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 †Cretolamna †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 †Acanthocybium solandri †Acantholambrus †Acantholambrus baumi †Acarinina Acipenser Acrosterigma Acteocina †Actinocyclus Aequipecten Aesopus †Aesopus stearnsii Aetobatus Agaronia Agassizia †Agassizia scrobiculata 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 †Americardia media Ammodytes Amusium †Anabernicula Anachis Anadara †Anadara brasiliana †Anadara floridana †Anadara ovalis †Anadara transversa Anas †Anas acuta †Anas americana †Anas clypeata †Anas discors †Anas platyrhynchos Angulus Anisotremus Anodontia †Anodontia alba Anomia †Anomia simplex †Anomotodon Anser Apalone – or unidentified comparable form †Araeodelphis Arbacia Arca Architectonica †Archosargus †Archosargus probatocephalus – or unidentified comparable form Arcinella †Arcinella cornuta Ardea †Ardea cinerea – or unidentified related form Argopecten †Argopecten gibbus †Argopecten irradians Argyrotheca †Artemisia Artena Astarte Astyris †Astyris lunata 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 †Boonea impressa †Boonea seminuda †Bootherium †Bootherium bombifrons Boreotrophon – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature †Borophagus †Borophagus dudleyi – or unidentified comparable form †Borophagus orc – or unidentified comparable form Bostrycapulus †Bostrycapulus aculeatus 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 contrarium †Busycon perversum Busycotypus †Busycotypus canaliculatus Buteo †Buteo jamaicensis Cadulus Caecum †Caecum imbricatum †Caecum pulchellum †Caecum regulare †Calappilia Calidris †Calidris melanotos – or unidentified related form Callinectes †Callinectes sapidus Calliostoma Callista †Callophoca Calonectris †Calonectris borealis – or unidentified related form †Calonectris diomedea – or unidentified related form Calotrophon †Calotrophon ostrearum Calyptraea †Calyptraea centralis Cancellaria 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 †Carcharodon hastalis Carditamera Caretta Carya Cassidulina †Cassigerinella †Cassigerinella chipolensis Cassis Castanea Catharacta †Caulolatilus †Caulolatilus cyanops – or unidentified comparable form †Cavilucina Centropristis †Centropristis striata – or unidentified comparable form Cerastoderma Ceratoscopelus Cerithiopsis †Cerithiopsis vinca Cerithium †Cerithium eburneum Cerodrillia – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature †Cerodrillia simpsoni †Cerorhinca Cetorhinus †Cetotherium Chaetopleura Chama †Chama congregata †Chama macerophylla Chamelea Chelonia – tentative report Chelonibia Chemnitzia †Chesapecten †Chesapecten jeffersonius Chilomycterus †Chilomycterus schoepfi †Chilomycterus schoepfii Chione †Chione cancellata 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 †Corvus ossifragus – or unidentified related form †Corylus †Coscinodiscus †Cosmodiscus Cotonopsis †Cotonopsis lafresnayi Crania †Craspedodiscus †Crassinella lunulata Crassispira Crassostrea †Crassostrea virginica †Crenatocetus – type locality for genus Crenella Crepidula †Crepidula convexa †Crepidula fornicata †Crepidula plana 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 †Diplodonta punctata †Distephanus Distorsio Donax †Donax fossor †Donax variabilis Dosinia †Dosinia discus Echinocardium Echinorhinus †Ecphora †Ectopistes †Ectopistes migratorius – or unidentified related form Electra Elphidium Emarginula Ensis †Ensis directus Epinephelus Epitonium †Epitonium humphreysii Equetus Ervilia Erycina Eudocimus Eulima Eupleura †Eupleura caudata Euspira †Euspira heros †Eutrephoceras Euvola †Euvola raveneli Fabella Fasciolaria †Fasciolaria tulipa Fenimorea †Ficopsis Ficus †Ficus communis Flabellum Fratercula †Fratercula arctica – or unidentified related form †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 †Galeorhinus galeus Gari Gastrochaena Gavia Gemma †Gemma gemma Geochelone Geodia †Gigantostrea Ginglymostoma Globicephala Globigerina †Globigerina bulloides Globigerinoides †Globorotalia menardii Glossus Glycymeris †Glycymeris americana Glyphostoma Glyphoturris †Glyphoturris eritima 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 †Hemipristis serra †Hemirhabdorhynchus †Herpetocetus Heterodontus Hexanchus Hiatella †Hiatella arctica Histrionicus †Histrionicus histrionicus – or unidentified related form †Homiphoca Hyalina †Hyalodiscus Hydroides – tentative report †Hypogaleus Ilyanassa †Ilyanassa obsoleta †Ilyanassa trivittata Ischadium †Ischadium recurvum Isistius Isoetes Isognomon Istiophorus †Istiophorus platypterus Isurus †Isurus oxyrinchus Ithycythara †Ithycythara psila 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 †Kurtziella cerina