Document Detail


Phylogenetic and functional affinities of Babakotia (primates), a fossil lemur from northern Madagascar.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  1924371     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Recent paleontological expeditions to the Ankarana range of northern Madagascar have recovered the partial remains of four individuals of a newly recognized extinct lemur, Babakotia radofilai. Craniodental and postcranial material serve to identify Babakotia as a member of the palaeopropithecids (also including the extinct genera Palaeopropithecus, Archaeoindris, and Mesopropithecus). Living indrids form the sister group to this fossil clade. The postcranial anatomy indicates that Babakotia was a medium-sized (approximately 15 kg) indroid whose inferred positional behaviors were primarily slow climbing and hanging. Although it is probable that a leaping component typified the ancestral positional repertoire of all Malagasy lemurs, the mosaic nature of the locomotor skeleton of Babakotia further suggests that vertical climbing and hang-feeding rather than ricochetal leaping were primitive for indrids and palaeopropithecids and that the dramatic saltatory adaptations of the living indrids postdate the divergence of these two lineages.
Authors:
W L Jungers; L R Godfrey; E L Simons; P S Chatrath; B Rakotosamimanana
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America     Volume:  88     ISSN:  0027-8424     ISO Abbreviation:  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.     Publication Date:  1991 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1991-11-15     Completed Date:  1991-11-15     Revised Date:  2009-11-18    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7505876     Medline TA:  Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  9082-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomical Sciences, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-8081.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Bone and Bones / anatomy & histology
Dentition
Fossils*
Lemur / anatomy & histology,  genetics*
Madagascar
Maxilla / anatomy & histology
Phylogeny*
Primates / genetics*
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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