Pliopithecidae
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| Pliopithecidae Temporal range: 35–10 Ma Early Oligocene to Miocene |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Subclass: | Theria |
| Order: | Primates |
| Superfamily: | Hominoidea |
| Family: | †Pliopithecidae |
| Genera | |
The family Pliopithecidae is the earliest known family of fossil apes. They originated in Africa, and subsequently spread to Europe, before becoming extinct about 10 million years ago. Like modern gibbons, they were adapted to living in the tree tops of dense forests. Their anatomy combined primitive features such as a small braincase, a long snout and a tail in some species. At the same time, they possessed more advanced features such as stereoscopic vision and ape-like teeth and jaws, clearly distinguishing them from monkeys.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Palmer, D., ed (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. pp. 290–291. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Prehistoric World page 434.
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