Orycterocetus fossil map
Where fossils of Orycterocetus 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 | 23.04–0.0117 million years ago (Aquitanian to Late Pleistocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Physeteridae |
| Named by | Leidy 1853 |
| Fossil records | 66 occurrences at 27 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, France, Italy, Malta, Germany, Belgium, Costa Rica |
| Rock formations | Calvert, txn:42967, Yorktown, Pietra Leccese, Choptank, Upper Main Phosphorite Conglomerate |
About Orycterocetus
Orycterocetus is an extinct genus of sperm whale from the Miocene of the northern Atlantic Ocean. It is thought to have been similar in size to Acrophyseter.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Orycterocetus (revision 1351677310), 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: Q2711528.
