Primates first appeared in the fossil record nearly 55 million years ago, and may have originated as far back as the Cretaceous Period.

What was the first primate?

(The first known primate, Purgatorius, dating back as far as 65 million years ago, is known only from isolated teeth and jaw fragments.) The animal most like Dryomomys today is a wee being called the pen-tailed tree shrew.

Where did the first primates come from?

While primates are thought to have evolved in Asia, the majority of the early fossil material is found in North America and Europe, dating to the Eocene Epoch (~56–34 mya).