Proprimates
Proprimates is a hypothetical ancestral group of mammals that is theorized to have given rise to the primate order. While there is no direct fossil evidence of Proprimates, their existence is inferred from comparative anatomy and molecular data. Scientists believe that Proprimates emerged in the Late Cretaceous period, possibly from an insectivorous mammalian lineage. These early mammals would have possessed traits that were pre-adaptive for a primate lifestyle, such as generalized paws with five digits and possibly early adaptations for arboreal locomotion.
The concept of Proprimates is crucial for understanding the evolutionary trajectory of primates. By positing this
The study of Proprimates relies heavily on phylogenetic reconstruction, using genetic sequences and skeletal structures of