Argyrolagus fossil map
Where fossils of Argyrolagus 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 | 8–0.0117 million years ago (Tortonian to Late Pleistocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Argyrolagidae |
| Named by | Ameghino 1904 |
| Fossil records | 26 occurrences at 11 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina |
| Rock formations | Cerro Azul, Monte Hermoso, Irene, Chapadmalal, Puerto Belgrano, Pampean |
About Argyrolagus
Argyrolagus is an extinct genus of South American metatherian belonging to the order Polydolopimorpha. It lived during the Early Pliocene, and its fossils have been recovered from the Monte Hermoso Formation in Patagonia, Argentina.
Measuring approximately 15–20 cm (5.9–7.9 in) in body length, excluding the tail, Argyrolagus resembled the modern greater bilby, an example of convergent evolution between distantly related marsupials. It had elongated hind limbs adapted for bipedal hopping, a long tail that aided balance and a narrow head with a pointed snout. Its proportionately large eyes suggest that it may have been nocturnal, while its dental morphology indicates a diet of desert vegetation. A 2019 study further proposed that Argyrolagus was adapted for both bipedal hopping and digging.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Argyrolagus (revision 1379621436), 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: Q2745114.
![Nobu Tamura ([email protected])](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Argyrolagus_NT.jpg){kind=link}