Desmocyon fossil map
Where fossils of Desmocyon have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 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 15 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 | 29.5–16.3 million years ago (Rupelian to Burdigalian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Canidae |
| Named by | Wang et al. 1999 |
| Fossil records | 84 occurrences at 17 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Runningwater, Marsland, txn:41189, Rosebud, John Day, Harrison |
About Desmocyon
Desmocyon is an extinct genus of the Borophaginae subfamily of canids native to North America. It lived from the Late Oligocene to the Early Miocene, 24.8—16.3 Mya, existing for approximately 8.5 mya. It is a rarely found genus, with fossil deposits only occurring in western Nebraska, Wyoming, New Mexico and north Florida. It is regarded as a primitive, transitional member of the Borophagini tribe.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Desmocyon (revision 1335245619), 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: Q11681078.
