Anthropomorpha (original spelling: Antropomorpha [2]) is a defunct taxon, replaced by Primates. [3]
The order was established by Carl Linnaeus in the first edition of his book Systema Naturae (1735) for genera Homo (humans), Simia (monkeys and apes in general) and Bradypus (sloths). [4] The taxon is notable for the history of human taxonomy as the first to combine apes (Linnaeus' Simia) and humans under the same clade. [5]
In the 1758 edition of the same book, Linnaeus discarded this name and began to use the word Primates, which has replaced Anthropomorpha completely. A dissertation on the Anthropomorpha was published by Linnaeus' student Christian Emmanuel Hoppius in 1760. [6]
The name is no longer considered valid, as the animals that were included within Anthropomorpha are now believed to belong to multiple clades. For example, two-toed sloths were included within Anthropomorpha, [7] but are now considered to be in the family Choloepodidae, which is not closely related to the primates. [8] Comte de Buffon [ year needed] correctly rejected the combination of sloths and primates within the same order. [7]
Anthropomorpha (original spelling: Antropomorpha [2]) is a defunct taxon, replaced by Primates. [3]
The order was established by Carl Linnaeus in the first edition of his book Systema Naturae (1735) for genera Homo (humans), Simia (monkeys and apes in general) and Bradypus (sloths). [4] The taxon is notable for the history of human taxonomy as the first to combine apes (Linnaeus' Simia) and humans under the same clade. [5]
In the 1758 edition of the same book, Linnaeus discarded this name and began to use the word Primates, which has replaced Anthropomorpha completely. A dissertation on the Anthropomorpha was published by Linnaeus' student Christian Emmanuel Hoppius in 1760. [6]
The name is no longer considered valid, as the animals that were included within Anthropomorpha are now believed to belong to multiple clades. For example, two-toed sloths were included within Anthropomorpha, [7] but are now considered to be in the family Choloepodidae, which is not closely related to the primates. [8] Comte de Buffon [ year needed] correctly rejected the combination of sloths and primates within the same order. [7]