Ysengrinia fossil map
Where fossils of Ysengrinia have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 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 15 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 | 23.1–15.98 million years ago (Chattian to Burdigalian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Amphicyonidae |
| Named by | Ginsburg 1965 |
| Fossil records | 32 occurrences at 12 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Namibia, France, Spain |
| Rock formations | Marsland, txn:41266, Elisabeth Bay, Harrison, Zia Sand, Wildcat Hills Beds |
About Ysengrinia
Ysengrinia is an extinct genus of carnivoran in the family Amphicyonidae, that lived during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. Fossil remains have been discovered in Western Europe, the United States and possibly China. The European species are among the earliest known members of the Thaumastocyoninae, a group of aberrant amphicyonids showcasing hypercarnivorous adations, but are only known from fragmentary remains. The American species is much better preserved and shows a robust, black-bear sized predator. These fossils play an important role in our understanding of the biotic interchange between Eurasia and North America during the earliest Miocene. However, more recent research suggests that the genus might be polyphyletic, and that several of its species should be excluded from Ysengrinia.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Ysengrinia (revision 1358263041), 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: Q4779771.
