Bloch Jonathan I, Silcox Mary T, Boyer Doug M, Sargis Eric J
Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, P. O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 23;104(4):1159-64. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0610579104. Epub 2007 Jan 17.
Plesiadapiforms are central to studies of the origin and evolution of primates and other euarchontan mammals (tree shrews and flying lemurs). We report results from a comprehensive cladistic analysis using cranial, postcranial, and dental evidence including data from recently discovered Paleocene plesiadapiform skeletons (Ignacius clarkforkensis sp. nov.; Dryomomys szalayi, gen. et sp. nov.), and the most plesiomorphic extant tree shrew, Ptilocercus lowii. Our results, based on the fossil record, unambiguously place plesiadapiforms with Euprimates and indicate that the divergence of Primates (sensu lato) from other euarchontans likely occurred before or just after the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary (65 Mya), notably later than logistical model and molecular estimates. Anatomical features associated with specialized pedal grasping (including a nail on the hallux) and a petrosal bulla likely evolved in the common ancestor of Plesiadapoidea and Euprimates (Euprimateformes) by 62 Mya in either Asia or North America. Our results are consistent with those from recent molecular analyses that group Dermoptera with Scandentia. We find no evidence to support the hypothesis that any plesiadapiforms were mitten-gliders or closely related to Dermoptera.
近猴类在灵长目动物以及其他真灵长总目哺乳动物（树鼩和鼯猴）的起源与演化研究中处于核心地位。我们报告了一项全面的分支系统学分析结果，该分析使用了颅骨、颅后骨骼和牙齿证据，包括来自最近发现的古新世近猴类骨骼（新物种克拉克福克伊氏近猴；新属新种沙拉依树鼩）的数据，以及最原始的现存树鼩——笔尾树鼩的相关数据。基于化石记录，我们的结果明确地将近猴类与真灵长类归为一类，并表明灵长目（广义）与其他真灵长总目动物的分化可能发生在白垩纪/第三纪边界（6500万年前）之前或之后不久，明显晚于逻辑模型和分子估计的时间。与特化的足部抓握相关的解剖特征（包括大脚趾上的指甲）以及岩骨泡可能在6200万年前于亚洲或北美洲的近猴超科和真灵长类（真灵长形类）的共同祖先中演化出来。我们的结果与最近将皮翼目与树鼩目归为一类的分子分析结果一致。我们没有找到证据支持任何近猴类是手套滑翔动物或与皮翼目密切相关的假说。
