Darwinius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darwinius masillaeTemporal range: Eocene 47 mya
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Notharctidae
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Cercamoniinae
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Darwinius
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| Darwinius masillae Franzen et al., 2009
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Imagine finding a super old fossil! That's what happened with Darwinius, a type of ancient primate (like monkeys and apes today). We only know about it from one amazing fossil.
This special fossil was found way back in 1983 by someone who wasn't even a professional fossil hunter! They found it at a place called the Messel Pit in Germany. This old shale quarry is famous because it keeps fossils in incredible condition. The Messel Pit is near a village called Messel, about 35 km (22 miles) southeast of Frankfurt am Main.
The Darwinius fossil is super old, from the Eocene epoch, about 47 million years ago. The name Darwinius was chosen to honor Charles Darwin on his 200th birthday. The second part of its name, masillae, remembers Messel, where the fossil was found. This ancient creature looked a bit like a modern lemur. The fossil is the only one of its kind ever found.
The fossil, nicknamed 'Ida', was actually in two pieces when it was dug up. These two parts were sold separately. Luckily, they were put back together in 2007.
What the Fossil Shows
The Darwinius fossil was first collected by a private person. It was sold in two parts, and at first, only the smaller piece was known. When the second part was found, it showed that the fossil was a complete primate skeleton!
This amazing fossil includes:
- The full skeleton of the animal.
- The outline of its soft body.
- Even the contents of its digestive system!
Scientists used radiography (like X-rays) to look at the skull. This showed teeth still growing inside the young animal's face. They figured out that 'Ida' was a young female who had stopped drinking her mother's milk and was eating on her own. She died in her first year of life.
Scientists believe she was an agile (meaning quick and nimble) creature. She had nails instead of claws. She was a generalized arboreal quadruped, which means she moved around on all fours in the trees. She lived high up in the ancient Messel rain forest, not on the ground.
Images for kids
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CT image of the skull of Darwinius.
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Counter-slab of the Darwinius masillae holotype fossil (specimen WDC-MG-210 reversed for comparison). Parts 1 and 2 (enclosed in dashed lines) are genuine; remainder of plate B was fabricated during preparation
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Map showing where Darwinius (6) and other primates have been found in the Messel pit
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Radiographs of the Darwinius holotype fossil, revealing the fabricated parts of the counter-slab
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Life restoration of Darwinius
