Paleoparadoxia fossil map
Where fossils of Paleoparadoxia 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 | 23.04–5.333 million years ago (Aquitanian to Messinian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Paleoparadoxiidae |
| Named by | Reinhart 1959 |
| Fossil records | 108 occurrences at 49 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Japan, United States, Mexico |
| Rock formations | txn:84578, Santa Margarita, Iwando, Nagura, Tonokita, Niwaya |
About Paleoparadoxia
Paleoparadoxia ("ancient paradox") is a genus of large, herbivorous aquatic mammals that inhabited the northern Pacific coastal region during the Miocene epoch (20 to 10 million years ago). It ranged from the waters of Japan (Tsuyama and Yanagawa), to Alaska in the north, and down to Baja California, Mexico.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Paleoparadoxia (revision 1330369428), 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: Q2520589.
