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Purgatorius

fossil primate genus

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Purgatorius is a genus of extinct, insectivore-like primates that lived approximately 66 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous Epoch. The genus is known from fossilized teeth and some jaw fragments, though its classification as a primate is not universally accepted. The name Purgatorius is unrelated to the theological concept of purgatory or its adherents. The study of primates, known as primatology, examines mammals characterized by advanced binocular vision, grasping appendages, and enlarged cerebral hemispheres.1234

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