Named By: | Guillaume Grandidier in 1899 |
Time Period: | Unavailable |
Location: | Madagascar |
Size: | Accurate measure unavailable |
Diet: | Herbivore |
Fossil(s): | Several specimens |
Classification: | | Chordata | Mammalia | Primates | Strepsirrhini | Lemuriformes | Palaeopropithecidae | |
Palaeopropithecus was one of three recently extinct genera of sloth lemur that was found on Madagascar, and were closely related to living lemur species found there today. There were three known species, Palaeopropithecus ingens, P. maximus, and P. kelyus. New radiocarbon dates indicate that these large sloth lemurs may have still been living around 1500 CE. It is thought that Palaeopropithecus ingens is mentioned in Malagasy legends as the tretretretre or tratratratra.