Fossil Of An Ancient Primate Found In Lampang

[webfact]

Fossil of an ancient primate found in Lampang

LAMPANG, 9 March 2011 (NNT)-Scientists have recently discovered a fossil of an ancient species of primate believed to be over 13 million years old in Mae Mo district of Lampang province. The fossil has been royally granted the name of Marcia Sirindhorn.

Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pimook Simarot and Director-General of the Mineral Resources Department Ms. Porntip Panjaroen have told the press earlier today that the fossil of the animal found is similar to monkeys and has been identified as one of the ancient human species during the early evolution.

The remains suggested that the animal weight around 90-180 grams and have large eye sockets. Ankle bones are particularly long which supports the hypothesis that the animal was able to jump quite far. Its hands are flat with long fingers and claws. According to the report, this animal was omnivore and spent most of its life on trees and only hunted for food such as insects at night. It could move its head the same way human does.

It has been given a scientific name of Tarsius sirindhornae in honor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhron for her interest in archeology. Mr. Pimook further explained that the fossils of the animals were found scattered on Borneo and Sulawesi islands as well as in the Philippines’s archipelago.

The discovery has proven that 13 million years ago that Thailand had a high level of diversity of species. The fossil found in Lampang has also been published on the website of the British Scientific Journal ‘Proceedings of the Royal Society B,London’ on 1 December last year.

-- NNT 2011-03-09

[spiderleghead]

90 - 180 grams or kilograms?

[sbk]

original publication:

http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/early/2010/11/25/rspb.2010.2062.abstract

I wonder if this is the same fossil site villagers in Mae Moh had to fight to protect from lignite mining back in 2007??

http://www.deqp.go.th/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9903%3A2007-07-27&catid=7%3A2010-02-04-06-14-10&Itemid=43&lang=en

[paulchiangmai]

90 - 180 grams or kilograms?

Given that it's diet was insects I suspect that 90 - 180 grams was correct, mind you I could be wrong, my memory goes back a long way but not quite 13,000,000 years.