Plesiadapiformes

Plesiadapiformes Temporal range: Paleocene–Eocene PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Plesiadapis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Class:	Mammalia
Mirorder:	Primatomorpha
Order:	†Plesiadapiformes
Families
Micromomyidae Paromomyidae Picromomyidae Palaechthonidae Picrodontidae Microsyopidae Chronolestidae Plesiadapidae Carpolestidae

Plesiadapiformes ("Adapid-like" or "near Adapiformes") is an extinct (and possibly paraphyletic or polyphyletic ) order of mammals. It is either closely related to the primates or a precursor to them. Many are too derived to be ancestral to primates, but the earliest Plesiadapiformes had teeth that are strongly indicative of a common ancestor. Purgatorius is believed to be close to the last common ancestor of primates and Plesiadapiformes.

Plesiadapiformes first appear in the fossil record between 65 and 55 million years ago, though many were extinct by the beginning of the Eocene. It is possible that they are the first mammals to have developed finger nails in place of claws.

Euarchontoglires	Glires Rodentia (rodents) Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, pikas) Euarchonta Scandentia (treeshrews) Dermoptera (colugos) †Plesiadapiformes Primates

One possible classification table of plesiadapiform families is listed below.

• ORDER PLESIADAPIFORMES
  • Family Micromomyidae
  • Superfamily Paromomyoidea
    • Family Paromomyidae
    • Family Picromomyidae
    • Family Palaechthonidae
    • Family Picrodontidae
    • Family Microsyopidae
  • Superfamily Plesiadapoidea
    • Family Chronolestidae
    • Family Plesiadapidae
  • Superfamily Carpolestoidea
    • Family Carpolestidae

External links

• Mikko's Phylogeny Archive