Merychippus fossil map
Where fossils of Merychippus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 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 15 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 | 23.04–2.58 million years ago (Aquitanian to Piacenzian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Equidae |
| Named by | (Leidy 1856) |
| Fossil records | 294 occurrences at 66 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Mexico |
| Rock formations | txn:42984, Valentine, Fleming, Mascall, Olcott, Sheep Creek |
About Merychippus
Merychippus is an extinct proto-horse of the family Equidae that was endemic to North America during the Miocene, 15.97–5.33 million years ago. It had three toes on each foot and is the first horse known to have grazed.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Merychippus (revision 1367562085), 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: Q584323.
