Kerodon fossil map
Where fossils of Kerodon 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 | 2.58 million years ago to the present (Gelasian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Quaternary |
| Family | Caviidae |
| Named by | Cuvier 1823 |
| Fossil records | 14 occurrences at 6 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Brazil |
| Rock formations | txn:42108 |
About Kerodon
The genus Kerodon (vernacular name mocos; rock cavies) contains two species of South American cavies, the rock cavy and the acrobatic cavy. They are found in the semiarid regions of northeast Brazil known as the Caatinga. This area has a rocky terrain with large granite boulders that contain rifts and hollows where Kerodon species primarily live. They are related to capybaras and guinea pigs.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Kerodon (revision 1365985517), 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: Q940826.
