Posted on 11/06/2008 4:10:01 PM PST by SunkenCiv
More than 40 million years ago, primates preferred Texas to northern climates that were significantly cooling, according to new fossil evidence discovered by Chris Kirk, physical anthropologist at The University of Texas at Austin.
Kirk and Blythe Williams from Duke University have discovered Diablomomys dalquesti, a new genus and species of primate that dates to 44-43 million years ago when tropical forests and active volcanoes covered west Texas.
The researchers have published their discovery in the Journal of Human Evolution article, "New Uintan Primates from Texas and their Implications for North American Patterns of Species Richness during the Eocene."
During the early part of the Eocene epoch, primates were common in the tropical forests that covered most of North America. Over time, however, climatic cooling caused a dramatic decline in the abundance and diversity of North American primates. By the end of the Eocene, primates and most tropical species had almost disappeared from North America.
Kirk's discovery of late middle Eocene (Uintan) primates at the Devil's Graveyard Formation in Southwest Texas reveals new information about how North American primates evolved during this period of faunal (animal) reorganization...
The anthropologists named the new primate Diablomomys dalquesti, combining "Diablo" to represent the Devil's Graveyard Formation (sand- and mudstones near Big Bend National Park) with Omomys, a related fossil genus. The dalquesti species name honors Walter and Rose Dalquest, who donated the land on which the fossil was collected (Midwestern State University's "Dalquest Research Site"). Walter was a Texas paleontologist and distinguished biology professor at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls until his death in 2000.
(Excerpt) Read more at eurekalert.org ...
Ancient Anthropoid Origins Discovered In Africa
Duke University | 13 October 2005 | News office staff
Posted on 10/14/2005 3:27:55 AM PDT by PatrickHenry
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1502273/posts
Little teeth suggest big jump in primate timeline
PhysOrg | Monday, August 4, 2008 | Duke University
Posted on 08/07/2008 10:27:32 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2058114/posts
Tiny Fossil AnimalFossil bones of an animal no bigger than a shrew and weighing less than an ounce have been identified as belonging to the earliest known relative in the primate lineage that led to monkeys, apes and humans. The wee animal lived 45 million years ago in a humid rain forest in what is now China... The paleontologists who announced the discovery yesterday said the fossil animals, named Eosimias for "dawn monkey," were the best evidence yet for fixing the time and place of one of the more fateful branchings in evolution. Eosimias appeared to be a transitional figure when lower primates, known as prosimians, went their separate way, developing into today's lemurs, lorises, bush babies and tarsiers, while the diverging higher primates, anthropoids, evolved into more prepossessing creatures, eventually including human beings... scatterings of fossils point to the earliest primates of any kind appearing about 55 million years ago, mainly in Asia. But when the two lines of primates diverged had seemed to be lost in the wide gaps in the fossil record... This was further evidence that, although the more immediate human forebears arose in Africa, their earliest primate ancestors appeared to come from Asia. Somehow primates then migrated to Africa. Dr. MacPhee said the Euroasian origin of primates was now generally accepted by scientists, "thanks in part to Beard's work," but "why that should be is itself controversial now."
May Link Lower Primates
With Humans
by John Noble Wilford
March 16, 2000The Scars of Evolution:"The most remarkable aspect of Todaro's discovery emerged when he examined Homo Sapiens for the 'baboon marker'. It was not there... Todaro drew one firm conclusion. 'The ancestors of man did not develop in a geographical area where they would have been in contact with the baboon. I would argue that the data we are presenting imply a non-African origin of man millions of years ago.'"
What Our Bodies Tell Us
About Human Origins
by Elaine MorganApe culture hints at earlier evolutionThe complex behaviour of orangutans suggests human culture started to develop 14 million years ago, much earlier than thought. At this time the ancestors of chimps and orangutans diverged... Professor Van Schaik warned though that political unrest and habitat destruction could prevent further studies.
BBC News Online
Human Ancestors Went Out Of Africa And Then Came Back... [1998]
ScienceDaily | Friday, August 7, 1998 | adapted from New York University materials
Posted on 12/17/2007 5:37:11 PM PST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1940963/posts
Oldest hominid discovered is 7 million years old: study
Yahoo News | 2-27-08
Posted on 02/28/2008 4:21:27 AM PST by Renfield
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1977564/posts
Oldest hominid discovered is 7 million years old: study
www.physorg.com | 02/28/2008 | Staff
Posted on 02/28/2008 7:02:18 AM PST by Red Badger
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1977643/posts
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Chris Kirk and Blythe Williams have discovered Diablomomys dalquesti, a new genus and species of primate that dates to 44-43 million years ago when tropical forests and active volcanoes covered west Texas. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Texas at Austin)
I would say primates still linger at UT, but that would insult primates.
That’s where I saw them.
Hook 'em Horns
Some of my best friends are Texas primates
It’s happening again. This time they’re Californians and assorted Yankees.
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