Diversity starts early: notharctid primates from the Sandcouleean (Early Eocene) of the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

Abstract

Abundant specimens, mostly isolated teeth, of the Primate family Notharctidae occur in the Early Eocene rocks of the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming, USA. Very early in the North American history of the family, the notharctid species diversified and this diversity may have been widespread, and not restricted to more southerly areas in the Rocky Mountains. The diversity is shown by detailed analysis of the molar dentition. Two new genera are established: Megaceralemur with Megaceralemur trigonodus as its type and Megaceralemur matthewi sp. nov. as a Sandcouleean species and Pinolophus, with Pinolophus meikei sp. nov. as its type, for a form with an entoconid notch on lower molar 1. Megaceralemur has a prominent nannopithex-fold which dominates the posterior cingulum of upper molars 1–2 and a cristid obliqua on lower molar 1 which attaches to the metaconid, not the metalophid as it does in Cantius and other genera. A small species, Cantius lohseorum sp. nov., is named for a derived lineage the size of Cantius torresi.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:066DC515-A2DD-40AF-AD8A-3834E2AFD0FB