Ailuravus fossil map
Where fossils of Ailuravus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 45 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 45 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 56–37.71 million years ago (Ypresian to Bartonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Ischyromyidae |
| Named by | Rütimeyer 1891 |
| Fossil records | 22 occurrences at 9 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United Kingdom, Germany, France, Switzerland |
| Rock formations | txn:41390, Wittering, Creechbarrow Limestone, Eifel, Blackheath Beds, Molasse de Carcassonne |
About Ailuravus
Ailuravus is a genus of prehistoric rodents in the family Ischyromyidae.
Ailuravus macrurus ("big-tailed cat-ancestor") was a primitive, squirrel-like rodent, one of the earliest known rodents, from the Messel pit Lagerstätte, in Germany. It lived during the Eocene of Europe, in forests, and may have been arboreal.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ailuravus (revision 1372966160), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q20675261.
