Known from yet another exquisite Middle Miocene Messel Pit fossil,
Paroodectes (Springhorn 1980, Middle Eocene, 47 mya, Fig 1) entered the large reptile tree (LRT, 2320 taxa) with Notharctus, a smaller basal primate, close to – but not with – the much smaller basal placental, Oodectes, for which it was named.
Springhorn considered Paroodectes a macid carnivoran in the days before software assisted cladograms. That’s just slightly off from what the LRT recovered due to taxon exclusion (see below).
Figure 1. Paroodectes in situ, in vivo and compared to Oodectes and Notharctus to scale.
According to Springhorn 1980,
“The odontological features of the Messel-Miacid are nearest to the new world genus Oodectes from the Bridger Basin (Bridgerian). No direct relationship exists to European species. The structure of the postcranial skeleton shows great conformity with North American Miacinae. Differences result from proportions skull-length/stature and length of vertebral column/length of limbs. A well-developed clavicle is extant. Scaphoid, lunar and central are distinct. Metatarsals are elongated. Hand and foot are adapted to plantigrade locomotion. An arboricole [living in trees] habit is assumed. Some morphologic features are reminiscent of the Viverridae and some Procyonidae.”
Notharctus is not mentioned here.
Figure 2. The FHSM specimen attributed to Paroodectes. This one provided manus and pes data highlighted in figure 3.
According to Wikipedia – Paroodectes:
“It lived in rain forests and swamps and was a prehistoric predator that had the size and appearance of a cat and was well adapted to climbing, as is apparent from its limbs, joints and shoulder bones. Its long tail gave balance for tree climbing and jumping from branch to branch. Paroodectes probably hunted insects, rodents, and small primates in the tree tops.”
Sounds like a lemur.
Figure 3. Paroodectes manus and pes compared to those of Notharctus. Colors and PILs added here.
This appears to be a novel hypothesis of interrelationships.
If not, please provide a citation so I can promote it here.
References
Springhorn R 1980. Paroodectes feisti, der erste Miacide (Carnivora, Mammalia) aus dem Mittel-Eozän von Messel. Paläontologische Zeitschrift (in German and Latin). 54 (1/2): 171–198.
The Pterosaur Heresies 