Heptacodon fossil map
Where fossils of Heptacodon have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 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 30 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 | 48.07–29.5 million years ago (Lutetian to Rupelian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Anthracotheriidae |
| Named by | Marsh 1894 |
| Fossil records | 30 occurrences at 11 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Canada |
| Rock formations | Brule, Chadron, Clarno, Cypress Hills, txn:42443, "Brian Head" |
About Heptacodon
Heptacodon is an extinct genus of anthracothere endemic to North America during the Paleogene (from the middle Eocene to the early Oligocene). They were medium to large-sized anthracotheres with distinct facial features, such as short heavy rostrums and robust but simple molars. Heptacodon is a member of the anthracothere subfamily Anthracotheriinae, whose distribution as a whole included North America and Eurasia. However Heptacodon has only been found in North America, with the species H. yeguaensis from Texas representing the oldest known anthracotheres to be found in North America dating to the middle Eocene. Fossils of this genus have been found in the states of North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Heptacodon (revision 1348201513), 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: Q1607692.
