List of the prehistoric life of Pennsylvania facts for kids

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

Precambrian

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

Paleozoic

Selected Paleozoic taxa of Pennsylvania

• †Acidaspis
• †Agnostus
• †Alethopteris
• †Amphiscapha
• 

  Restorative model of the Cambrian arthropod Anomalocaris
  †Anomalocaris
• †Aphthoroblattina
• †Archaeopteris
  • †Archaeopteris halliana
  • †Archaeopteris macilenta
• †Archimylacris
• †Asaphiscus
• †Athyris
  • †Athyris spiriferoides
• †Atrypa
  • †Atrypa reticularis
• †Aviculopecten
  • †Aviculopecten occidentalis
• †Barinophyton
• †Bathyuriscus
• †Bellerophon
• †Bembexia
• †Beyrichoceratoides
• †Blattoidea
• †Bonneterrina
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Devonian placoderm fish Bothriolepis
  †Bothriolepis
• †Byronia
• †Callixylon
• †Camarotoechia
• †Camptostroma
• †Cavusgnathus
• †Ceramopora
• †Ceratopsis
• †Chancelloria
• †Chancia
• †Chonetes
• †Cincinnetina
  • †Cincinnetina multisecta
• †Cleiothyridina
• †Climacograptus
• 

  Coccosteus cuspidatus restoration, shown attacking multiple Palaeospondylus'
  †Coccosteus
• †Coelacanthus
• †Composita
  • †Composita subtilita
• †Conotheca
• †Coosella
• †Coosia
• †Cordaites
• †Cornulites
  • †Cornulites flexuosus
• †Craniops
• †Crepicephalus
• †Ctenerpeton – type locality for genus
• †Ctenopterus
• †Cyclonema
• 

  Fossilized foliage from the Carboniferous seed fern Cyclopteris
  †Cyclopteris
• †Cypricardinia
  • †Cypricardinia indenta
• †Cyrtospirifer
• †Dawsonia
• †Deckera
• †Densignathus – type locality for genus
• †Diplocaulus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Diploceraspis
  • †Diploceraspis burkei
• †Diplograptus
• 

  Life restoration of the Permian synapsid (mammal precursor) Edaphosaurus
  †Edaphosaurus
• †Edmondia
• †Eldredgeops
  • †Eldredgeops rana
• †Elita
• †Elrathia
• †Elrathina
• †Endolobus
• †Eoagnostus
• †Erettopterus
• †Eryops
• †Esmeraldina
• †Euomphalus
• 

  Fossil of the Late Ordovician-Permian tabulate coral Favosites
  †Favosites
  • †Favosites niagarensis
• †Fenestella
• †Ganorhynchus
• †Genevievella
• †Glaukerpeton – type locality for genus
• †Glyptocrinus
• †Gnathodus
• †Gravicalymene
• †Greenops
• †Hallipterus
• †Hardieopterus
• †Hazelia
• †Helcionella
• †Hexactinellid
• †Hindeodus
• †Holonema
• †Holopea
• †Holoptychius
• †Holoptychus
• †Hughmilleria
• †Hymenocaris
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Devonian four-limbed animal precursor Hynerpeton
  †Hynerpeton – type locality for genus
  • †Hynerpeton bassetti – type locality for species
• †Hyolithellus
• †Hyolithes
• †Hyolithid
• †Indiana – tentative report
• †Iocrinus
• †Irvingella
• †Isodectes
• 

  Fossil of the Middle-Late Ordovician giant trilobite Isotelus.
  †Isotelus
  • †Isotelus gigas
• †Kiaeropterus
• †Kingstonia
• †Kladognathus
• †Kootenia
• †Kutorgina
• †Lancastria
• †Lepidostrobus
• †Leptomitus
• Lingula
• †Lingulella
• †Llanoaspidella – type locality for genus
• †Llanoaspis – tentative report
• †Lonchocephalus
• 

  Life restoration of the Permian snake-like amphibian Lysorophus showing speculative egg-coiling behavior
  †Lysorophus
• †Margaretia
• †Martinia
• †Megalograptus – tentative report
• †Megamolgophis
• †Metacoceras
• †Michelinoceras
• †Micromitra
• †Mimagoniatites – tentative report
• †Mucrospirifer
  • †Mucrospirifer mucronatus
• †Nanahughmilleria
• †Naticopsis
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Carboniferous-Permian brachiopod Neospirifer
  †Neospirifer
  • †Neospirifer cameratus
• †Neuropteris
• †Nisusia
• Nucula
• †Ogygopsis
• †Olenellus
• †Olenoides
  • †Olenoides serratus
• †Orthacanthus
• †Orthoceras
• †Orthotheca
• †Oryctocephalus
• 

  Restoration
  †Osteolepis
• †Oulodus
• †Ozarkodina
• †Paedeumias
• †Pagetia
• †Paladin
• †Panenka
• †Parahughmilleria
• †Paraspirifer
• †Paterina
• †Pelagiella
• †Pemphigaspis
• †Pentremites
• †Peronopsis
• †Petalodus
• 

  Fossil of the Devonian trilobite Phacops rana
  †Phacops
• Pinna
• †Platyceras
• †Pleurodictyum
• †Proetus
• †Protobarinophyton
• †Protocaris
• †Protospongia – tentative report
• †Pugnax
• †Quasillites
• †Rhinocarcinosoma
• †Rhodea
• †Ribeiria
• †Ruedemannipterus
• †Salterella
• 

  Fossilized fin of the Devonian lobe-finned fish Sauripterus
  †Sauripterus
  • †Sauripterus taylori
• †Schaefferia (Paleozoic plant) – or unidentified comparable form
• †Schizodiscus
• †Sciadophyton
• †Selkirkia
• †Sidneyia
• †Sigillaria
• †Solenochilus
• †Sowerbyella
• †Spathognathodus
• †Spirifer
• †Spyroceras
• †Strophomena
• †Taeniocrada
• †Tentaculites
• 

  Diagram of the branches of the Middle-Late Devonian vascular plant Tetraxylopteris
  †Tetraxylopteris
• †Titusvillia – type locality for genus
• †Triarthrus
• †Tricrepicephalus
• †Trimerus
• †Tubulella
• †Tuzoia
• †Urasterella
• †Vinella
• †Wanneria
• †Wilkingia
• †Worthenia
• †Yochelcionella

Mesozoic

• †Anchisauripus
  • †Anchisauripus gwyneddensis – type locality for species
  • †Anchisauripus poolei – type locality for species
  • †Anchisauripus sillimani
• 

  Fossil (right) of the Early Jurassic dinosaur footprint ichnogenus Anomoepus
  †Anomoepus
  • †Anomoepus gracillimus
• †Apatopus
• †Atreipus
  • †Atreipus milfordensis
• †Batrachopus
  • †Batrachopus gracilis
• †Belodon
  • †Belodon priscus
• †Brachychirotherium
• †Brontozoum
  • †Brontozoum sillimanium
• †Calamops – type locality for genus
  • †Calamops paludosus – type locality for species
• †Chirotherium
  • †Chirotherium lulli
  • †Chirotherium parvum
• †Clepsysaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Clepsysaurus pennsylvanicus – type locality for species
  • †Clepsysaurus veatleianus
• †Dinophyton
• †Diplurus
  • †Diplurus longicaudatus
• 

  Life restoration of the Middle Devonian lungfish Dipterus
  †Dipterus
  • †Dipterus redfieldi
• †Eubrontes
  • †Eubrontes giganteus
• †Grallator
  • †Grallator cuneatus
  • †Grallator tenuis
• †Gwyneddichnium – type locality for genus
  • †Gwyneddichnium majore – type locality for species
• †Gwyneddosaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Gwyneddosaurus erici – type locality for species
• †Koskinonodon
  • †Koskinonodon perfectus
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Middle Triassic amphibian Mastodonsaurus
  †Mastodonsaurus
  • †Mastodonsaurus durus – type locality for species
• †Orthodactylus
  • †Orthodactylus howelli – type locality for species
• †Otozoum – tentative report
  • †Otozoum minus
• †Pagiophyllum
• †Palaeoctonus
  • †Palaeoctonus appalachianus
• †Palaeosaurus
  • †Palaeosaurus fraserianus – type locality for species
• †Platypterna
  • †Platypterna lockatong – type locality for species
• †Pterodactylus
  • †Pterodactylus longispinis – type locality for species
• †Revueltosaurus
• †Rhynchosauroides
  • †Rhynchosauroides brunswickii
  • †Rhynchosauroides hyperbates
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Triassic phytosaur Rutiodon
  †Rutiodon
  • †Rutiodon carolinensis
• †Scoyenia
• †Sphodrosaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Sphodrosaurus pennsylvanicus – type locality for species
• †Suchoprion
  • †Suchoprion aulacodus
  • †Suchoprion cyphodon
• †Synorichthys
• †Turseodus

Cenozoic

• Acidota
  • †Acidota crenata
  • †Acidota quadrata
• 

  Illustration of an Aegialia dung beetle
  Aegialia
• Agonum
  • †Agonum affine
  • †Agonum consimile
  • †Agonum gratiosum
  • †Agonum quinquepunctatum
  • †Agonum simile
• Amara
• Apalone
  • †Apalone mutica – tentative report
• Aphodius
  • †Aphodius precursor – type locality for species
• Apion
• 

  Restoration of an Arctodus, or short-faced bear, with a human to scale
  †Arctodus
  • †Arctodus pristinus – type locality for species
• Arpedium
  • †Arpedium cribratum
• †Ateuchus – tentative report
• Bembidion
  • †Bembidion anguliferum group informal
  • †Bembidion fortestriatum
  • †Bembidion frontale
  • †Bembidion incertum group informal
  • †Bembidion morulum
  • †Bembidion mutatum
  • †Bembidion pseudocautum
  • †Bembidion versicolor – or unidentified comparable form
• Blarina
  • 

    A living Blarina brevicauda, or northern short-tailed shrew
    †Blarina brevicauda – type locality for species
  • †Blarina carolinensis
• Bledius
• Blethisa
  • †Blethisa catenaria
• Boreaphilus
  • †Boreaphilus henningianus
• †Brachyprotoma
  • †Brachyprotoma obtusata – type locality for species
• Bufo
  • †Bufo americanus
• Canis
  • †Canis armbrusteri
  • 

    Modern mounted skeleton of Canis lupus, the grey wolf, to scale with a fossilized skeleton of the Pleistocene wolf Canis dirus, or dire wolf
    †Canis dirus
• Carabus
  • †Carabus maeander
• †Cariacus
  • †Cariacus laevicornis – type locality for species
• Carphoborus
  • †Carphoborus andersoni
• Castor
  • †Castor canadensis
• †Castoroides
  • †Castoroides ohioensis
• Catops
• †Cervalces
• Chlaenius
  • †Chlaenius punctulatus – type locality for species
• Colinus
  • †Colinus virginianus
• Coluber
  • †Coluber acuminatus – type locality for species
  • †Coluber constrictor
• Colymbetes
• 

  A living Crocuta crocuta, or spotted hyena
  Crocuta
  • †Crocuta inexpectatus – type locality for species
• Crotalus
  • †Crotalus horridus
• Curimopsis
  • †Curimopsis moosilauke – or unidentified comparable form
• †Cychrus
  • †Cychrus minor – type locality for species
  • †Cychrus wheatleyi – type locality for species
• Cymindis
  • †Cymindis aurora – type locality for species
  • †Cymindis cribricollis
• Cytilus
  • †Cytilus alternatus
• 

  A preserved Diacheila ground beetle
  Diacheila
  • †Diacheila arctica
• Dicaelus
  • †Dicaelus alutaceus – type locality for species
• Donacia
• Dyschirius
  • †Dyschirius integer group informal
  • †Dyschirius melancholicus
• Elaphe
  • †Elaphe vulpina
• Elaphrus
  • †Elaphrus americanus
  • †Elaphrus clairvillei
  • †Elaphrus lapponicus
• Emydoidea
  • 

    A living Emys blandingii, or Blanding's turtle
    †Emydoidea blandingii
• Enochrus
• Equus
  • †Equus complicatus
  • †Equus pectinatus
• Erethizon
  • †Erethizon dorsatum
• Eucnecosum
  • †Eucnecosum brunnescens
• Glyptemys
  • †Glyptemys insculpta
• Gulo
  • 

    A living Gulo gulo, or wolverine
    †Gulo gulo
• Gymnusa
• Harpalus
• Helophorus
  • †Helophorus sempervarians
  • †Helophorus tuberculatus
• †Hesperotestudo
  • †Hesperotestudo percrassa – type locality for species
• Heterodon
  • †Heterodon platyrhinos
• Holoboreaphilus
  • †Holoboreaphilus nordenskioldi
• Homo
  • †Homo sapiens
• Hydraena
• Hydroporus
• Hyla
  • 

    A living Pseudacris crucifer (formerly Hyla crucifer), or spring peeper
    †Hyla crucifer
• Lampropeltis
  • †Lampropeltis triangulum
• Lasiopodomys – tentative report
• Lesteva
  • †Lesteva pallipes
• Lontra
  • †Lontra canadensis
• Loricera
  • †Loricera pilicornis
• Lynx
  • †Lynx calcaratus – type locality for species
• †Mammut
  • †Mammut americanum
• †Mammuthus
  • 

    Life restorations of a Mammut americanum, or American mastodon (right), and a Mammuthus primigenius, or wooly mammoth (left)
    †Mammuthus primigenius
• Mantura
• Marmota
  • †Marmota monax – or unidentified comparable form
• †Megalonyx
  • †Megalonyx wheatleyi
• Meleagris
  • †Meleagris gallopavo
• Mephitis
  • †Mephitis mephitis
• Microedus
  • †Microedus austinianus
• Microtus
  • †Microtus guildayi – or unidentified comparable form
• 

  Restoration of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Miracinonyx, or American cheetah
  †Miracinonyx
  • †Miracinonyx inexpectatus – or unidentified comparable form
• Mustela
• Mycetoporus
• †Mylohyus
  • †Mylohyus fossilis
• Myotis
• Napaeozapus
  • †Napaeozapus insignis
• Natrix
• 

  A living Neofiber, or round-tailed muskrat
  Neofiber
  • †Neofiber diluvianus – type locality for species
• Nerodia
  • †Nerodia sipedon
• Nitidotachinus
  • †Nitidotachinus tachyporoides
• Notaris
  • †Notaris aethiops
• Notiophilus
• Ochthebius
• Odocoileus
  • 

    A living Odocoileus virginianus, or white-tailed deer
    †Odocoileus virginianus
• Olophrum
  • †Olophrum boreale
  • †Olophrum consimile
  • †Olophrum latum
  • †Olophrum rotundicolle
• Ondatra
  • †Ondatra idahoensis – type locality for species
• Opheodrys
  • †Opheodrys vernalis
• †Osmotherium – type locality for genus
  • †Osmotherium spelaeum – type locality for species
• Oxytelus
• Panthera
  • †Panthera onca
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Paramylodon
  †Paramylodon
  • †Paramylodon harlani – tentative report
• Parascalops
  • †Parascalops breweri
• Patrobus
  • †Patrobus foveocollis
  • †Patrobus septentrionis
  • †Patrobus stygicus
• Pekania
  • †Pekania diluviana
• Pelenomus
• Peromyscus
  • †Peromyscus leucopus – tentative report
• †Phanaeus
  • †Phanaeus antiquus – type locality for species
• Philonthus
• Phloeotribus
  • †Phloeotribus piceae
• Pitymys
  • †Pitymys cumberlandensis – or unidentified comparable form
• Pityophthorus
• 

  Restoration of a herd of alarmed Miocene-Pleistocene peccaries of the genus Platygonus. Charles R. Knight (1922).
  †Platygonus
  • †Platygonus vetus – type locality for species
• Platynus
  • †Platynus hypolithos
• Podabrus
• Polygraphus
  • †Polygraphus rufipennis
• Pterostichus
  • †Pterostichus laevigatus – type locality for species
  • †Pterostichus patruelis
  • †Pterostichus punctatissimus
• Pycnoglypta
  • †Pycnoglypta aptera
  • †Pycnoglypta lurida
• Quedius
• †Rana
  • †Rana pipiens – or unidentified comparable form
• Scalopus
• Simplocaria
• 

  Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon
  †Smilodon
  • †Smilodon gracilis – type locality for species
• Sorex
• Sphaeroderus
  • †Sphaeroderus nitidicollis – or unidentified comparable form
• Stenus
• Stereocerus
  • †Stereocerus haematopus
• Sylvilagus
  • †Sylvilagus floridanus
• Synaptomys
  • †Synaptomys cooperi
• Tachinus
  • †Tachinus luridus
• Tamias
  • †Tamias striatus – or unidentified comparable form
• 

  A living Tapirus, or tapir
  Tapirus
  • †Tapirus haysii
  • †Tapirus veroensis
• Taxidea
  • †Taxidea taxus
• Terrapene
  • †Terrapene carolina
• Thamnophis
• Thanatophilus
• Thomomys
  • †Thomomys potomacensis
• Trechus
  • †Trechus crassiscapus
• †Uncia
  • †Uncia mercerii – type locality for species
• Urocyon
  • 

    A living Urocyon cinereoargenteus, or gray fox
    †Urocyon cinereoargenteus
• Ursus
  • †Ursus americanus
• Vulpes
• Zapus
  • †Zapus hudsonius