[ad_1]
A photo of a titi monkey, the closest surviving parent of Xenothrix, also called a Jamaican monkey. The Xenothrix have disappeared, but researchers have been able to extract an old DNA from remains of a cave in Jamaica. ( London Zoological Society )
Scientists from London and New York have successfully extracted a DNA sample of a long-gone monkey species from a search site in Jamaica.
Xenothrix, a slow-moving tree dweller, is described as having few rodent teeth and feet. They do not look like any other monkey in the world and that is why scientists have struggled to understand its connection and evolution.
Old DNA from bones excavated in a cave in Jamaica has revealed new information about the evolutionary history of the creature. The team of international researchers published its findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
How Xenothrix arrived in Jamaica
Researchers believe that the ancestors of the Xenothrix monkeys could have arrived from South America 11 million years ago in Jamaica aboard a floating vegetation. They may have floated from the mouth of major South American rivers before finally colonizing the island.
The large rodents called hutias, which still exist today in the Caribbean islands, also floated on rafts of vegetation before arriving and then colonizing the area.
What ancient Xenothrix DNA reveals
Because of its appearance, it was difficult to determine the animals with which the Xenothrix was bound. However, with the old DNA extracted from the remains found in Jamaica, scientists finally have an answer.
The study revealed that titi monkeys, the small arboreal monkeys that are generally found in South America, are the closest living relatives of Xenothrix. Titi monkeys are active during the day and are extremely territorial.
"The ancient DNA indicates that the Jamaican monkey is in fact only a titi monkey with unusual morphological characteristics, and not a totally distinct branch of the New World monkey," explained Rossa MacPhee, co-author of the study. "Evolution can act unexpectedly in island environments, producing miniature elephants, gigantic birds, and lazy-like primates, all of which give the old cliché a different twist:" l & # 39; anatomy is a destiny. "
The Xenothrix had no natural predators upon their arrival in the Caribbean islands, but they probably disappeared due to habitat loss and hunting.
The Caribbean islands have some of the most unusual species in the world. It also has the highest mammal extinction rate due to the loss of habitat and hunting by humans and animals brought to the islands by early settlers.
Ⓒ 2018 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
[ad_2]
Source link
