Phenacodus fossil map
Where fossils of Phenacodus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 56 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 56 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 | 66–45.9 million years ago (Danian to Lutetian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Phenacodontidae |
| Named by | Cope 1873 |
| Fossil records | 1,350 occurrences at 226 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, France, Canada, Belgium, Mexico, United Kingdom |
| Rock formations | Willwood, txn:42284, Fort Union, DeBeque, Wasatch, Wind River |
About Phenacodus
Phenacodus (Greek: "deception" (phenax), "tooth' (odus)) is an extinct genus of mammals from the late Paleocene through middle Eocene, about 55 million years ago. It is one of the earliest and most primitive of the ungulates, typifying the family Phenacodontidae and the order Perissodactyla.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Phenacodus (revision 1368756023), 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: Q1955124.
