Miohippus fossil map
Where fossils of Miohippus 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 | 41.03–16.3 million years ago (Bartonian to Burdigalian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Equidae |
| Named by | Marsh 1874 |
| Fossil records | 208 occurrences at 44 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Canada, Mexico |
| Rock formations | txn:42984, Brule, John Day, Sharps, Renova, Cypress Hills |
About Miohippus
Miohippus (meaning "small horse") is an extinct genus of horse existing longer than most Equidae. It lived in what is now North America from 32 to 25 million years ago, during the late Eocene to late Oligocene. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, Othniel Charles Marsh first believed Miohippus lived during the Miocene and thus named the genus using this incorrect conclusion. More recent research provides evidence that Miohippus actually lived during the Paleogene period.
Miohippus species are commonly referred to as the three-toed horses. Their range was from Alberta, Canada to Florida to California.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Miohippus (revision 1290377466), 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: Q942905.
