Abstract
Two specimens discovered in 1982 from the Middle Eocene lake deposits of Grube Messel near Darmstadt (Germany) comprise most of the hand skeleton of adapiform primates. Clearly belonging to different species they represent the oldest articulated primate hand skeletons up to now. The smaller one was described by Franzen (1987a, 1988) as Europolemur koenigswaldi n. sp. Except for its opposable thumb and scutiform nail-bearing end-phalanges it does not display many details. The larger one is not determinable in the absence of any pertinent dentition. Contrasting with all lemuriforms but corresponding with Smilodectes, Adapis, and the haplorhines its centrale is excluded from any contact with the hamate, while it differs from Adapis by its broad articulation with the lunate. Supplementary observations to Franzen (1988) are made through the transparent epoxy raisin from the palmar side. Functional and phylogenetic interpretations are discussed.
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Franzen, J.L. (1993). The oldest primate hands: additional remarks and observations. In: Preuschoft, H., Chivers, D.J. (eds) Hands of Primates. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6914-8_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-6914-8_24
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