Galemys fossil map
Where fossils of Galemys have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 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 5 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 | 5.333–0.0117 million years ago (Zanclean to Late Pleistocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Talpidae |
| Named by | Kaup 1829 |
| Fossil records | 36 occurrences at 17 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Poland, Spain, Romania, France, Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Austria |
| Rock formations | txn:67887, Reuver clay |
About Galemys
Galemys is a genus of mole containing the living Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) and several fossil species.
Many of these extinct species were far more widespread than the living species; for example, the Early Pleistocene Galemys kormosi was found in freshwater habitats throughout much of Europe, including the British Isles. Galemys probably evolved in the Early Pliocene from a species in the extinct genus Archaeodesmana.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Galemys (revision 1376368203), 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: Q19816805.
