New growth models for most complete fossil primate skeleton

What is it about?

Darwinius (Middle Eocene, Germany) is the most complete fossil primate known. Its describers hypothesized a close relationship to Anthropoidea, and using a Saimiri model estimated its age at death as 9-10 months and its adult body mass as 650–900g. Our study of dental eruption sequences across primates shows that Darwinius differs from anthropoids in relatively earlier development of the lower third molars and contrasts with Saimiri, which exhibits a delayed eruption of the second lower premolar. We propose an alternative model based on lemurs, which predicts an older age at death (1.05-1.14 years) and a lower body mass (622-642g).

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Why is it important?

Our findings result in the definition of an alternative model to estimate age at death and growth based on lemurs, instead of anthropoids, which is more in line with the most widely accepted hypothesis of evolutionary relationships of adapoids with modern primate groups.