Dendrohyrax fossil map
Where fossils of Dendrohyrax have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 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 0 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 | 7.246 million years ago to the present (Messinian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Procaviidae |
| Named by | (Gray 1868) |
| Fossil records | 10 occurrences at 5 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Zambia, DR Congo, Kenya |
| Rock formations | txn:43293, Lukeino |
About Dendrohyrax
The tree hyrax or tree dassie is a small nocturnal mammal native to Africa. Distantly related to elephants and sea cows, it comprises the four species in the genus Dendrohyrax, one of only three genera in the family Procaviidae, which is the only living family within the order Hyracoidea.
The four species are:
Analysis of calls found that they could be divided into 'shrieking' hyraxes and 'barking' hyraxes, with the barkers being a genetically distinct fourth species.
The tree hyrax has four-toed front feet and three-toed back feet with rounded nails, and rubbery soles that help it climb.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Tree hyrax (revision 1374234320), 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: Q1761200.
