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Śivalik fossil tree shrew from Haritalyangar, India

Abstract

We report here a new taxon of fossil tree-shrew from the Śivalik deposits of Haritalyangar in Himachal Pradesh, India. There are no definitive records of fossil tree-shrews, for although two forms, Anagale1 and Adapisoriculus2 have been reported, threir affinities with living tree shrews are disputed. Even the taxonomic position of the tree shrews is controversial, with some workers classifying them as primates3–10 and others disagreeing. Butler11 has suggested that they should be classified in a new order, Scandentia. The skull fragment (PUA I-3) described here is better preserved and much more complete than previous finds, and it has helped us to extend and confirm the identification of the specimens reported in the preceding communication12.

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Chopra, S., Vasishat, R. Śivalik fossil tree shrew from Haritalyangar, India. Nature 281, 214–215 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/281214a0

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