in the relatively poor fossil record of Africa long before they appear in the fossil-rich deposits of Europe during the mid-Lutetian. This ancient stem lineage of lemuriform primates in Africa possibly descended from an early Asian branch of adapiforms such as a primitive branch of cercamoniines predating Donrussellia (one of the oldest European adapiforms). Taxonomy Djebelemur martinezi was first described in 1992 by Hartenberger and Marandat. The description was based on a lower jaw fragment and two isolated upper molars found in Tunisia at the Chambi locality, which date to the late early or early middle Eocene. It was described as an adapiform, possibly related to the cercamoniine branch, with the informal suggestion that it might merit its own subfamily, "Djebelemurinae". This interpretation was based on their support of the hypothesis favored by paleoanthropologist Philip D. Gingerich and others that simians (monkeys, apes, and humans) were descended from African adapids, which in turn were descended from the adapids of Europe. They based their assumptions of simian relations on the two isolated upper molars, which are now seen as being incompatible with the lower dentition on the jaw. The upper molars were highly bunodont (having cusps that are separate and rounded)—a trait seen in simians—whereas the lower molars were crested. No definitive upper teeth for Djebelemur are known, but could yield surprises if found. In 1994, paleoanthropologist Marc Godinot described Djebelemur as an early simian, along with Algeripithecus, once considered a basal simian, but now considered to be a distant stem lemuriform (lemurs and lorisoids). Godinot saw similarities between Djebelemur and early simians, as well as cercamoniines, but also noted issues of premolar and molar compaction that set it apart from European adapiforms. In 1997, Hartenberger continued to favor adapiform affinities, while in 1998, Godinot considered affinities with lemuriforms ("crown strepsirrhines") while still favoring simian affinities, particularly with oligopithecids. By 2006, Godinot accepted Djebelemur as a stem lemuriform, admitting that he was misled by the lack of a toothcomb—a distinguishing dental feature of living lemuriform primates—despite other dental similarities. He also noted that the lower molars of lemuriforms and simians can be difficult to distinguish. As of 2010, Djebelemur is still considered a stem lemuriform in the family Djebelemuridae, although its infraorder is unnamed. Anatomy and physiology Djebelemur martinezi was a tiny primate, weighing approximately . It was thought to lack a toothcomb since its canine teeth were only moderately reduced.