Pelorovis fossil map
Where fossils of Pelorovis have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 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 0 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 | 5.333 million years ago to the present (Zanclean to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Bovidae |
| Named by | Reck 1928 |
| Fossil records | 218 occurrences at 84 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Morocco, DR Congo, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Eritrea … |
| Rock formations | Koobi Fora, txn:42742, Nachukui, Shungura, Humbu, Olduvai |
About Pelorovis
Pelorovis is an extinct genus of African wild bovines which existed during the Pleistocene epoch. Originally believed to be a giant member of Caprinae, related to modern sheep, it is now known to be a relative of cattle and buffalos. The best known and type species is Pelorovis oldowayensis, from the Early Pleistocene of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, though two others, P. turkanensis and P. howelli, are currently recognised. A fourth, P. praeafricanus, may exist, or it may represent the same species as P. oldowayensis. "Pelorovis" antiquus, from the Late Pleistocene-Holocene, and "P." kaisensis, have since been moved into Syncerus, the same genus as living African buffalo.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Pelorovis (revision 1378971304), 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: Q140183.
