Protoceras fossil map
Where fossils of Protoceras have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 30 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 30 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 | 33.9–18.5 million years ago (Rupelian to Burdigalian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Protoceratidae |
| Named by | Marsh 1891 |
| Fossil records | 24 occurrences at 10 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Canada |
| Rock formations | Brule, txn:42572, Cypress Hills, Harrison |
About Protoceras
Protoceras ('first horn') is an extinct genus of Artiodactyla, of the family Protoceratidae, endemic to North America. It lived from the Oligocene to the Early Miocene 33.3—16.0 Ma, existing for approximately 17 million years.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Protoceras (revision 1379958917), 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: Q1819072.
