I would like to introduce you all to Ida, a holotype of Darwinius masillae

At 47 million years old, it puts this amazingly detailed fossil at a time period just after the split between strepsirrhines (Lemurs and Lorises) and haplorhines (us, other apes and monkeys). The detail on this is absolutely extrordinary. They are even able to analyse the digestive tract. Ida was preserved in a maar lake deposit as a result of a volcanic explosion turning a lake into an Eocene version of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (without the garden implements). Analysis of the teeth show this specimen to be a young juvenile animal.

If you feel inclined, trot on over to PLoS for the paper. There are also some great CT scans.

Ida being a bit negative

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0005723

Welcome to the family Ida!

DJ