List of U.S. state fossils
List of U.S. State Fossils
The United States, with its vast diversity in geography and geological formations, is home to an extensive array of fossils that have been designated as state symbols. Each state has selected a fossil to represent its geological history, showcasing the rich paleontological heritage of the country. This article provides a comprehensive list of U.S. state fossils, highlighting the significance of these ancient remains in understanding Earth's past.
Overview[edit | edit source]
Fossils, the preserved remains or traces of animals, plants, and other organisms from the remote past, serve as a window into the Earth's geological and biological history. The process of fossilization is rare and requires specific conditions to occur. As such, fossils are invaluable to scientists in the fields of paleontology, geology, and evolutionary biology. The designation of state fossils is not only a nod to the scientific importance of these finds but also a means to foster public interest in natural history and conservation efforts.
List of U.S. State Fossils[edit | edit source]
Below is a list of fossils designated by each U.S. state as their official state fossil, along with the year of designation where available.
- Alabama
- Basilosaurus cetoides (1984) - An ancient whale that lived during the late Eocene epoch, approximately 40 to 34 million years ago.
- Alaska
- Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) (1986) - A species of mammoth that roamed across the northern part of North America during the Pleistocene epoch.
- Arizona
- Araucarioxylon arizonicum (1988) - Petrified wood from the Triassic period, showcasing the state's rich deposits of petrified wood.
- Arkansas
- Arkansaurus fridayi (2017) - A bipedal dinosaur from the Early Cretaceous period, it is the only dinosaur whose remains have been found in the state.
- California
- Smilodon californicus (1973) - The saber-toothed cat, a well-known predator from the Pleistocene epoch, found in the La Brea Tar Pits.
- Colorado
- Stegosaurus armatus (1982) - A dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, known for its distinctive plates and spikes.
- Connecticut
- Eubrontes giganteus (1991) - A set of dinosaur footprints from the early Jurassic period, representing a large theropod dinosaur.
- Delaware
- Belemnite (Belemnitella americana) (1996) - An extinct group of marine cephalopods from the Cretaceous period.
- Florida
- Agatized Coral (Cnidaria) (1979) - Fossilized coral, showcasing Florida's ancient marine environments.
- Georgia
- Shark Tooth (Carcharodon megalodon) (1976) - The tooth of the Megalodon, a massive prehistoric shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago.
- Hawaii
- Hawaiian Cone Snail (Conus) (1991) - A fossil species of cone snail, representing Hawaii's rich marine past.
- Idaho
- Hagerman Horse Fossil (Equus simplicidens) (1988) - Known from the Hagerman Fossil Beds, this species is one of the earliest horses.
- Illinois
- Tully Monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium) (1989) - A peculiar marine creature from the Pennsylvanian period, unique to Illinois.
- Indiana
- Mastodon (Mammut americanum) (1973) - A prehistoric elephant-like mammal that lived in North America during the Pleistocene epoch.
- Iowa
- Crinoid (Crinoidea) (1989) - Marine animals that resemble a stemmed flower, from the Paleozoic era.
- Kansas
- Tylosaurus (Tylosaurus proriger) (2014) - A large mosasaur, a marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous period.
- Kentucky
- Brachiopod (Brachiopoda) (1986) - A group of marine invertebrates with a rich fossil record, particularly in Kentucky's Ordovician strata.
- Louisiana
- Petrified Palmwood (1976) - Fossilized remains of palm trees, indicative of Louisiana's ancient subtropical climate.
- Maine
- Pertica quadrifaria (1985) - A plant fossil from the Devonian period, representing Maine's ancient terrestrial ecosystems.
- Maryland
- Ecphora gardnerae gardnerae (1984) - A gastropod from the Miocene epoch, known for its distinctive shell.
- Massachusetts
- Dinosaur Tracks (1980) - Fossilized footprints from the Connecticut River Valley, attributed to a variety of Jurassic period dinosaurs.
- Michigan
- Mastodon (Mammut americanum) (2002) - Similar to Indiana's state fossil, highlighting the widespread presence of mastodons in prehistoric North America.
- Minnesota
- Giant Beaver (Castoroides ohioensis) (1988) - An extinct species of beaver that lived during the Pleistocene epoch.
- Mississippi
- Zygorhiza kochii (1981) - An ancient whale from the Eocene epoch, part of Mississippi's rich marine fossil record.
- Missouri
- Crinoid (Delocrinus missouriensis) (1989) - Similar to Iowa's state fossil, representing Missouri's abundant Paleozoic marine fossils.
- Montana
- Maiasaura peeblesorum (1985) - A duck-billed dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, known for evidence of parental care.
- Nebraska
- Mammoth (Mammuthus) (1967) - Representing the state's rich Pleistocene mammalian fossils, including several well-preserved mammoth specimens.
- Nevada
- Ichthyosaur (Shonisaurus popularis) (1977) - A giant marine reptile from the Triassic period, highlighting Nevada's ancient marine environments.
- New Hampshire
- Mastodon (Mammut americanum) (1981) - Another testament to the widespread distribution of mastodons in prehistoric North America.
- New Jersey
- Hadrosaurus foulkii (1991) - A duck-billed dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, significant for being one of the first nearly complete dinosaur skeletons to be studied.
- New Mexico
- Coelophysis (Coelophysis bauri) (1981) - A small, early dinosaur from the Late Triassic period, known from the Ghost Ranch fossil site.
- New York
- Eurypterus remipes (1984) - A type of sea scorpion from the Silurian period, representing New York's ancient marine ecosystems.
- North Carolina
- Megalodon Tooth (Carcharodon megalodon) (2013) - Similar to Georgia's state fossil, highlighting the Megalodon's significance in the state's paleontological record.
- North Dakota
- Teredo Petrified Wood (1967) - Fossilized wood that has been bored by teredo, or "shipworms," indicative of ancient waterlogged environments.
- Ohio
- Isotelus (Isotelus maximus) (1985) - A large trilobite from the Ordovician period, representing Ohio's rich marine fossil record.
- Oklahoma
- Saurophaganax maximus (2000) - A large carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, representing Oklahoma's dinosaur heritage.
- Oregon
- Metasequoia (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) (2005) - A type of dawn redwood, representing Oregon's ancient forests.
- Pennsylvania
- Trilobite (Phacops rana) (1988) - A marine arthropod from the Devonian period, emblematic of Pennsylvania's fossil-rich marine strata.
- Rhode Island
- Beluga Whale Skeleton (Delphinapterus leucas) (2001) - A testament to Rhode Island's marine history, representing a relatively recent addition to the fossil record.
- South Carolina
- Columbian Mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) (2014) - A species of mammoth that roamed North America during the Pleistocene epoch.
- South Dakota
- Triceratops (Triceratops horridus) (1988) - A well-known horned dinosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, found in various sites across the state.
- Tennessee
- Pterotrigonia (Scabrotrigonia) thoracica (1998) - A type of bivalve from the Cretaceous period, representing Tennessee's ancient marine environments.
- Texas
- Petrified Palmwood (1969) - Similar to Louisiana's state fossil, indicative of the region's ancient subtropical climate.
- Utah
- Allosaurus (Allosaurus fragilis) (1988) - A large carnivorous dinosaur from the Late Jurassic period, significant for its abundance in Utah's fossil record.
- Vermont
- Beluga Whale Skeleton (Delphinapterus leucas) (1993) - Similar to Rhode Island's state fossil, highlighting the recent geological history of the region.
- Virginia
- Chesapecten jeffersonius (1993) - A scallop from the Miocene epoch, representing Virginia's rich marine fossil record.
- Washington
- Columbian Mammoth (Mammuthus columbi) (1998) - Similar to South Carolina's state fossil, reflecting the widespread presence of mammoths in prehistoric North America.
- West Virginia
- Meganeura (2008) - A genus of extinct dragonflies from the Carboniferous period, representing the state's ancient swampy forests.
- Wisconsin
- Trilobite (Calymene celebra) (1985) - A well-preserved trilobite species, emblematic of Wisconsin's ancient marine environments.
- Wyoming
- Knightia (1987) - A genus of herring-like fish from the Eocene epoch, found in the Green River Formation, representing Wyoming's rich fossil lakes.
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD