Researchers discovered the fossil of a 55-million-year-old monkey in China small enough to fit in a person's palm. The fossil had a man-like face and feet. Scholars believe the latest fossil found can answer one of the oldest mysteries in human evolution - how apes became to be men.

Based from the analysis of the fossil, which is a 3-inch (8-centimeter) skeleton, researchers said the fossil came from tarsiiforme family of primates. The family includes lemurs and similar traits with anthropoids. They belong to a higher order of primates which is where humans are also classified under. According to the study, the creature existed 10 millions following the extinction of the dinosaurs.

This discovery will help scientists narrow the timeframe of the diversion between tarsiiformes and anthropoids. The new primate is dubbed Archicebus achilles due to its man-like heel bone. The discovery further supports the theory that the earliest primates climbed trees, moved mostly during daytime and ate insects primarily.

"This creature is very bizarre, it has a combination of features from tarsiiformes and from anthropoids," Ni Xijun , the author of the study, explained. She is a member of the Beijing-based Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology.

It also has nails on all its fingers and toes, a rounded face and brain case, very short snout, and front-facing eyes unlike with other small creatures." She added.

This new primate came from the Eocene period. The period was around 56 million to 34 million years ago. The primate has a disproportionate long tail and slender limbs. It also does not have large eyes which is prevalent among nocturnal creatures. This primate is more diurnal, the study said.

"We actually don't know a lot about early anthropoids, but we now know quite a lot about tarsiiformes from this fossil, and we can deduce that the earliest anthropoid could be very similar," Ni explained according to Businessweek. She is also a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences