Adapinae

Adapinae is an extinct subfamily of adapiform primates, a diverse group of early primates that thrived during the Eocene epoch (approximately 56 to 34 million years ago). Adapines are generally considered to be strepsirrhine primates, meaning they are more closely related to modern lemurs, lorises, and galagos than to haplorhine primates (tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans).

Adapines were characterized by their relatively small body size, ranging from a few hundred grams to several kilograms. They possessed postcranial features suggesting arboreal quadrupedal locomotion, indicating they were adapted for life in the trees. Their dental morphology suggests a diet primarily consisting of fruits and leaves.

Adapinae is further divided into various genera and species, distinguished by subtle differences in their dental and skeletal anatomy. Notable genera within Adapinae include Adapis, Leptadapis, and Europolemur.

Fossil remains of adapines have been found primarily in Europe and North America, providing valuable insights into the early evolution and biogeography of primates. The evolutionary relationships of adapines to other primate groups, particularly to modern strepsirrhines, remain a subject of ongoing research and debate. While some argue for a direct ancestor-descendant relationship with living strepsirrhines, others suggest they represent an extinct offshoot of the early primate lineage.