Mesopropithecus was a lemur from Madagascar, slightly larger than any of those alive today, but one of the smallest that are known only from subfossil remains. This genus of the sloth lemur family Palaeopropithecidae includes the species M. dolichobrachion, M. globiceps, and M. pithecoides. All three species were primarily leaf- eaters, but also ate fruit and seeds. M. globiceps ate more seeds than M. pithecoides, and an analysis of the teeth of M. dolichobrachion suggests that it ate even more seeds; it also had distinctly longer arms. A recently discovered postcranial skeleton shows that Mesopropithecus had longer forelimbs than hindlimbs—a trait shared by all sloth lemurs. Remains of M. dolichobrachion have been found only in the north of the island, M. pithecoides in the south and west, and M. globiceps in the center. The genus died out after the arrival of humans on the island, probably through hunting, habitat destruction, or both.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesopropithecus> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 1805: War of the Third Coalition: French, Austrian and Russian units all suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Dürenstein. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_D%C3%BCrenstein> 1918: The armistice between the German Empire and the Allies was signed in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiègne of France (signatories pictured). <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_of_11_November_1918> 1934: The Shrine of Remembrance, a memorial to all Australians who have served in war, opened in Melbourne. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine_of_Remembrance> 1965: Rhodesia, led by Prime Minister Ian Smith, unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodesia%27s_Unilateral_Declaration_of_Independence> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: elevenses: (Britain, informal) A short mid-morning break taken around eleven o'clock for a drink or light snack. <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/elevenses> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: All the people of all the nations which had fought in the First World War were silent during the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of Armistice Day, which was the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It was during that minute in nineteen hundred and eighteen, that millions upon millions of human beings stopped butchering one another. I have talked to old men who were on battlefields during that minute. They have told me in one way or another that the sudden silence was the Voice of God. So we still have among us some men who can remember when God spoke clearly to mankind. --Kurt Vonnegut <https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonnegut> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
