07.12.2012 Views

The Origin and Evolution of Mammals - Moodle

The Origin and Evolution of Mammals - Moodle

The Origin and Evolution of Mammals - Moodle

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

(a)<br />

Purgatorius<br />

(c)<br />

are part <strong>of</strong> the super-order Euarchontoglires is not<br />

doubted, but within it they could be stem-group<br />

Primates (Bloch <strong>and</strong> Silcox 2001; Bloch <strong>and</strong> Boyer<br />

2003a,b), basal members <strong>of</strong> the Dermoptera (Beard<br />

1993), or have no sister-group relationship with<br />

(b)<br />

Plesiadapis<br />

Carpolestes<br />

LIVING AND FOSSIL PLACENTALS 233<br />

Figure 7.5 Plesiadapiformes. (a) Isolated upper molar <strong>of</strong> Purgatorius in occlusal view (Savage <strong>and</strong> Long 1986). (b) Carpolestes skeleton,<br />

restoration, <strong>and</strong> hind foot to show grasping structure. Presacral length <strong>of</strong> skeleton approx. 12 cm (Bloch <strong>and</strong> Boyer 2002).<br />

(c) Plesiadapis skull, occlusal views <strong>of</strong> upper <strong>and</strong> lower dentitions, <strong>and</strong> skeleton. Length <strong>of</strong> skull approx. (Savage <strong>and</strong> Long 1986 <strong>and</strong><br />

Romer 1966 after Simpson).<br />

anyone <strong>of</strong> the other euarchontogliran orders (Kirk<br />

et al. 2003).<br />

Plesiadapiforms were a relatively abundant,<br />

diverse part <strong>of</strong> the Palaeocene radiation <strong>of</strong> North<br />

America <strong>and</strong> Europe. <strong>The</strong> dentition (Fig 7.5(c)) is

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!