Amblysomus fossil map
Where fossils of Amblysomus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 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 5 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 | 5.333 million years ago to the present (Zanclean to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Chrysochloridae |
| Named by | Pomel 1848 |
| Fossil records | 12 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | South Africa |
| Rock formations | Makapansgat, txn:40535, Swartkrans |
About Amblysomus
Amblysomus (also narrow-headed golden mole or South African golden mole) is a genus of the golden mole family, Chrysochloridae, comprising five species of the small, insect-eating, burrowing mammals endemic to Southern Africa. All five species can be found in South Africa and some are also found in Eswatini and Lesotho.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Amblysomus (revision 1211701968), 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: Q886906.
