Patagosmilus fossil map
Where fossils of Patagosmilus 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 | 15.5–13.8 million years ago (Langhian to Serravallian) |
| Periods | Neogene |
| Family | Thylacosmilidae |
| Named by | Forasiepi and Carlini 2010 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Argentina |
| Rock formations | Collón Curá |
About Patagosmilus
Patagosmilus ("Patagonian knife" in Greek) is an extinct genus of meat-eating metatherian mammal of the family Thylacosmilidae, that lived in the Middle Miocene in South America. Like other representatives of this family, such as Thylacosmilus atrox and Anachlysictis gracilis, it was characterized by its elongated fangs of the upper jaw, similar to the well known "sabertooth cats" (Machairodontinae), of which they were ecological equivalents. Despite being geologically younger than Anachlysictis, the morphology of Patagosmilus (including a bowed molar row and extremely long, "saber-like" upper canines) suggests that this species was more closely related to Thylacosmilus than Anachlysictis, though in other respects this species is less specialized than Thylacosmilus.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Patagosmilus (revision 1380882995), 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: Q9056778.
