FOSSILS SPECIMEN: PRIMATES

Fossils are defined as any evidence of prehistoric life. There are two types of fossils: Body Fossils include remains of skeletal bones, shell, carapace, test and teeth. Trace Fossils are clues the organism existed such as foot prints, tracks, burrows and coprolites (fossil dung).

Primates include lemurs, lorisids, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes. With the exception of humans, most primate species are found equatorial Central America, South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. The term Primate means primus or prime,”first rank”. The first Primate ancestors apear in the fossil record between 85 and 55 million years ago. Early primates are studied by paleontologist, modern primates are studied by biologist, and humans are studied by anthropologist. To see my primate models click here. 

Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Chordata – Class: Mammalia – Order: Primates

(lemurs, monkeys and apes)

Paleocene to Holocene

Homo habilis Skull

(Cast Replica)

Africa

Pliocene