The first true primates
Two great groups — lemur-like adapiforms and tarsier-like omomyids — spread across the northern forests.
- When
- —
- Duration
- 22 million years
- Known to
- ± 1 million years
- Era
- Eocene, Cenozoic
The Eocene is the first epoch with unambiguous primates of modern aspect: forward-facing eyes, grasping hands with nails, and a postorbital bar. The adapiforms are generally larger, diurnal and often leaf- or fruit-eating, broadly resembling lemurs; the omomyids are small, large-eyed and probably nocturnal, resembling tarsiers. Both are widespread across North America, Europe and Asia in the warm early Eocene, and both are pushed toward the tropics and largely extinguished at higher latitudes when the climate cools.