop about 40 million years ago near the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. The geographic origin of the Adapis parisiensis is unknown, however, Adapis parisiensis lived in Europe and fossilized remains of it have been found in France in the year 1822. Adapoids were large primates compared to earlier fossils Plesiaadapiforms and Omomyoids. Adapis parisiensis was a medium sized species; it had an average body mass of 1.3 kilogram. (Fleagle 356-357) The taxonomic classification of an Adapis parisiensis •	Kingdom Animalia •	Phylum   Chordata •	Order      Primate •	Suborder: Strepshirini •	Superfamily: Adapoidea •	Family: Adapidae •	Subfamily: Adapinae •	Genus Adapis •	Species Adapis parisiensis Adapis parisiensis had a dental formula of 2:1:4:3 for both upper and lower jaws (Fleagle 366-367). The upper central incisors are broad and spatulate and there is a gap between their bases (Fleagle 366-367). The lower incisors and canines form a single cutting edge suggesting development of the toothcomb in extant streprrihni (Fleagle, 1988). All Adapoids also have pertrosal bulla, ectotympanic ring. Adapis had a low, broad skull with a small brain case. Adapis also has a small orbit, directed slightly upward. Adapis Parisiensis shared many synapomorphies with other living lemurs (Hapalemur) that relates extinct Adapis parisiensis to extant Hapalemur. Hapalemur is a genus classified in the superfamily lemuroidea, and the family lemuridae. Hapalemur lives in the southeastern rain forest of the Madagascar. They are also known as bamboo lemur because they live in and eat mature bamboo. Hapalemur are highly arboreal meaning they spend most their time on trees thus, they have long legs compared to other Malagasy lemur. “The locomotor and postural behavior of the Hapalemur in this vertical habitat is mainly clinging and leaping but they also move quadrupedally along bamboo branches” (Fleagle 94-95). Most of the time they are active either during the daytime or dawn and dusk. Hapalemur has similar dental formula 2:1:3:3 as most Malagasy lemur do. Adapis parisiensis have inflated bulla with a free tympanic auditory bulla, which is a primitive trait that is also found in Hapalemur. Adapis parisiensis and Hapalemur have small, spatulate upper incisor and long narrow molar and premolar with well-developed shearing crest. However Adapis parisiensis did not have toothcomb. Adapis parisiensis and Hapalemur have similar anterior dentition. The similarity between the anterior dentition of Adapis parisiensis and that of Hapalemur suggests a similar incisor-canine functional unit and the possibilities of evolving the lemuriform toothcomb from the functional complex. (Tattersall, Sussman). Adapis parisiensis and Hapalemur also share similar shared ankles and wrists morphology. Adapis parisiensis dental formula was primitive enough, that the dental formula found among lemur could have easily derived from an Adapis parisiensis. Hapalemur had many traits that were not found in Adapis parisiensis. Hapalemur lower incisor and canine form toothcomb that was not found in Adapis. Most of the Hapalemur are diurnal or cathemeral, but Adapis parisiensis was diurnal based on its small orbits size (Gingerich Martin). Hapalemur also have claws on their pedal digit. On the other hand, Adapis parisiensis usually had fused mandibular symphysis and it also had hypocone that not found in Hapalemur. Adapis Parisiensis was folivores based on high shearing crest of the molar. According to Kay shearing quotient if the species have positive shearing crest and weight above the 500 gram then species consider folivores but if has weight less 500-gram then species consider insectivores. Since Adapis body mass was 1.3 kilogram, its considered folivores (eat leaves). According to Kay intermembral index (ratio of forelimb to hind limb and multiply by 100) if species have intermembral index around 80-90; they are consider arboreal quadruped. There are several complete limb fossils that have been found based on the intermembral index of the fossil of Adapis parisiensis was arboreal quadrupeds. Since Adapis parisiensis had primitive dental anatomy, most of the dental anatomy found among later primates could have easily derived from an Adapis. Some scientist hypothesize that Adapis was ancestor of the anthropoid based on the dental characteristics that could have been shared with the primitive traits. The skeletal anatomy shows that Adapis limb were similar to streprrihni, it also has nails rather than claws, like later primates (Fleagle 357- 359) However, Adapis parisiensis could not be the ancestor of the living lemur, or later primates because most of the traits that we were able to find in fossil Adapis parisiensis were too derived. Based on the current information, we cannot conclude that Adapis parisiensis was ancestor of the Hapalemur or later primates; we would need more information to conclude that.

Reference Book Chapter Fleagle G. John 1999. Primate adaption and evolution. San Diego: An Imprint of Elsevier 367-368 p. Water Carl. hartwing. DanielL. Gebo 2004. Adipiforms : Phylogeny and   adaption. Cambridge University Press. p. 31-32 Journal Article Philip D. Gingerich. Robert D. Martin, 1981. Cranial morphology and adaptations in Eocene Adapidae.The Cambridge skull of Adapis parisiensis (56), 235-257. Sussman R.W. Tattersall I. 1975. Dentition of Adapis parisiensis and the evolution of the lemuriform primate. Lemur Biology, New York: Plenum Press (56), 65-80.