Turned up to find primate dead after hosting Conference? (8)
I believe the answer is:
appeared
'turned up' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'primate dead after hosting conference?' is the wordplay.
'primate' becomes 'ape' (large primate).
'dead' becomes 'd' (abbreviation in government records).
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'hosting' is an insertion indicator (inserted letters are welcomed in or hosted).
'conference?' becomes 'pear' (conference pear is a type of pear).
'ape'+'d'='aped'
'aped' going around 'pear' is 'APPEARED'.
'to find' is the link.
(Other definitions for appeared that I've seen before include "Became visible" , "Seemed - performed - emerged" , "Seemed - came into view" , "published" , "Turned up" .)