Osodobenus fossil map
Where fossils of Osodobenus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 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 5 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 | 7.246–5.333 million years ago (Messinian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Odobenidae |
| Named by | Biewer et al. 2020 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Capistrano |
About Osodobenus
Osodobenus is an extinct genus of walrus from the Miocene to Pliocene of California. Osodobenus may have been the first tusked walrus and shows several adaptations that suggest it was a suction feeder, possibly even a benthic feeder like modern species. Three skulls are known showing pronounced sexual dimorphism, with the female lacking the same tusks as the male. Only a single species, Osodobenus eodon, is currently recognized.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Osodobenus (revision 1345024729), 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: Q111620850.
