Adapisoridae

Adapisoridae is an extinct family of adapiform primates that lived during the early to middle Eocene, roughly 56 to 34 million years ago. Fossils attributed to this family have been found mainly in Europe, with later finds reported from parts of Asia.

Taxonomy and phylogeny: Adapisoridae is commonly placed within the infraorder Adapiformes, a lineage of early primates that is considered a stem group to the modern strepsirrhines. The family is recognized by some authors as distinct within Adapoidea, though exact relationships to other adapiform families such as Adapidae and Notharctidae vary among analyses. The taxonomy of adapiforms remains a subject of ongoing study, and Adapisoridae can appear in different classifications depending on the dataset and methods used.

Anatomy and lifestyle: Members of Adapisoridae were small to medium-sized primates with generalized dentition suitable for an omnivorous diet. They likely possessed features typical of adapiforms, including an arboreal locomotor repertoire that combined climbing and leaping. Their skull and dental morphology suggest adaptations for processing a variety of plant foods, alongside some animal matter.

Paleobiogeography and ecology: The European fossil record indicates that Adapisoridae inhabited forested environments of the early Eocene. Variability among presumed members hints at ecological diversification within the group, rather than a single uniform lifestyle.

Extinction and significance: Adapisoridae declined by the end of the Eocene, a period marked by climate change and faunal turnover. As part of the broader adapiform assemblage, they contribute to understanding early primate evolution and the origins of crown strepsirrhines, illuminating the diversification of primitive euprimates before the appearance of modern lemurs and lorises.