This book provides a novel focus on adaptive explanations for cranial
and postcranial features and functional complexes, socioecological
systems, life history patterns, etc. in early primates. It further
offers a detailed rendering of the phylogenetic affinities of such basal
taxa to later primate clades as well as to other early/recent mammalian
orders. Thus, in addition to the strictly paleontological or systemic
questions regarding Primate Origins, the editors plan to concentrate on
the adaptive significance of primate characteristics.
In this way the book provides the broadest possible perspective on early
primate phylogeny and the adaptive uniqueness of the Order Primates. The
volume is timely because it capitalizes on an increasing and important
degree of novel independent museum, field and laboratory based research
on many of the important outstanding issues regarding primate origins.