The unique animal was very different from lemurs today and is a prime example of an ancient species that mysteriously disappeared. As Madagascar has limited migration options but impressive biodiversity even today, the researchers hope that fossils like this latest skull will help reveal how some species naturally went exinct - an important detail as conservationists work to distinguish nature running its course from human influence today.

The excavation is still ongoing, and this initial investigation was only the first phase of a multi-year project. So far only a small percentage of the bones in each cave have been recorded, and Godfrey expects that the team has quite a lot of work ahead of them.

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