Question

The earliest primates were most similar to the modem:
A. Arboreal prosimians
B. Arboreal anthropoids
C. Ground-dwelling anthropoids
D. Ground-dwelling prosimians

Answer 1

Hint: Primates are remarkably recent animals. Most animal species flourished and became extinct long before the first monkeys and their prosimian ancestors evolved. While the earth is approximately 4.54 billion years old and the first life dates to at least 3.5 billion years ago, the first primates did not appear until about 50-55 million years ago. That was 10-15 million years since the dinosaurs had become extinct.
Complete Step-by-step answer:

Prosimians indicate the primitive primates characterised by nocturnal habitats, a long face with a wet snout, etc.  Prosimians are primitive primates whose members belong to both the Strepsirrhini and Haplorhini suborders of the order Primates. They contain four infraorders, two from each suborder.
The two infraorders from the suborder Strepsirrhini contain Adapiformes and Lemuriformes (lorises, lemurs, and bushbabies). The two infraorders from the suborder Haplorhini contain Omomyiformes (extinct “tarsier-like” primates) and Tarsiiformes (tarsiers).
The first true primates developed 55 million years ago or a bit earlier, near the beginning of the Eocene Epoch. Their fossils were found in Europe, North America, and Asia. The existing, very fragmentary fossil evidence shows that they were adapted to an arboreal method of life in warm, humid climates. They looked different from the primates today. They were still somewhat squirrel-like in size and appearance, but obviously, they had grasping hands and feet that were progressively more effective in manipulating objects and climbing trees. The position of their eyes shows that they were developing a more efficient stereoscopic vision as well.
Therefore the correct answer is Option A.
Note: Prosimians are the primitive group of primates characterised by the existence of a moist snout, and huge, long face, slightly sideways-facing eyes. They use tooth comb and depend on smell instead of vision as in higher primates. Additionally, they have relatively few brains. Prosimians like lemurs, bushbabies, pottos, lorises, and tarsiers are nocturnal.