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Dremmer
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Did primates evolve from rodents? I remember hearing that that was the case.
Perhaps you're thinking of reports of the first known mammals which were reported to be small and rodent like?Dremmer said:Did primates evolve from rodents? I remember hearing that that was the case.
Evo said:Perhaps you're thinking of reports of the first known mammals which were reported to be small and rodent like?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megazostrodon
There is currently no scientific evidence to support the idea that primates evolved directly from rodents. While both primates and rodents are mammals, they belong to different orders and have distinct evolutionary histories.
The closest living relative of primates is the order Scandentia, which includes tree shrews. However, there is also evidence to suggest that primates may have shared a common ancestor with dermopterans (colugos) or with a group of extinct mammals called plesiadapiforms.
Yes, it is possible that primates and rodents share a common ancestor. Both groups belong to the superorder Euarchontoglires, which also includes dermopterans and lagomorphs (rabbits, hares, and pikas). However, the exact evolutionary relationship between these groups is still debated among scientists.
Scientists study the evolution of primates through a variety of methods, including genetic analysis, fossil evidence, and comparative anatomy. By examining the similarities and differences between different primate species, scientists can reconstruct the evolutionary history of this group of mammals.
The fossil record of primate evolution is relatively sparse, as primates have a small and delicate skeletal structure that does not preserve well. However, there are several well-known fossil species, such as the extinct ape Proconsul and the early primate Darwinius, that provide important insights into the evolutionary history of primates.