The Prosimian Fauna of the Fayum Eocene/Oligocene Deposits of Egypt

After decades when only higher primates had been found in the Oligocene deposits of the Fayum, Egypt, a few isolated teeth of prosimians and a partial mandible of a tarsier were discovered there in the 1980s. These, assigned to the families Lorisidae, Omomyidae and a new genus and species, Afrotarsius chatrathi, are discussed and reviewed. Since 1990, a late Eocene locality in the Fayum, L-41, has been intensively explored, and in this older site a new suite of archaic higher primates has been recovered. Together with these anthropoideans, material of at least three new prosimians has been found. A skull and mandibles of the most complete of these, Plesiopithecus teras, was described in 1994. This appears to be the oldest strepsirhine yet discovered worldwide, and it has been assigned a position as a sister-group to the Lorisidea. In 1995, a cercamoniine adapid, Aframonius dieides, was also described from L-41. The description of a third new genus and species of prosimian from L-41 is presently in preparation. The previously described prosimians are here reviewed and their implications for understanding the overall prosimian radiation discussed.