Echimys fossil map
Where fossils of Echimys 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 | 0.129 million years ago to the present (Late Pleistocene to Holocene) |
| Periods | Quaternary |
| Family | Echimyidae |
| Named by | Cuvier 1809 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Venezuela, Brazil |
| Rock formations | txn:42051 |
About Echimys
Echimys is a genus of the spiny rats family, the Echimyidae. Members of this genus are collectively called spiny tree-rats.
The genus name Echimys, and also its synonym Echinomys, derive from Ancient Greek ἐχῖνος (ekhînos), meaning "hedgehog", and μῦς (mûs), meaning "rat, mouse".
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Echimys (revision 1370195511), 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: Q911368.
