Qarunavus fossil map
Where fossils of Qarunavus 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 | 33.9–27.3 million years ago (Rupelian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Named by | Simons and Gingerich 1974 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Egypt |
| Rock formations | Jebel Qatrani |
About Qarunavus
Qarunavus is an extinct genus of mammals in the order Ptolemaiida. A single species, Qarunavus meyeri is known from the Lower Oligocene Jebel Qatrani Formation of modern-day Egypt. Described by Elwyn Simons & Philip Gingerich in 1974, the generic name is a combination of Qarun, the Arabic term for Lake Moeris, and -avus, Latin for "ancestor". The specific epithet honours Grant E. Mayer of the Yale Peabody Museum.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Qarunavus (revision 1365547066), 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: Q22285296.
