Answer:
Lemurs, lorises, and bush babies are considered descendants of the earliest primates because they share several key characteristics with the earliest known primates that lived over 55 million years ago. These characteristics include:
1. Grasping hands and feet - These primates have opposable thumbs and big toes that enable them to grip branches and move through trees more easily.
2. Forward-facing eyes - This feature provides depth perception and better vision for hunting and avoiding predators.
3. Large brains - Compared to other mammals of similar size, primates have larger brain-to-body size ratios, which may have contributed to the development of complex social behaviors.
4. Nails instead of claws - Most primates have flat nails on their fingers and toes instead of curved claws to aid in gripping and manipulating objects.
5. Arboreal lifestyle - The earliest primates were tree-dwellers, and lemurs, lorises, and bush babies are all adapted to life in the trees, with long limbs and flexible joints that allow them to move quickly and efficiently through the branches.
For these reasons, scientists believe that lemurs, lorises, and bush babies share a common ancestor with the earliest primates and are often referred to as "prosimians," which means "before monkeys."