| Azibius Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Primates |
| Suborder: | Strepsirrhini |
| Family: | †Azibiidae |
| Genus: | †Azibius Sudre, 1975 |
| Species: | †A. trerki
|
| Binomial name | |
| †Azibius trerki Sudre, 1975
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Azibius is an extinct genus of fossil primate from the late early or early middle Eocene from the Glib Zegdou Formation in the Gour Lazib area of Algeria. They are thought to be related to the living toothcombed primates, the lemurs and lorisoids (known as strepsirrhines), although paleoanthropologists such as Marc Godinot have argued that they may be early simians (monkeys and apes). Originally described as a type of plesiadapiform (an extinct group of arboreal mammals considered to be a sister group to the primate clade), its fragmentary remains have been interpreted as a hyopsodontid (a type of extinct condylarth), an adapid (an extinct type of adapiform primate from Europe), and a macroscelidid (elephant shrews). Less fragmentary remains discovered between 2003 and 2009 demonstrated a close relationship between Azibius and Algeripithecus, a fossil primate once thought to be the oldest known simian. Descriptions of the talus (ankle bone) in 2011 have helped to strengthen support for the strepsirrhine status of Azibius and Algeripithecus, which would indicate that the evolutionary history of lemurs and their kin is rooted in Africa.
Azibius trerki is the only named species, although a few teeth and a talus (ankle bone) of a larger, unnamed species (cf. Azibius sp.) have also been found. A. trerki is estimated to have weighed 115 to 160 g (4.1 to 5.6 oz), while cf. Azibius sp. was larger, weighing approximately 630 to 920 g (22 to 32 oz). Based on the fragmentary fossils, both are thought to have been nocturnal and agile arboreal quadrupeds.