Biretia fossil map
Where fossils of Biretia have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 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 30 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 | 48.07–33.9 million years ago (Lutetian to Priabonian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Parapithecidae |
| Named by | de Bonis et al. 1988 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Egypt, Algeria, Libya |
| Rock formations | txn:40856, Birket Qarun |
About Biretia
Biretia is an extinct genus of anthropoid primate belonging to the extinct family Parapithecidae. Fossils are found from Late Eocene strata in Egypt.
The first discovery of Biretia was a single tooth dated to approximately 37 mya, which was found in 1988 at the Bir el Ater site in Algeria. This species was named Biretia piveteaui. In 2005, two new species were classified, B. fayumensis and B. megalopsis. Both were discovered at Birket Qarun Locality 2 (BQ-2), which is located about 60 mi south of Cairo in Egypt's Fayum depression.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Biretia (revision 1363061288), 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: Q4916205.
