Mesopropithecus pithecoides


TAXONOMY:

MORPHOLOGY:
Mesopropithecus pithecoides had relatively large upper incisors (Fleagle, 1988). This species had a dental formula of 2:1:2:3 on the upper jaw and 2:0:2:3 on the lower jaw (Martin, 1990). The skeleton of this species was more robust than members of the extant genus Propithecus (Fleagle, 1988). The humerus and the femur of this species were about the same size (Fleagle, 1988). This species had an average body mass of around 11.0 kilograms (Fleagle, 1988).

RANGE:
Mesopropithecus pithecoides was found on the island of Madagascar (Fleagle, 1988).

DIET:
Based upon dental morphology this was a folivorous species (Fleagle, 1988).

LOCOMOTION:
Based upon postcranial remains this species was most likely an arboreal quadruped (Jungers, 1980; cited in Fleagle, 1988).

REFERENCES:
Fleagle, J.G. 1988. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press: New York.

Jungers, W.L. 1980. Adaptive Diversity in Subfossil Malagasy Prosimians. Z. Morphol. Anthropol., Vol. 71(2), 177-186.

Martin, R.D. 1990. Primate Origins and Evolution: A Phylogenetic Reconstruction. Princeton University Press: Princeton, New Jersey.

Last updated: November 14, 2001

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