Fossils from Wyoming's Smiley Draw deepen understanding of early primate evolution
Researchers from the University of Kansas have identified a new species of ancient primate, Tetonius varleyorum, from fossils found in Wyoming. The discovery suggests that early primate evolution during the Eocene epoch was more complex than previously understood.
Why it matters
This finding challenges existing evolutionary models and provides deeper insight into the diversification of primates 55 million years ago.
by Brendan M. Lynch, University of Kansas
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source A field crew collects fossils along the Smiley Draw sandstone in Wyoming. Credit: Robert Anemone A new study from the University of Kansas complicates the picture of primates living in North America some 55 million years ago during the Eocene, a warm period that allowed mammals to diversify quickly.
The research, published in the Journal of Human Evolution , introduces a new species of ancient primate and challenges long-held assumptions about the sequence of evolutionary traits in a key fossil primate genus of the epoch.
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