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 Scientists on Thursday announced the discovery of the remains of
six previously unknown extinct primate species: four similar to
Madagascar's lemurs, one similar to the nocturnal insect- and
lizard-eating tarsiers of the Philippines and Indonesia, and one
monkey-like primate.
Primates are among the most environmentally sensitive of all
mammals. These lived shortly after a dramatic episode of global
climate change that brought cooler, drier conditions that triggered
the extinction of all primates in North America and Europe and
devastated Asia's primates.
The primate lineage that led to monkeys, apes and people, called
anthropoids, originated in Asia, with their earliest fossils dating
from 45 million years ago. Only later, about 38 million years ago,
did some anthropoids migrate to Africa. It was on that continent
200,000 years ago that humans arose.
But if anthropoids first appeared in Asia, why didn't apes and
people emerge there, too? The big chill 34 million years ago is the
reason.
This juncture represented "a critical filtering episode during the
evolutionary history of primates," said paleontologist Xijun Ni of
the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Vertebrate
Paleontology and Paleoanthropology.
Before the temperatures dropped, Asia's primates were dominated by
anthropoids. Afterward, they were dominated by lemur-like primates,
with the monkey-like ones decimated. To illustrate that, just one of
the six new species unearthed in China's Yunnan Province was an
anthropoid.
Africa was less affected by the plunging temperatures, and its
anthropoids became larger and more diverse.
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"If early Asian anthropoids had not been able to colonize Africa
prior to the (climate cooling), then we certainly would not be here
to ponder such things," University of Kansas paleontologist Chris
Beard said.
"Likewise, if Asian anthropoids had not suffered such big
evolutionary losses (after the cooling), our distant ancestors might
have evolved in Asia instead of Africa," Beard added.
The lone anthropoid in the group, a small, monkey-like primate named
Bahinia banyueae, probably resembled some of today's smaller South
American monkeys such as marmosets, Beard said. Its teeth suggest
its diet was mainly fruits and insects, Beard added.
The six species were represented by fossil teeth, jaws and a few
other bones.
The research was published in the journal Science.
(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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