Palaeopropithecus
| Palaeopropithecus Temporal range: Holocene |
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| Life restoration of Palaeopropithecus ingens | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Infraorder: | Lemuriformes |
| Family: | †Palaeopropithecidae |
| Genus: | †Palaeopropithecus |
| Species | |
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†P. ingens G. Grandider, 1899 |
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| Subfossil sites for Palaeopropithecus[2] red = P. kelyus; green = P. ingens; blue = P. maximus |
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The large sloth lemurs (genus Palaeopropithecus) were one of three recently extinct genera of sloth lemur that was found on Madagascar, and were closely related to living lemur species found there today. There were three known species, Palaeopropithecus ingens, P. maximus, and P. kelyus. New radiocarbon dates indicate that the large sloth lemurs may have still been living around 1500 CE. It is thought that Palaeopropithecus ingens is mentioned in Malagasy legends as the tretretretre or tratratratra.
[edit] Locomotion
The large sloth lemur was long believed to be an aquatic creature, swimming with its eyes, ears and nostrils just above the water. However, this theory was based on misattributed postcranial remains. Charles Lamberton thoroughly refuted this in 1957. Fossils previously assigned to crania of other species were then reassigned to Palaeopropithecus. Postcranial evidence suggests a highly arboreal lifestyle with suspension locomotion, hence the name sloth lemur.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Gommery, D.; Ramanivosoa, B.; Tombomiadana-Raveloson, S.; Randrianantenaina, H.; Kerloc’h, P. (2009), "A new species of giant subfossil lemur from the North-West of Madagascar (Palaeopropithecus kelyus, Primates)", Comptes Rendus Palevol 8 (5): 471–480, doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2009.02.001, Lay summary (27 May 2009)
- ^ Godfrey, L.R.; Jungers, W.L. (2002). "Chapter 7: Quaternary fossil lemurs". In Hartwig, W.C.. The Primate Fossil Record. Cambridge University Press. pp. 111–112. ISBN 978-0-521-66315-1.
- ^ Godfrey, Laurie R., William L. Jungers. (2003). "The extinct sloth lemurs of Madagascar". Evolutionary Anthropology 12: 252–263. doi:10.1002/evan.10123.
