Parahippus fossil map
Where fossils of Parahippus 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 | 29.5–5.333 million years ago (Rupelian to Messinian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Equidae |
| Named by | (Leidy 1858) |
| Fossil records | 148 occurrences at 46 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | txn:42984, John Day, Oakville, Valentine, Rosebud, Vaqueros |
About Parahippus
Parahippus ("near to horse"), is an extinct equid, a relative of modern horses, asses, and zebras. It lived from 24 to 17 million years ago, during the Miocene epoch. It was very similar to Miohippus, but slightly larger, at around 1 metre (10 hands) tall, at the withers. Their fossils have been found in North America, primarily in the Great Plains region and Florida.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Parahippus (revision 1367940272), 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: Q942874.
