Which group of ancestors is associated with the Paleocene epoch?

The association of Plesiadapiformes with the Paleocene epoch is well-supported by paleontological evidence. The Paleocene, which lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago, marks a critical period for mammalian evolution following the extinction of the dinosaurs. Plesiadapiformes are widely recognized as some of the earliest potential ancestors of modern primates, exhibiting key characteristics that hint at a shared lineage.

During the Paleocene, Plesiadapiformes evolved in an environment where mammals began to diversify and occupy ecological niches left vacant by the dinosaur extinction. Fossil records indicate that these early primate-like mammals had adaptations for a tree-dwelling lifestyle, such as elongated limbs and grasping digits, which are essential traits for an arboreal existence.

While hominids relate to a much later evolutionary branch associated with the emergence of humans, prosimian families refer to a category that includes modern primates like lemurs and tarsiers, which also developed much later. Theropods are a group of dinosaur species that became extinct long before the emergence of primates. Therefore, the connection of Plesiadapiformes to the Paleocene is pivotal in understanding early mammalian evolution and the origins of