Megaleptictis fossil map
Where fossils of Megaleptictis 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 | 37–31.8 million years ago (Priabonian to Rupelian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Leptictidae |
| Named by | Meehan and Martin 2012 |
| Fossil records | 4 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | txn:40257 |
About Megaleptictis
Megaleptictis (meaning "large Leptictis") is an extinct genus of large insectivore mammal from Late Paleogene (latest Eocene (Chadronian NALMA), but may be earliest Oligocene (Orellan NALMA)) deposits of Custer County, South Dakota. It is known from the holotype KUVP 2568 a nearly complete skull including the mandibles. It was collected in an 1894 University of Kansas expedition from the tan siltstone of the White River Group. It was first named by Tj Meehan and Larry D. Martin in 2011 and the type species is Megaleptictis altidens.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Megaleptictis (revision 1360692228), 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: Q558487.
