Myacyon fossil map
Where fossils of Myacyon 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 | 13.82–2.58 million years ago (Serravallian to Piacenzian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Amphicyonidae |
| Named by | Sudre and Hartenberger 1992 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 3 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Kenya, South Africa |
| Rock formations | Ngorora, txn:41266, Upper Koru Series |
About Myacyon
Myacyon is an extinct genus of large sized carnivoran mammals, belonging to the family Amphicyonidae ("bear dogs"), that lived in Africa during the Miocene epoch. Due to the limited scope and fragmentary nature of the severely damaged holotype, as well as the illustrations in its descriptions, which have been called inadequate, usage of this genus poses serious issues. However, it is notable for being one of the last surviving members of its family and its adaptions to hypercarnivory. Its relationships to other amphicyonids are obscure, and it is not closely related to Bonisicyon, the other late surviving African genus, although it has been proposed that it descends from a species of Cynelos or Namibiocyon.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Myacyon (revision 1331499139), 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: Q116223872.
