Macroscelides fossil map
Where fossils of Macroscelides 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 | 5.333–0.0117 million years ago (Zanclean to Late Pleistocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Macroscelididae |
| Named by | Smith |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | South Africa |
| Rock formations | Kromdraai, Makapansgat |
About Macroscelides
Macroscelides is a genus of small shrew-like animals, the round-eared sengis, found in western Namibia and in South Africa; they are members of the clade Afrotheria.
There are three known species:
Namib round-eared sengi, Macroscelides flavicaudatus
Etendaka round-eared sengi, Macroscelides micus, which is only found in gravel plains in the Etendaka formation of north-west Namibia
Karoo round-eared sengi, Macroscelides proboscideus
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Macroscelides (revision 1360553091), 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: Q10789403.
