Archaeomeryx fossil map
Where fossils of Archaeomeryx 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 | 48.07–37.71 million years ago (Lutetian to Bartonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Archaeomerycidae |
| Named by | Matthew and Granger 1925 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | China |
| Rock formations | Shara Murum, txn:345304 |
About Archaeomeryx
Archaeomeryx is an extinct genus of ruminant that lived early in the Eocene. It is believed to be close to the ancestry of the group Pecora, which includes deer, giraffes, cows and their relatives. Unlike the modern members of this group, it had a set of functioning incisors in the upper jaw. It was small in size, comparable to a modern-day mouse deer. It was also very rabbit-like and had several distinctive characteristics. It lived in present-day China 35 to 40 million years ago.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Archaeomeryx (revision 1255802556), 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: Q4785510.
