This list of the prehistoric life of California contains the various prehistoric life-forms whose fossilized remains have been reported from within the US state of California.

Precambrian The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian fossils in California.

Paleozoic

Selected Paleozoic taxa of California

†Advenella †Agathiceras †Ampyx – tentative report †Ampyx †Apatolichas †Aspidella – tentative report †Aspidella terranovica †Atrypa †Atrypa reticularis †Aviculopecten †Aviculopecten occidentalis – or unidentified comparable form †Bimuria †Bolbolenellus †Bristolia †Bumastus †Calymene †Camarotoechia – tentative report †Carolinites †Chonetes †Cleiothyridina †Composita †Composita grandis – or unidentified comparable form †Composita subtilita – or unidentified comparable form †Conchidium †Conocardium †Cruziana †Cyclolobus †Cyclonema †Cymbidium †Daguinaspis †Dicoelosia †Didymograptus †Dimeropygiella †Diplichnites †Encrinurus †Endoceras – tentative report †Euomphalus †Fallotaspis †Favosites †Fenestella †Gogia †Halysites †Helicoplacus †Helicoprion †Helicoprion davisii †Heliomeroides †Hercynella †Holopea †Hyolithes †Illaenus †Ingria †Isogramma †Isotelus †Kawina †Kutorgina †Lingula †Lingulella †Lithostrotion †Lithostrotion pauciradiale †Lonchodomas †Meristella †Micromitra †Murchisonia †Neospirifer †Nephrolenellus †Nevadella †Obolella †Olenellus †Olenellus fowleri – or unidentified comparable form †Oryctocephalus †Oryctocephalus indicus †Paladin Palaeoaplysina †Paleochiton †Parafusulina †Paraschwagerina †Peachella †Pentamerus †Phillipsia †Phyllograptus †Plaesiomys †Planolites †Platyceras †Poleumita †Proetus †Pteridinium – tentative report †Raymondaspis †Remopleurides †Repinaella †Rusophycus †Schwagerina †Skenidioides †Spirifer †Spirifer brazerianus †Spiriferina – tentative report †Stearoceras †Streptosolen †Stylonema †Swartpuntia – or unidentified comparable form †Syringopora †Thompsonella †Trinodus †Trocholites – tentative report †Volborthella †Wanneria †Xenodiscus †Zacanthoides

Mesozoic

Selected Mesozoic taxa of California

†Abyssochrysos – tentative report †Acanthoceras Acanthosphaera – tentative report Acesta †Acrioceras †Acrodus †Acrodus wempliae – type locality for species †Acteon †Acteonella †Aletopelta – type locality for genus †Aletopelta coombsi – type locality for species Amauropsis †Ampullina †Anagaudryceras †Anagaudryceras sacya – or unidentified comparable form †Anahamulina †Anasibirites †Anasibirites kingianus – type locality for species †Anatomites †Anatropites †Anisoceras †Anomia †Anoplophora – tentative report †Aphaea †Aphrosaurus †Aphrosaurus furlongi Aporrhais Architectonica – tentative report Arctica †Arctoceras Argyrotheca †Arnioceras †Arpadites Arrhoges †Aspenites – type locality for genus Astarte †Asteroceras †Atira †Augustynolophus †Augustynolophus morrisi †Axonoceras †Bacchites †Baculites †Baculites capensis †Baculites yokoyamai – or unidentified comparable form Barbatia †Barrettia †Basilemys † Belleza Bernaya †Beudanticeras †Bochianites †Bostrychoceras †Brancoceras Bulimulus Bullaria Bullina †Californites – type locality for genus †Californosaurus Callianassa – tentative report †Calliconites †Calliomphalus – tentative report Callista – tentative report †Calva †Calycoceras Cancellaria – tentative report Cantharus Capulus – or unidentified comparable form Cardinia Cardita †Cecrops Cerithidea Cerithium †Cidarina Cidaris †Clinura †Collignoniceras †Collonia Corbicula Corbula Cornutella †Cosmonautilus †Crioceratites Cucullaea †Cunningtoniceras †Cyclothyris Cylichna †Cylindroteuthis †Cymatoceras †Cymbospondylus †Cymbospondylus petrinus †Daonella – tentative report †Daonella dubia †Dentalium †Desmoceras †Desmophyllites †Dictyoconites †Didymoceras †Didymoceras hornbyense – or unidentified comparable form †Dieneria – type locality for genus †Discohelix – tentative report †Discoscaphites †Douvilleiceras †Durania †Echinocorys †Elimia †Enchodus †Entobia †Eriphyla †Eucalycoceras †Euclastes †Euomphaloceras †Eupachydiscus †Euspira †Eutrephoceras †Exiteloceras †Exogyra †Fagesia Fissurella – tentative report †Flabellina †Flabellum †Fresnosaurus – type locality for genus †Fresnosaurus drescheri – type locality for species Gastrochaena – tentative report †Gaudryceras †Gervillia Glans – tentative report †Glauconia †Globigerinelloides Glossus Glycymeris †Goricanites – type locality for genus †Grallator †Gryphaea †Gryponautilus Gyroidina Haliotis †Hauericeras †Hecticoceras †Hedenstroemia †Helena †Hemicidaris Heptranchias Hipponix †Homerites †Hybodus †Hydrotherosaurus – type locality for genus †Hydrotherosaurus alexandrae – type locality for species †Hypophylloceras †Ichthyornis †Ichthyosaurus †Inoceramus †Inoceramus balticus †Inoceramus cordiformis – or unidentified comparable form †Inoceramus incertus – or unidentified comparable form †Inoceramus naumanni †Inoceramus steinmanni – or unidentified comparable form †Inoceramus subundatus †Inoceramus teshioensis – or unidentified comparable form †Inoceramus turgidus – type locality for species †Inyoites – type locality for genus †Inyoites oweni – type locality for species Isognomon †Kallirhynchia †Kilianella †Kossmaticeras †Lacunaria Leda – tentative report Lima †Linearis †Lingula Lithophaga Lopha †Loxo †Lucina †Lysis †Lytoceras †Lytoceras batesi Macrocallista †Macrocephalites †Mammites – tentative report †Mantelliceras Margarella Margarites †Mariella Martesia †Mediaster †Meekoceras †Meekoceras gracilitatis †Melchiorites †Menuites †Merriamia † Mita – tentative report † Mita †Modiolus †Morenosaurus – type locality for genus †Morenosaurus stocki – type locality for species †Mortoniceras Musculus – or unidentified related form †Myophorella †Myophorella argo †Myophorella dawsoni – or unidentified related form †Myophorella yellowstonensis †Myophoria †Mytilus Natica †Navahopus †Nectosaurus †Neithea †Neocardioceras – tentative report †Neohibolites †Neophylloceras †Neophylloceras hetonaiense †Neophylloceras ramosum †Nerinea Nerita †Nolita †Nostoceras †Nostoceras splendidum Nucula Opalia †Ophiceras †Opis †Orthoceras Ostrea †Owenites †Owenites carpenteri †Owenites koeneni – type locality for species †Oxynautilus †Oxytoma †Pachydesmoceras †Pachydesmoceras pachydiscoide – type locality for species †Pachydiscus †Pachydiscus ootacodensis Panopea †Parapuzosia Patella – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature †Pecten †Pedalion †Pentzia †Peroniceras Phanerolepida Pholadomya †Phylloceras †Phyllopachyceras †Pinna †Plesiotylosaurus †Plesiotylosaurus crassidens Plicatula †Plotosaurus †Plotosaurus bennisoni †Plotosaurus tuckeri Polinices †Polycyclus †Polyptychites †Polyptychoceras †Posidonia †Potamides – tentative report †Proclydonautilus †Prognathodon †Prognathodon waiparaensis – or unidentified comparable form Propeamussium †Protocardia †Protrachyceras †Pseudomelania †Pseudoperna †Pseudothurmannia – tentative report †Pteraichnus †Pterotrigonia †Puzosia Pycnodonte Quadrans – tentative report Retusa †Rhaetina – tentative report †Rhynchonella Rogerella †Romaniceras †Scalarites †Scapanorhynchus Scaphander †Scaphites †Scaphites hippocrepis – or unidentified related form †Senis †Sequoia Serpula †Shastasaurus †Shastasaurus alexandrae †Shastasaurus pacificus †Shastoceras Siphonalia †Sirenites †Skolithos Solariella Solemya – tentative report Solen †Spiriferina – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature †Spiriferina coreyi – type locality for species Spondylus Squalicorax †Sturia † Suna †Tegula Tellina †Tenea Terebralia – tentative report †Tessarolax †Thalattosaurus Thyasira †Tollia †Tragodesmoceras †Trigonia †Trinacria †Trochactaeon Trophon †Turrilites †Turrilites acutus †Turrilites costatus – or unidentified comparable form Turritella Volsella †Worthenia †Wyomingites †Yezoites Yoldia †Zanola †Zealandites

Cenozoic

Selected Cenozoic taxa of California

†Abantis Abies †Aboma †Acalypha Acanthina †Acanthina spirata Acanthocardia Acar Accipiter †Accipiter velox Acentrophryne Acer Acesta Acipenser †Acipenser medirostris – or unidentified comparable form Acmaea †Acmaea mitra †Acritohippus †Acritohippus isonesus – or unidentified comparable form Acteocina Acteon Actinemys †Actinemys marmorata Admete †Admete rhyssa Adula Aechmophorus †Aechmophorus occidentalis †Aelurodon †Aepycamelus †Aepycamelus alexandrae Aequipecten Aesopus Aethia Agaronia Agelaius †Agriotherium †Ailanthus Akera Alaba Alabina †Albicetus Alca †Alcodes Aleochara Aletes †Aletomeryx †Alforjas †Alisea – type locality for genus †Allodelphis – type locality for genus †Allodelphis pratti – type locality for species †Allodesmus †Allodesmus kernensis Alnus †Alopecocyon – type locality for genus Alopias †Alopias vulpinus – or unidentified comparable form Alvania Amara †Amara insignis Amauropsis Amelanchier Ammospermophilus †Amorpha †Amphicyon †Amphicyon ingens †Amphimachairodus Amphissa †Amphissa versicolor Amphiura †Amphora †Ampullina Amusium Anachis Anadara Anas †Anas americana †Anas clypeata †Anas platyrhynchos †Anchitheriomys – or unidentified comparable form †Anchitherium Ancilla Angulus Anniella Anodontia Anomia †Ansen Anser †Anser albifrons Antigona †Antilla Antilocapra Antrozous †Antrozous pallidus Aphelocoma †Aphelocoma californica †Aphelops Apiotoma Aplodontia †Aplodontia rufa Aquila †Aquila chrysaetos †Araeosteus †Araeosteus rothi Arbutus Arca †Arceuthobium †Archaeocyon †Archaeohippus Architectonica Archoplites †Archoplites interruptus Arcinella Arctica – tentative report Arctocephalus †Arctodus †Arctodus simus – type locality for species †Arctostaphylos Ardea †Ardea herodias Arenaria †Arenaria melanocephala Arene †Argenna Argobuccinum Argopecten †Argopecten gibbus †Argopecten purpuratus Argyropelecus †Artocarpus Asio †Asio wilsonianus Astraea †Astraea undosa Astrangia Astropecten Astyris Athene †Athene cunicularia Athleta †Atocetus †Atocetus nasalis – type locality for species Atrina †Aturia Atys †Aulophyseter – type locality for genus Austrotrophon †Avipeda Aythya †Aythya affinis †Aythya valisineria Baiomys Balaenoptera †Balaenoptera physalus †Balaenoptera ryani †Balaenula Balanophyllia †Balanophyllia elegans Balanus †Balanus crenatus †Balanus nubilus – or unidentified comparable form Bankia Barbarofusus Barbatia †Barbourofelis †Barbourofelis whitfordi Barleeia Barnea †Basirepomys Bassariscus †Bassariscus astutus – or unidentified comparable form †Bathylagus – type locality for genus Bathytoma †Bathytoma pacifica †Batodonoides Bembidion †Benoistia Beringraja †Beringraja binoculata – or unidentified comparable form Betula Bison †Bison antiquus †Bison latifrons Bittium †Bittium alternatum – or unidentified comparable form Bivetopsia †Boavus †Bolbocara Bolinichthys Bonasa †Bonasa umbellus †Bonellitia †Borophagus †Borophagus diversidens †Borophagus littoralis – type locality for species †Borophagus parvus †Borophagus secundus †Borophryne †Borophryne apogon Brachidontes †Brachycrus †Brachypsalis Brachyramphus Branta †Branta canadensis †Branta nigricans – tentative report Bubo †Bubo virginianus Buccinum †Buccinum strigillatum Bucephala †Bucephala albeola †Bucida Bufo Bulla †Bulla gouldiana †Bulla striata Bullia †Bumelia Bursa Buteo †Buteo borealis †Buteo jamaicensis †Buteo swainsoni Cadulus Caecum †Calicovatellus – type locality for genus