Middle Eocene Prosimian Primate From The Subathu Group Of Kalakot, Northwestern Himalaya, India
Creator
Kumar K; Hamrick M W; Thewissen J G M
Publisher
Current Science
Date
2002
2002-11
Description
An upper molar tooth of a possibly new but unnamed prosimian primate (Mammalia, Primates) is described from the Middle Eocene, in the uppermost part of the Subathu Group exposed east of Babbian Gala near Kalakot (northwestern Outer Himalaya) in the Rajauri District, Jammu and Kashmir, India. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first pre-Siwalik primate from India and the only primate tooth identified thus far in a remarkably rich and varied land mammal fauna known from the red beds of the Subathu Group. Its occurrence is significant, as the Eocene primates of the Indian subcontinent are important for understanding the early primate radiation in Asia.