Highlight Photo
Getting in the groove: evidence of chemical communication in the primate fossil record
Figure 1. Primate evolutionary tree with olfactory and visual capabilities of major groups
This diagram shows the major groups of modern primates in a cladogram, a tree which does not include a specific temporal axis; one extinct group, the plesiadapiforms are also shown. The condition of the vomeronasal system (VNS) is shown, as is the increased visual acuity of modern catarrhines. Further research on fossils located at different places along this tree will reveal details of the tradeoff between olfaction and vision during primate evolution.
Credits: Courtesy of and copyright Eva Garrett
