NDLI: Understanding Eocene primate palaeobiology using a comprehensive analysis of living primate ecology, biology and behaviour

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Sauther, Michelle L. Cuozzo, Frank P.
Copyright Year	2012
Abstract	The comparative method is central to interpretations of Eocene primate palaeobiology. This method rests upon a thorough study of analogous living forms. With a rapidly increasing knowledge of such forms, most notably the Malagasy lemurs, our ability to advance the study of Eocene primate ecology, biology and behaviour far exceeds that of even just a few years ago. Here we present such a comparison. Based on our data collected from both living lemurs and extant lemur skeletal specimens, we are able to make a number of comparisons that provide insight into middle Eocene primate ecology and palaeobiology. At the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, omnivorous living ring-tailed lemurs that feed on large, hard and tough fruits display a pattern of frequent post-canine tooth wear laterality (62 %) when compared to sympatric, folivorous Verreaux’s sifaka (4 %). Our results indicate that Notharctus does not display a high frequency of tooth wear laterality (7 %), indicating folivory without processing large, hard fruits with its postcanines. Our data on Notharctus tooth wear also indicate, similar to living ring-tailed lemurs at Beza Mahafaly, that numerous individuals (21 %) survived long enough to experience heavy tooth wear, contrary to the assumption that heavy tooth wear leads to the rapid death of the individual. Finally, our data on trauma and injury from a living lemur population suggest that the reported wrist injury in Darwinius masillae (i.e. “Ida”) did not necessarily lead to her death, as numerous ring-tailed lemurs at Beza Mahafaly survive with similar or even more traumatic injuries and maintain the ability to climb. Thus, our data from living primates provide a broad comparative framework for interpreting the ecology, biology and behaviour of Eocene forms.
Starting Page	573
Ending Page	583
Page Count	11
File Format	PDF
ISSN	18671594
Journal	Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments
Volume Number	92
Issue Number	4
e-ISSN	18671608
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2012-07-07
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Lemur Dental ecology Notharctus Darwinius Laterality Paleontology Biodiversity Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ecology Geology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Global and Planetary Change Paleontology

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Primates in the Eocene

Comment to “Primates in the Eocene” by Gingerich (2012)

Pedal distal phalanges of the Eocene adapoids Europolemur and Darwinius compared to phalanges of Notharctus and other primates

Palaeopathology and fate of Ida (Darwinius masillae, Primates, Mammalia)

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Reply to comment on “Primates in the Eocene” by Gilbert and Maiolino (2015)

Understanding Eocene primate palaeobiology using a comprehensive analysis of living primate ecology, biology and behaviour

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