Harpagolestes fossil map
Where fossils of Harpagolestes have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 45 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 45 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 | 51.1–23.04 million years ago (Ypresian to Chattian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Mesonychidae |
| Named by | Wortman 1901 |
| Fossil records | 58 occurrences at 19 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, China, North Korea, Canada, Mongolia |
| Rock formations | Uinta, Bridger, txn:42909, Laredo, Washakie, Irdin Manha |
About Harpagolestes
Harpagolestes ("hooked thief") is an extinct genus of hyena like, bear sized mesonychid mesonychian that lived in Central and Eastern Asia as well western and central North America during the middle to late Eocene. It was one of the largest mesonychians known, with large species having a skull length of at least 40 cm (16 in). Unlike the closely related Mesonyx, Harpagolestes was believed to have been a scavenger as it lacked the dentition to effectively slice through flesh and tendon as well as stout limbs. Harpagolestes was the last North American mesonychid, with the last species going extinct after the early Duchesnean of NALMA.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Harpagolestes (revision 1376759449), 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: Q3754026.
