Galea fossil map
Where fossils of Galea 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 | 8 million years ago to the present (Tortonian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Caviidae |
| Named by | Meyen 1832 |
| Fossil records | 56 occurrences at 25 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Peru, Mexico |
| Rock formations | txn:42108, Nuapua, Yupoi, Agua Blanca, Santa Clara, Tafí del Valle |
About Galea
Galea is a genus of South American rodents of the family Caviidae. 5-6 extant species are known, found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Brazil. They are:
Southern highland yellow-toothed cavy (G. comes)
Brazilian yellow-toothed cavy (G. flavidens)
Lowland yellow-toothed cavy (G. leucoblephara)
Common yellow-toothed cavy (G. musteloides)
Muenster yellow-toothed cavy (G. m. monasteriensis or G. monasteriensis?)
Spix's yellow-toothed cavy (G. spixii)
Galea has until recently been considered to have only three species; the Muenster yellow-toothed cavy was only described in 2004. G. flavidens is monotypic and G. musteloides and G. spixii are polytypic.
Galea is in the family Caviidae and its members are described as cavies; they have sometimes also been called "guinea pigs". Cavies are widespread throughout South America. The high diversity of habitats of different species is paralleled by a high diversity of social organizations. Species differences between habitats and reproduction may shed light on evolutionary history.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Galea (genus) (revision 1366250709), 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: Q1007600.
