Mus fossil map
Where fossils of Mus 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 | 11.63 million years ago to the present (Tortonian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Muridae |
| Named by | Linnaeus 1758 |
| Fossil records | 236 occurrences at 82 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Greece, South Africa, China, New Zealand, Morocco, India, Zambia, Madagascar, Israel, Tanzania … |
| Rock formations | txn:41892, Tatrot, Makapansgat, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, Humbu |
About Mus
The genus Mus or typical mice refers to a specific genus of muroid rodents, all typically called mice (the adjective "muroid" comes from the word "Muroidea", which is a large superfamily of rodents, including mice, rats, voles, hamsters, gerbils, and many other relatives), though the term can be used for other rodents. They are the only members of the tribe Murini.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Mus (genus) (revision 1356522643), 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: Q39275.
