Dictionary of Human Evolution and Biology

Dictionary of Human Evolution and Biology

Ekgmouwechashala Philotau MacDonald, 1963

Enigmatic tarsiiform from the early Miocene of North America, belonging to the omomyid subfamily Ekgmouwechashalinae; its genus epithet is derived from the Lakota language and means little cat man; monotypic; exact relationships within the Omomyidae uncertain; some workers think that this genus is omomyine-derived. Estimated body mass around 2 kg. Dental formula: 2.1.3.3; anterior molar is the largest and the following molars decrease in size, unusual for a primate; all molars are low-crowned; dentition is convergent with the olingo, a member of the raccoon family, and based on this comparison Ekgmouwechashala is speculated to be frugivorous.

Full-Text Search Entries

Ekgmouwechashalinae (Monotypic subfamily containing only the enigmatic primate Ekgmouwechashala philotau.)
Chenjiawo (Lantian 1) (Archaeological site found in 1963 near Chenjiawo, in Lantian County, Shaanxi Province, China, ...)
Hamilton, William Donald (British biologist; Hamilton developed the concept of inclusive fitness and kin selection and was ...)
Lantian (County in Shaanxi Province, China, with archaeological sites found in 1963-4. Faunal remains ...)
Lee, Richard Borshay (Canadian anthropologist at the University of Toronto; has worked since 1963 among the Dobe Ju- ...)