Libralces fossil map
Where fossils of Libralces 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 | Cervidae |
| Named by | Azzaroli 1952 |
| Fossil records | 10 occurrences at 5 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Russia, Tajikistan, France, Germany |
| Rock formations | txn:42652, Kuruksai suite, Khapry |
About Libralces
Libralces was a dubious genus of Eurasian deer that lived during the Pliocene epoch. It is notable for its 2+ meter wide antlers, comparable in size to those of Megaloceros.
Libralces fossils have been found from France to Tajikistan, with the best-known examples being the French L. gallicus.
According to Jordi Agustí, Libralces was the ancestor of Megaloceros, though most other authorities regard it as a relative of moose, Alces.
In the Pleistocene, there were three genera of Holarctic moose-like deer — Cervalces, Alces, and Libralces. In contrast to modern Alces, the Villafranchian Libralces gallicus had very long-beamed, small-palmed antlers and a generalized skull with moderately reduced nasals; the Nearctic Cervalces had longer nasals and more complex antlers than Libralces.
Azzaroli 1953 added Alces latiforns to Libralces, but this position has been challenged. L. latifrons is now considered a synonym of Cervalces latifrons.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Libralces (revision 1310426511), 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: Q568099.
