Djebelemur
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Djebelemur Temporal range: Late Early or Early Middle Eocene |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | †Djebelemuridae |
| Genus: |
†Djebelemur Hartenberger & Marandat, 1992 |
| Species: | †D. martinezi |
| Binomial name | |
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Djebelemur martinezi Hartenberger & Marandat, 1992 |
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Djebelemur is an extinct genus of early strepsirrhine primate from the late early or early middle Eocene period from the Chambi locality in Tunisia. Although they probably lacked a toothcomb, a specialized dental structure found in living lemuriforms (lemurs and lorisoids), they are thought to be a related stem group. The one recognized species, Djebelemur martinezi, was very small, approximately 100 g (3.5 oz).
Djebelemur is one of five genera of djebelemurids, others including 'Anchomomys' milleri, a fossil primate formerly thought to be related to other members of the genus Anchomomys, a group of Eocene European adapiform primates. Following its discovery and description in 1992, Djebelemur was thought to be either a relative of European adapiforms or an early simian, mostly due to the fragmentary nature of the lower jaw and two isolated upper molars that may not belong with the jaw. By 2006, it was viewed as a stem lemuriform.
The name "Djebelemur" derives from the mountainous outcrops in which the first specimens were found: Arabic djebel means "mountain". The species was named in honor of geologist C. Martinez, who was the guide and host for the field party that made the discovery.
The fragmentary remains of Djebelemur martinezi are morphologically similar to those of 'Anchomomys' milleri, a fossil primate originally described as a type of cercamoniines (early adapiform found in the northern continents). Despite significant differences in age, with D. martinezi dating to the late early or early middle Eocene (~52–46 million years ago) and ‘A.’ milleri dating to the late Eocene (36 million years ago), they form a clade and are both grouped under the family Djebelemuridae.
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