Prolagus fossil map
Where fossils of Prolagus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 5 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 5 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 | 41.03 million years ago to the present (Bartonian to Holocene) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Ochotonidae |
| Named by | Pomel 1853 |
| Fossil records | 390 occurrences at 137 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Germany, Portugal, Serbia, Morocco, Hungary … |
| Rock formations | txn:42155, facies Ă Congeria, Lefkon, Lower Freshwater Molasse, Upper Freshwater Molasse, Esbarrondadoiro |
About Prolagus
Prolagus is an extinct genus of lagomorph. Over 20 species have been named, and the genus was abundant and widespread in Europe during the Neogene. However, by the end of the Middle Pleistocene, it was confined to a single species, the Sardinian pika (P. sardus), on Corsica, Sardinia, and their surrounding islands, where it survived into historical times. In North Africa and Western Asia, the genus is known from the Miocene and Pliocene. The scientific name may mean "before hares" or "primitive hares" (pro- meaning "before" and lagos meaning "hare"). Its taxonomy is disputed, with it either being considered a member of the family Ochotonidae, which includes living pikas, or the only member of the family Prolagidae.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Prolagus (revision 1377755207), 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: Q511863.
