Epicyon fossil map
Where fossils of Epicyon 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 | 23.04–4.7 million years ago (Aquitanian to Zanclean) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Canidae |
| Named by | (Leidy 1858) |
| Fossil records | 308 occurrences at 58 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Canada, Mexico |
| Rock formations | Ash Hollow, txn:41189, Snake Creek, Ogallala, Wood Mountain, Dove Spring |
About Epicyon
Epicyon ("more than a dog") is a large, extinct, canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae ("bone-crushing dogs"), native to North America. Epicyon existed for about 7 million years from the early Clarendonian age of the Late Miocene to the late Hemphillian age of the Early Pliocene. E. haydeni is the largest known canid of all time, with the type species reaching 2.4 m (7.9 ft) in length, 90 cm (35 in) in shoulder height and approximately 100–125 kg (220–276 lb) in body mass. The largest known humerus specimen belonged to an individual weighing up to 170 kg (370 lb).
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Epicyon (revision 1369613945), 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: Q2415423.
