List of the prehistoric life of North Carolina
This list of the prehistoric life of North Carolina contains the various prehistoric life-forms whose fossilized remains have been reported from within the US state of North Carolina.
Precambrian-Paleozoic
The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian or Paleozoic fossils in North Carolina.
Mesozoic
Selected Mesozoic taxa of North Carolina
- Acesta
- Acirsa
- †Adocus
- †Aetosaurus
- †Ampullina – tentative report
- †Anomia
- †Anomoeodus
- †Apatopus
- †Arca
- Architectonica
- †Arganodus
- Astarte – tentative report
- †Asteracanthus
- †Atreipus
- †Baena – tentative report
- †Baikuris – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Barbatia
- †Belemnitella
- †Belemnitella americana
- †
- †Borealosuchus
- †Borealosuchus formidabilis
- †
- †Boreogomphodon
- †Boreogomphodon jeffersoni
- †
- Botula
- †Botula carolinensis
- †
- †Brachymeris
- †Brachyphyllum
- Caestocorbula
- †Caestocorbula crassiplica
- †
- Candona
- Carcharias – tentative report
- †Carnufex – type locality for genus
- †Carnufex carolinensis– type locality for species
- †
- Cerithiella
- †Cerithiella nodoliratum
- †Cerithiella semirugatum
- †
- †Cimolomys
- Cladophlebis
- Cliona
- †Coahomasuchus
- †Colognathus
- Corbula
- †Crenella
- †Crenella serica
- †
- †Crosbysaurus
- Cucullaea
- †Cucullaea capax
- †
- Cylichna
- †Cylindracanthus
- †Cymella
- Cyzicus
- †Deinosuchus
- †Deinosuchus rugosus
- †
- Dictyocephalus – type locality for genus
- †Diplurus
- †Dreissena – tentative report
- †Dromicosuchus – type locality for genus
- †Dromicosuchus grallator– type locality for species
- †
- †Egertonia
- †Enchodus
- †Enchodus petrosus– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- †Equisetum
- †Estheria
- †Euspira
- †Eutrephoceras
- †Exogyra
- †Exogyra cancellata
- †Exogyra costata
- †
- Gegania
- Glycymeris
- †Gorgetosuchus – type locality for genus
- †Gorgosaurus
- †Hadrosaurus
- †Hadrosaurus minor– tentative report
- †
- †Halisaurus
- †Hamulus
- †Hybodus
- †Hybodus montanensis
- †
- †Hypophylloceras
- †Hypsibema – type locality for genus
- †Hypsibema crassicauda– type locality for species
- †
- †Inoceramus
- †Ischyodus
- †Ischyodus bifurcatus– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- †Ischyrhiza
- †Ischyrhiza mira
- †
- Isognomon
- Isurus
- †Leidyosuchus – tentative report
- †Lepidodendron
- Lima
- Limatula
- †Linearis
- †Lingula
- †Linthia
- Lopha
- †Lopha falcata
- †
- †Lucasuchus
- †Lucasuchus hunti
- †
- †Lucina
- †Lytoceras
- Martesia– tentative report
- †Mecistotrachelos
- †Mecistotrachelos apeoros
- †
- Melanatria– tentative report
- †Morea
- †Mosasaurus
- †Neocalamites
- Nerita
- Nucula
- Odontaspis
- †Ornithomimus – tentative report
- Ostrea
- †Pagiophyllum
- †Pannaulika
- Panopea
- †Paralbula
- †Paranomia
- †Pekinosaurus– type locality for genus
- †Pekinosaurus olseni– type locality for species
- †
- Pholadidea – tentative report
- Pholadomya
- Phyllodus
- †Pinna
- †Placenticeras – tentative report
- †Placerias
- †Placerias hesternus
- †
- †Platecarpus
- †Plinthogomphodon – type locality for genus
- †Plinthogomphodon herpetairus– type locality for species
- †
- Polinices
- †Postosuchus
- †Postosuchus alisonae– type locality for species
- †
- †Prognathodon
- †Protocardia
- †Pteria– tentative report
- †Pterophyllum
- †Pterotrigonia
- †Pterotrigonia cerulea
- †Pterotrigonia eufalensis
- †Pterotrigonia eufaulensis
- †
- Pycnodonte
- †Pycnodonte belli
- †Pycnodonte vesicularis
- †
- †Revueltosaurus
- †Revueltosaurus olseni
- †
- †Rhombodus
- †Rutiodon – type locality for genus
- †Rutiodon carolinensis– type locality for species
- †
- †Saurodon
- †Scapanorhynchus
- †Scapanorhynchus texanus
- †
- †Scoyenia – tentative report
- †Semionotus
- Serpula
- †Sphenodiscus
- Squalicorax
- †Squalicorax kaupi
- †Squalicorax pristodontus
- †
- Squatina
- †Stegomus
- †Stephanodus
- †Tanytrachelos – type locality for genus
- †Tanytrachelos ahynis– type locality for species
- †
- Trachycardium
- Trichotropis
- †Trigonia – tentative report
- Trionyx
- Turritella
- †Turritella trilira
- †
- †Tylosaurus
- †Uatchitodon
- †Uatchitodon schneideri– type locality for species
- †
- †Williamsonia
- †Xiphactinus
- †Xiphactinus audax
- †
- †Zamites
- †Zamites powelli
- †
Cenozoic
Selected Cenozoic taxa of North Carolina
- Abies
- †Abies
- †Abra
- Acanthocybium
- †Acantholambrus
- †Acantholambrus baumi
- †
- †Acarinina
- Acipenser
- Acrosterigma
- Acteocina
- †Actinocyclus
- Aequipecten
- Aesopus
- Aetobatus
- Agaronia
- Agassizia
- Agatrix
- †Albertocetus – type locality for genus
- Alca
- †Alca torda– or unidentified related form
- †
- Alnus
- Alopias
- †Alopias superciliosus
- †Alopias vulpinus
- †
- Alosa
- †Alosa sapidissima– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Aluterus
- †Ambrosia
- Americardia
- Ammodytes
- Amusium
- †Anabernicula
- Anachis
- Anadara
- †Anadara brasiliana
- †Anadara floridana
- †Anadara ovalis
- †Anadara transversa
- Anas
- †Anas acuta
- †Anas americana
- †Anas discors
- †Anas platyrhynchos
- †
- Angulus
- Anisotremus
- Anodontia
- Anomia
- †Anomotodon
- Anser
- Apalone – or unidentified comparable form
- †Araeodelphis
- Arbacia
- Arca
- Architectonica
- †Archosargus
- †Archosargus probatocephalus – or unidentified comparable form
- Arcinella
- Ardea
- †Ardea cinerea– or unidentified related form
- †
- Argopecten
- Argyrotheca
- †Artemisia
- Artena
- Astarte
- Astyris
- Athleta
- †Atocetus – or unidentified related form
- Atrina
- †Aturia
- †Auroracetus – type locality for genus
- Auxis
- Axelella
- Aythya
- †Aythya affinis– or unidentified related form
- †
- Bagre
- Balaena
- Balaenoptera
- †Balaenoptera acutorostrata
- †
- †Balaenula
- Balanophyllia
- Balanus
- Balearica – tentative report
- Barbatia
- Barnea
- †Basilotritus
- †Belosaepia
- Betula
- Bittium
- †Bohaskaia
- †Bohaskaia monodontoides
- †
- Boonea
- †Bootherium
- †Bootherium bombifrons
- †
- Boreotrophon – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Bostrycapulus
- Botrychium
- †Botrychium dissectum– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- †Botryococcus
- Brachidontes
- Branta
- †Branta bernicla– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Brasenia
- Brotula
- Buccella
- Bucephala
- †Bucephala albeola– or unidentified related form
- †Bucephala clangula– or unidentified related form
- †
- Bulweria – tentative report
- †Burnhamia
- Busycon
- †Busycon carica
- †Busycon perversum
- †
- Busycotypus
- Buteo
- †Buteo jamaicensis
- †
- Cadulus
- Caecum
- †Calappilia
- Calidris
- †Calidris melanotos– or unidentified related form
- †
- Callinectes
- Calliostoma
- Callista
- †Callophoca
- Calonectris
- †Calonectris borealis– or unidentified related form
- †Calonectris diomedea– or unidentified related form
- †
- Calotrophon
- Calyptraea
- Capella
- †Capella media– or unidentified related form
- †
- Carcharhinus
- †Carcharhinus brachyurus
- †Carcharhinus falciformis
- †Carcharhinus leucas
- †Carcharhinus macloti
- †Carcharhinus obscurus
- †Carcharhinus perezi
- †Carcharhinus plumbeus
- †
- Carcharias
- †Carcharias taurus
- †
- Carcharodon
- †Carcharodon carcharias
- †
- Carditamera
- Caretta
- Carya
- Cassidulina
- †Cassigerinella
- Cassis
- Castanea
- Catharacta
- †Caulolatilus
- †Caulolatilus cyanops – or unidentified comparable form
- †Cavilucina
- Centropristis
- †Centropristis striata– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Cerastoderma
- Ceratoscopelus
- Cerithiopsis
- Cerithium
- Cerodrillia – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- †Cerodrillia simpsoni
- †
- †Cerorhinca
- Cetorhinus
- †Cetotherium
- Chaetopleura
- Chama
- Chamelea
- Chelonia – tentative report
- Chelonibia
- Chemnitzia
- †Chesapecten
- Chilomycterus
- †Chilomycterus schoepfii
- †
- Chione
- Chlamys
- Chrysemys
- Cibicides
- Ciconia
- Cidaris
- Circulus – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Citharichthys
- Cladocora
- †Cladogramma
- Clathrodrillia – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Clathrus
- Clavatula
- †Clavicula
- Clavilithes – or unidentified comparable form
- Clavus – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- †Claytonia – type locality for genus
- Cliona – tentative report
- Closia
- Cochliolepis
- Coelopleurus
- Colubraria
- †Colymboides – tentative report
- Compsodrillia
- Concavus
- Conger
- †Conger oceanicus– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Conus
- Corbicula
- Corbula
- Corvus
- †Corylus
- †Coscinodiscus
- †Cosmodiscus
- Cotonopsis
- Crania
- †Craspedodiscus
- Crassispira
- Crassostrea
- †Crassostrea virginica
- †
- †Crenatocetus – type locality for genus
- Crenella
- Crepidula
- Crucibulum
- Cumingia
- †Cuvieronius
- Cyclocardia
- Cygnus
- †Cygnus columbianus– or unidentified related form
- †
- Cylichna
- †Cylindracanthus
- Cymatium
- †Cymatosira
- Cymatosyrinx
- Cynoscion
- †Cynoscion nebulosus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Cynthiacetus
- Cypraea
- Dasyatis
- †Dasyatis americana– or unidentified comparable form
- †Dasyatis centroura
- †Dasyatis say
- †
- †Deinosuchus
- †Deinosuchus rugosus
- †
- Delphinapterus
- Delphinus
- Dentalium
- †Denticula
- Dentimargo
- Dermomurex
- †Dictyocha
- †Didianema
- Dinocardium
- †Dinocardium robustum
- †
- Diodora
- †Distephanus
- Distorsio
- Donax
- Dosinia
- Echinocardium
- Echinorhinus
- †Ecphora
- †Ectopistes
- Electra
- Elphidium
- Emarginula
- Ensis
- †Ensis directus
- †
- Epinephelus
- Epitonium
- Equetus
- Ervilia
- Erycina
- Eudocimus
- Eulima
- Eupleura
- Euspira
- †Eutrephoceras
- Euvola
- Fabella
- Fasciolaria
- Fenimorea
- †Ficopsis
- Ficus
- †Ficus communis
- †
- Flabellum
- Fratercula
- †Fratercula cirrhata– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Fraxinus
- Fulgurofusus
- Fusinus
- Gadus
- †Gadus morhua– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Galeocerdo
- †Galeocerdo contortus
- †Galeocerdo cuvier– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Galeodea
- Galeorhinus
- Gari
- Gastrochaena
- Gavia
- Gemma
- †Gemma gemma
- †
- Geochelone
- Geodia
- †Gigantostrea
- Ginglymostoma
- Globigerina
- Globigerinoides
- Glossus
- Glycymeris
- Glyphostoma
- Glyphoturris
- Glyptoactis
- †Gomphotherium
- Granulina
- Grus
- †Grus americana– or unidentified related form
- †Grus antigone– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Gryphoca
- †Hadrosaurus
- Haematopus
- †Haematopus ostralegus– or unidentified related form
- †Haematopus palliatus– or unidentified related form
- †
- Haustator– tentative report
- Heilprinia
- †Heliornis
- †Heliornis fulica– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Hemiauchenia – or unidentified comparable form
- Hemipristis
- †Hemirhabdorhynchus
- †Herpetocetus
- Heterodontus
- Hexanchus
- Hiatella
- Histrionicus
- †Histrionicus histrionicus– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Homiphoca
- Hyalina
- †Hyalodiscus
- Hydroides – tentative report
- †Hypogaleus
- Ilyanassa
- Ischadium
- †Ischadium recurvum
- †
- Isistius
- Isoetes
- Isognomon
- Istiophorus
- †Istiophorus platypterus
- †
- Isurus
- †Isurus oxyrinchus
- †
- Ithycythara
- Juniperus
- †Juniperus virginiana – or unidentified comparable form
- †Kellum
- †Kentriodon
- Kogia – or unidentified comparable form
- †Kogia breviceps
- †
- †Kogiopsis – or unidentified comparable form
- †Kogiopsis floridana
- †
- Kuphus
- Kurtziella
- †Kyptoceras
- Laevicardium
- Lagena
- Lagenorhynchus
- †Lagodon
- †Lagodon rhomboides– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Lamna
- Larus
- †Larus argentatus– or unidentified related form
- †Larus atricilla– or unidentified related form
- †Larus delawarensis– or unidentified related form
- †Larus minutus– or unidentified related form
- †
- Leiostomus
- Limaria
- Linga
- †Linthia
- Liquidambar
- Littoraria
- Littorina
- †Lonicera
- Lophius
- †Lophius americanus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Lophocetus – or unidentified related form
- Lopholatilus
- †Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
- †
- Lucina
- Lyria
- Macoma
- Macrocallista
- †Macromphalina
- Makaira
- †Makaira indica
- †Makaira nigricans
- †
- †Mammut
- Manta
- Maretia
- Marginella
- Megachasma
- Megalops
- †Megalops atlanticus– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Megaptera
- †Meherrinia – type locality for genus
- †Meherrinia isoni– type locality for species
- †
- Meiocardia
- Melanella
- Melanitta
- †Melanitta nigra– or unidentified related form
- †Melanitta perspicillata– or unidentified related form
- †
- Melanogrammus
- †Melanogrammus aeglefinus– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Meleagris
- Menippe – tentative report
- Mercenaria
- †Mercenaria mercenaria
- †
- Meretrix
- Mergus
- Merluccius
- †Merluccius albidus
- †Merluccius bilinearis– or unidentified comparable form
- Mesoplodon
- Metulella
- Microgadus
- †Microgadus tomcod – or unidentified comparable form
- Micropogonias
- Mitra
- Mitrella
- Mobula
- Modiolus
- Mola
- Morus
- Muellerina
- Mulinia
- Musculus
- Mustelus
- †Mya
- †Mya arenaria
- †
- Mycteroperca
- Myliobatis
- Myriophyllum
- Mytilus
- †Nannippus
- †Nanosiren – tentative report
- Nassarius
- †Nassarius acutus
- †Nassarius antillarum
- †Nassarius vibex
- Naticarius
- †Navicula
- Negaprion
- †Negaprion brevirostris
- †
- †Neohipparion
- Neophrontops – tentative report
- Neverita
- Niso
- †Nitzschia
- Niveria
- Notorynchus
- Nucula
- Numenius
- †Numenius borealis– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Nuphar
- Nymphaea
- †Nyssa
- Odontaspis
- Odostomia
- Oliva
- †Oliva sayana
- †
- Olivella
- Onoba
- †Ontocetus – type locality for genus
- †Ontocetus emmonsi– type locality for species
- †
- Oocorys
- Ophidion
- †Opsanus
- †Opsanus tau
- †
- Ortalis– tentative report
- †Orycterocetus
- †Osmunda
- Ostrea
- Ostrya
- †Otodus
- Pachyptila
- Pagrus
- Pandion
- Pandora
- Panopea
- Paragaleus
- †Paralia
- Paralichthys
- †Parotodus
- †Parotodus benedenii
- †
- Parvanachis
- Pecten
- †Pediastrum
- †Pediomeryx
- †Pelagornis
- Pelecanus
- †Pelecanus schreiberi – type locality for species
- Perotrochus
- Petaloconchus
- Petricola
- †Petricola pholadiformis
- †
- Phalacrocorax
- Phalium
- †Phocageneus – or unidentified related form
- †Phocanella
- †Phoebastria
- †Phoebastria albatrus– or unidentified related form
- †Phoebastria immutabilis– or unidentified related form
- †Phoebastria nigripes– or unidentified related form
- †
- Phoenicopterus
- Pholadomya
- Phyllonotus
- Physeter – or unidentified comparable form
- †Physeter macrocephalus
- †
- †Physeterula – or unidentified comparable form
- Picea
- †Pinguinus
- †Pinguinus alfrednewtoni – type locality for species
- Pinna – tentative report
- Pinus
- †Pinus palustris– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Pisania
- Pitar
- †Pitar morrhuanus
- †
- Placopecten
- †Placopecten magellanicus – or unidentified related form
- †Platyphoca
- †Plesiocetus – or unidentified comparable form
- Pleurofusia
- Pleuromeris
- Pleurotomaria
- Plicatula
- Pluvialis
- †Pluvialis squatarola– or unidentified related form
- †
- Podiceps
- †Podiceps auritus
- †
- Pogonias
- †Pogonias cromis– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Polinices
- Polydora
- Polygireulima
- Polygonum
- Polymesoda
- Pomatomus
- †Pontederia
- Pontoporia – or unidentified comparable form
- Populus
- †Potamogeton
- Prionotus
- †Prionotus evolans – or unidentified comparable form
- Pristiophorus
- Pristis
- Procellaria
- †Procellaria aequinoctialis– or unidentified comparable form
- †Procellaria parkinsoni– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- †Procolpochelys
- †Protosiren
- Prunum
- †Prunum bellum
- †Prunum roscidum
- †
- Psammechinus
- †Psephophorus
- †Pseudhipparion
- Pseudochama
- Pseudorca
- Pseudotorinia
- Pteria
- Pterodroma
- †Pterodroma lessonii
- †
- †Pterodromoides
- †Pterodromoides minoricensis
- †
- Pteromeris
- Pteromylaeus
- †Ptychosalpinx
- Puffinus
- †Puffinus gravis– or unidentified related form
- †Puffinus lherminieri
- †Puffinus pacificoides– or unidentified related form
- †Puffinus puffinus– or unidentified comparable form
- †Puffinus tenuirostris– or unidentified related form
- †
- Pugnus
- Puncturella
- Purpura
- Purpurellus
- Pusula
- Pycnodonte
- Pyramidella
- †Quadrans
- Raja
- Rangia
- Ranina – type locality for genus
- Ranunculus
- Retilaskeya
- Rhincodon
- Rhinobatos
- Rhinoptera
- Rhizoprionodon – tentative report
- Rhynchobatus
- †Rhynchotherium
- Ringicula
- Rissoina
- †Robinia – type locality for genus
- Rosalina
- Sagittaria
- †Sanguisorba
- †Sarda
- †Sarda sarda– or unidentified related form
- †
- †Scaldicetus – or unidentified comparable form
- Scaphella
- Schizaster
- Sciaenops
- †Sciaenops ocellatus
- †
- †Scoliodon
- Sconsia
- †Scutella
- Scyliorhinus
- Seila
- Semele
- Semicassis
- Seriola
- Serpulorbis
- †Sheldonia – type locality for genus
- Siliqua
- Sinum
- Siphonalia
- Siphonochelus
- Solariella
- Solen
- Solenosteira
- Somateria
- Sphagnum
- †Sphoeroides
- Sphyraena
- †Sphyraena barracuda– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Sphyrna
- †Sphyrna lewini
- †Sphyrna media– or unidentified comparable form
- †Sphyrna zygaena
- †
- Spisula
- Spondylus
- †Squalodon
- †Squalodon calvertensis
- †
- Squalus
- Squatina
- Stellatoma – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- †Stelletta
- Stenella
- †Stenotomus chrysops– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Stercorarius
- †Stercorarius longicaudus– or unidentified related form
- †Stercorarius parasiticus– or unidentified related form
- †Stercorarius pomarinus– or unidentified related form
- †
- Sterna
- †Sterna nilotica– or unidentified related form
- †
- Stewartia
- †Striatolamia
- Strioterebrum
- Strombiformis
- Strombina
- Strombus
- †Syllomus
- Symphurus
- Syntomodrillia
- Tagelus
- Tapirus
- Tautoga
- †Tautoga onitis– or unidentified comparable form
- †
- Taxodium
- Tectonatica
- Teinostoma
- Tellina
- Tenagodus
- Terebra
- †Terebra protexta
- †
- Terebratula
- †Tetraedron
- †Tetrapturus
- †Tetrapturus albidus
- †
- Thais
- †Thalassinoides
- †Thalassiosira
- †Thalictrum
- †Thecachampsa
- †Thecachampsa antiqua
- †
- Thracia
- Thunnus
- †Thunnus thynnus
- †
- Timoclea
- Trachycardium
- †Trachycardium isocardia
- †Trachycardium muricatum
- †Triaenodon
- Trigonostoma
- †Trinacria
- Tringa
- †Tringa ochropus– or unidentified related form
- †
- Trionyx
- Triphora
- Trochita
- Tucetona
- Turbo
- Turbonilla
- Turritella
- Typha
- Typhis
- Urophycis
- †Urophycis tenuis
- †
- Urosalpinx
- †Urosalpinx cinerea
- †Urosalpinx perrugata
- Vasum
- Venericardia
- Vermicularia
- †Vermicularia knorrii – or unidentified comparable form
- †Vermicularia spirata
- Verticordia
- Vexillum
- †Viburnum
- Viviparus – tentative report
- Volutifusus
- Volvarina
- Xenophora
- †Xiphiacetus
- Xiphias
- †Xiphias gladius
- †
- †Xiphiorhynchus
- Yoldia
- Ziphius
- †Ziphius cavirostris– or unidentified comparable form
- †
References
- Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021.