A NEW CLADE OF OMOMYID PRIMATES FROM THE EUROPEAN PALEOGENE
J. J. Hooker and D. L. Harrison, Journal of Vertebrate
Paleontology, 2008, 28(3):826–840
A new genus, Vectipithex, is erected in the subfamily Microchoerinae, family Omomyidae, for four species, of which one, the type species is new: V. smithorum sp. nov. 'Protoadapis' ulmensis is referred to Vectipithex and transferred from the family Adapidae. Two species of Nannopithex, ' N.' quaylei and 'N.' raabi are also referred to the new genus. Vectipithex has a geographic distribution in north and west Europe and a stratigraphic distribution from the early Middle Eocene (Lutetian) to latest Eocene (late Priabonian). Cladistic analysis shows that Vectipithex is sister group to a clade composed of Microchoerus, Necrolemur, Nannopithex filholi, and ' N.' zuccolae and that poorly known 'N.' humilidens is sister group to those two. The Microchoerinae are shown to have undergone a phase of rapid diversification in the first few million years of the Eocene.