Syncerus fossil map
Where fossils of Syncerus 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 | Hodgson 1847 |
| Fossil records | 222 occurrences at 85 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, DR Congo, Kenya, Zambia, Eswatini, Sudan, Malawi, Djibouti … |
| Rock formations | txn:42742, Shungura, Olduvai, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, Kapthurin |
About Syncerus
Syncerus is a genus of African bovid that contains the living Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), including the distinct African forest buffalo.
At least one extinct species belongs to this genus; Syncerus acoelotus. The extinct giant African buffalo (Syncerus antiquus) and Syncerus ekosowan is also included in this genus by many authorities.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Syncerus (revision 1377504033), 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: Q10822466.
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