Fossilized mammals reveal patterns of Arctic migration in warming climates. In the warm climate of ancient Canada, early primate relatives adapted to life in the high Arctic, albeit with limited biodiversity, according to a study published today (January 25, 2023) in the open-access journal PLOS ON
Artist’s reconstruction of Ignacius dawsonae surviving six months of winter darkness in the extinct warm temperate ecosystem of Ellesmere Island, Arctic Canada.
Based on fossil fragments of jaws and teeth, the researchers identified the new species as close relatives of early primates, here namedCompared to similar species from more southern localities, this pair features distinct adaptations for their unusual environment.
During the Eocene, the lower latitudes of North America were home to many early primate relatives, but only these two species are known from this Arctic community, adding to previous evidence that this ecosystem experienced limited biodiversity compared to more southern habitats. The researchers suggest that while warming climates allowed certain organisms to migrate northward, such movement might be limited by factors such as long periods of Arctic darkness.
The authors add: “Global warming is transforming Arctic ecosystems in ways that are difficult to predict, but ancient episodes of global warming show how future changes in the Arctic might unfold.
Reference: “Basal Primatomorpha colonized Ellesmere Island during the hyperthermal conditions of the early Eocene climatic optimum” 25 January 2023,
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