List of the prehistoric life of Maryland
Appearance
This list of the prehistoric life of Maryland contains the various prehistoric life-forms whose fossilized remains have been reported from within the US state of Maryland.
Precambrian
[edit]The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian fossils in Maryland.
Paleozoic
[edit]Selected Paleozoic taxa of Maryland
[edit]- †Amphiscapha
- †Amplexopora
- †Archimylacris
- †Atrypa
- †Atrypa reticularis – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- †Aviculopecten
- †Bassipterus
- †Bellerophon
†CalymeneFossil of the Early Ordovician-Early Devonian trilobite Calymene - †Calymene camerata
- †Calymene cresapensis
- †Calymene niagarensis – or unidentified comparable form
- †Camarotoechia
- †Chonetes
- †Cincinnetina
- †Clitendoceras
- †Composita
- †Composita ovata – tentative report
- †Cornulites
- †Cypricardinia
- †Dakeoceras
†DalmanitesFossil of the Late Ordovician-Middle Devonian trilobite Dalmanites - †Dolichopterus
- †Edmondia
- †Eldredgeops
- †Ellesmeroceras
- †Encrinurus
- †Eospirifer
- †Erettopterus – tentative report
- †Euomphalus
- †Eurypterus
- †Favosites
- †Favosites niagarensis – or unidentified comparable form
- †Flexicalymene
- †Goniatites
- †Gyrodoma
- †Hallopora
- †Holopea
- †Hyolithes
- †Isotelus
- †Lingula
†LysorophusLife restoration of the Permian snake-like amphibian Lysorophus showing speculative egg-coiling behavior - †Mcqueenoceras
- †Megamolgophis
- †Meristina
- †Metacoceras
- †Naticopsis
- †Neospirifer
- †Neospirifer dunbari – tentative report
- †Obolella
- †Obolus – tentative report
- †Olenellus
- †Ormoceras
- †Orthoceras
- †Platyceras
- †Proterocameroceras
†PterygotusLife restoration of the Silurian-Middle Devonian eurypterid ("sea scorpion") Pterygotus - †Ribeiria
- †Rioceras
- Solemya
- † Solenopsis
- †Sowerbyella
- †Spirifer
- †Stenosiphon
- †Strophomena
- †Tainoceras
†TentaculitesAssemblage of fossilized shells of the Early Ordovician-Late Devonian probable mollusc Tentaculites - †Trigonocera
- †Trimerus
- †Waeringopterus
- †Worthenia
Mesozoic
[edit]Selected Mesozoic taxa of Maryland
[edit]- Acirsa
†Acrocanthosaurus – or unidentified comparable formLife restoration of the Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaur Acrocanthosaurus - †Acteon
- †Aenona
- †Agerostrea
- †Allognathosuchus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Allosaurus
- †Amyda
- †Ancilla
- †Anomia
- †Anomoeodus
- Arrhoges
- Astarte
†AstrodonLife restoration of the Early Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur Astrodon - †Astrodon johnstoni – type locality for species
- †Baculites
- †Bottosaurus
- Botula
- Cadulus
- Caestocorbula
- Carcharias
- †Caveola
†CeratodusLife restoration of the Late Triassic-Eocene lungfish Ceratodus - Cerithium
- Chiloscyllium
- †Cimoliasaurus
- †Coelosaurus
- †Coelurus
- †Coelurus gracilis – type locality for species
- †Corax
- Corbula
- †Crenella
†CretolamnaFossil of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene shark Cretolamna - Cucullaea
- Cuspidaria
- Cylichna
- †Cylindracanthus
- †Cymella
- Dasyatis
†DeinonychusLife restoration of the Early Cretaceous dromaeosaur ("raptor") Deinonychus - †Deinosuchus
- †Dentalium
- †Discoscaphites
- †Egertonia
- †Enchodus
- †Eulima
- †Euspira
†EutrephocerasIllustration in multiple views of a fossilized shell of the Late Jurassic-Miocene nautiloid cephalopod Eutrephoceras - †Ewingia
- †Exogyra
- Galeorhinus
- Ginglymostoma
- Glossus
- Glycimeris
- Glycymeris
- †Glyptops
- †Goniopholis
†Grallator – or unidentified comparable formFossil negative with skin impressions of the theropod dinosaur footprint ichnogenus Grallator - †Halisaurus
- †Hamatia – type locality for genus
- †Hamulus
- Heterodontus
- † Heteromorpha
- †Hoploparia
- †Hybodus
- †Hyposaurus
- †Inoceramus
- †Ischyodus
- †Ischyrhiza
- †Ischyrhiza avonicola – or unidentified comparable form
- †Ischyrhiza mira
†JeletzkytesFossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Jeletzkytes - Latiaxis
- Lepisosteus
- Lima
- Limatula
- †Linearis
- Lithophaga
- Lopha
- †Mathilda
- †Modiolus
- †Morea
†MosasaurusLife restoration of two of the Late Cretaceous Mosasaurus - Myliobatis
- †Mytilus – tentative report
- Nebrius
- Nucula
OdontaspisA living Odontaspis sand shark - †Osteopygis
- Panopea
- †Paralbula
- †Peritresius
- Pholas
- †Pinna
- †Placenticeras
- †Pleurocoelus – type locality for genus
- †Pleurocoelus nanus – type locality for species
- †Plicatoscyllium
- Polinices
†Priconodon – type locality for genusIllustration of a fossilized tooth in multiple views of the Early Cretaceous armored dinosaur Priconodon - †Priconodon crassus – type locality for species
- †Prognathodon
- †Propanoplosaurus – type locality for genus
- †Propanoplosaurus marylandicus – type locality for species
- †Protocardia
- †Pteria
- †Pterotrigonia
- †Ptychotrygon
- Pycnodonte
- Raja
- Rhinobatos
†RhombodusRestoration of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene ray Rhombodus - Ringicula
- Rissoina
- †Sargana
- †Scaphites
- Serpula
- †Serratolamna
- †Sphenodiscus
SqualicoraxLife restoration of the Late Cretaceous shark Squalicorax - Squatina
- †Stephanodus
- Tellina
- †Tenea
†TenontosaurusLife restoration of the Early Cretaceous Iguanodon relative Tenontosaurus - †Thoracosaurus
- Trachycardium
- Turritella
Cenozoic
[edit]Selected Cenozoic taxa of Maryland
[edit]- †Abra – tentative report
- Acipenser
- Acropora
- Acteocina
- Acteon
- †Adocus
†Aepycamelus – tentative reportLife restoration of the Miocene camel Aepycamelus, or the long-necked camel. Heinrich Harder (1920). - Aetobatus
- †Aglaocetus
- Alca
- †Alca torda – or unidentified comparable form
- †Ambystoma
- Amia
†AmphicyonLife restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene beardog Amphicyon - Amyda
- Anachis
- Anadara
- Anas
- Ancilla – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Angulus
- Anomia
- Anticlimax – tentative report
- †Aphelops – tentative report
- Aporrhais
- Aquila
- †Araeodelphis – type locality for genus
- Arca
- †Archaeohippus
- Architectonica
- †Arctodus
- Argopecten
- †Armatobalanus
AstarteShell of a modern Astarte bivalve - Asterias
- †Asterias forbesi – or unidentified comparable form
- Astrangia
- †Astroscopus – type locality for species
- †Astroscopus countermani – type locality for species
- Astyris
- Athleta
- Atrina
†AulophyseterLife restoration of the Miocene sperm whale Aulophyseter - Balaenoptera
- Balanus
- Bankia
- Barnea
- Blarina
- Bonasa
†Bonasa umbellusA living Bonasa umbellus, or ruffed grouse
- Boreotrophon
- Brachidontes
- †Brachyprotoma
- †Brevoortia
- †Brevoortia tyrannus – or unidentified comparable form
- Bufo
- Busycon – type locality for genus
- Busycotypus
- Cadulus
- Caecum
- Callinectes
- †Callinectes ornatus
†Callinectes sapidusA living Callinectes sapidus, or Chesapeake blue crab
- Calliostoma
- Callista
- Calonectris
- Calyptraea
- Cancellaria
- Cancer
- Canis
†Canis armbrusteri – type locality for speciesIllustration in multiple views of a fossilized skull of the Pleistocene Canis armbrusteri, or Armbruster's wolf - †Canis latrans
- †Canis rufus – or unidentified comparable form
- Cantharus
- Carcharhinus
- Carcharias
- Carcharodon
- Cardita
- Carphophis
- Cassis
- Castor
- †Cephalotropis – type locality for genus
- Cerastoderma
- Cervus
- Cetorhinus
†CetotheriumLife restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene whale Cetotherium - Chama
- Chelone
- Chelydra
- †Chesapecten
- Chlamys
- Chrysemys
- Circulus – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Cirsotrema
- Clavus
- Clementia
- Clethrionomys
- Clethrionomys gapperi – or unidentified comparable form
- Cliona
- Coluber
†Coluber constrictorA living Coluber constrictor, or eastern racer
- Concavus
- Condylura
- Conus
- Corbula
- Crassostrea
- Crepidula
†CretolamnaFossil of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene shark Cretolamna - Crotalus
- Crucibulum
- Cryptobranchus
- Cucullaea
- Cumingia
- Cyclocardia
- Cylichna
- Cymatosyrinx
- †Cynarctus
- †Cynarctus wangi – type locality for species
CypraeaMultiple views of a shell of a Cypraea cowrie sea snail - Cythara
- †Cytheris
- Dasyatis
- Dentalium
- Diadophis
- Diodora
- †Diorocetus – type locality for genus
- †Dipoides
- Discinisca
- †Dolicholatirus
- Dosinia
- Echinocardium
- Echinophoria – type locality for genus
- †Ecphora
†Ecphora gardneraeIllustration of a fossilized shell of the Miocene murex sea snail Ecphora gardnerae
- †Ectopistes
- Elaphe
- Electra
- Elphidium
- Ensis
- †Entobia
- †Eosuchus
- †Eosurcula – or unidentified comparable form
- Epitonium
- Eptesicus
- †Eptesicus fuscus – or unidentified comparable form
- Equus
- Erethizon
†EuceratheriumLife restoration of the Pleistocene bovid Euceratherium, or the shrub ox. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913). - †Euclastes – tentative report
- Eulima
- Eumeces
- †Eumeces fasciatus – or unidentified comparable form
- Eupleura
- †Eurhinodelphis
- Euspira
FelisA living Felis, or cat - †Ficopsis
- Fissurella
- †Fistulobalanus
- †Fulgar
- Galeocerdo
- Galeodea
- Gari
- Gastrochaena
- Gavia
†GavialosuchusFossilized skull of the Miocene crocodile relative Gavialosuchus - Gegania
- Gemma
- Genota – or unidentified comparable form
- Geukensia
- Gibbula – tentative report
- Glaucomys
- Globigerina
- Globigerinoides
- Glossus
- Glycimeris
- Glycymeris
- Glyptemys
†GomphotheriumMounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene elephant relative Gomphotherium - Gulo
- Gyrinophilus
- †Gyrinophilus porphyriticus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Hadrodelphis – type locality for genus
- Haminoea
- Hastula
- Haustator
- †Heliadornis – type locality for genus
- Hemipristis
- Heterodon
- †Heterodon platyrhinos – or unidentified comparable form
- Hiatella
†HippotheriumMounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pliocene horse Hippotherium - Hyla
- Hyotissa
- Ictalurus
- Ilyanassa
- Ischadium
- †Ischyodus
- Isognomon
- Isurus
†Kentriodon – type locality for genusLife restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene dolphin Kentriodon - Kuphus – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Kurtziella
- Lacuna
- †Lagodon
- Lamna
- Lampropeltis
- Lasiopodomys
- Lepisosteus
- †Leptophoca – type locality for genus
- †Leptophoca lenis – type locality for species
- Lepus
- Libinia
- Lithophaga – or unidentified comparable form
- Littoraria
- Lontra
†Lontra canadensisPair of living Lontra canadensis, or North American river otter
- †Lophocetus
- Lopholatilus
- Lucina
- Lunatia
- Lyonsia
- Macoma
- Macrocallista
- †Macrokentriodon – type locality for genus
- †Mammut
- †Mammuthus
- †Mammuthus columbi
†Mammuthus primigeniusLife restorations of a Mammut americanum, or American mastodon (right), and a Mammuthus primigenius, or wooly mammoth (left)
- Marginella
- Marmota
- Martesia
- Mathilda
- †Megalonyx
- Megaptera
- Melampus
- Melanitta
- Meleagris
†Meleagris gallopavoA wild male Meleagris gallopavo, or turkey, displaying his facial coloration and tail feathers to attract a female
- Membranipora
- Menestho
- Mephitis
- Mercenaria
- Meretrix
- †Merychippus
- †Mesocetus
- †Metaxytherium
- Microtus
- †Microtus chrotorrhinus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Microtus pennsylvanicus
†MiracinonyxRestoration of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Miracinonyx, or American cheetah - Mitra
- Modiolus
- †Moira – tentative report
- †Monotherium
- Mulinia
- Mustela
- †Mustela vison – or unidentified comparable form
- †Mya
- Myliobatis
†MylohyusFossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Holocene peccary Mylohyus - †Mylohyus fossilis – type locality for species
- Myotis
- †Myotis grisescens – or unidentified comparable form
- Mytilus
- †Nanosiren – tentative report
- Napaeozapus
- Narona
- Nassa
NassariusA living Nassarius, or nassa mud snail - Neofiber
- Neotoma – type locality for genus
- Nerodia
- Neverita
- Notophthalmus
- †Notophthalmus viridescens – or unidentified comparable form
- Notorynchus
†Notorynchus cepedianus – type locality for speciesClose-up portrait of a living Notorynchus cepedianus, or broadnose sevengill shark
- Novocrania
- Nucula
- Ochotona
- †Ochotona princeps – or unidentified comparable form
- Odocoileus
- Odontaspis
- Odostomia
- Ondatra
- Opheodrys
- †Orycterocetus
- †Osteopygis
- Ostrea
- †Otodus
†Otodus megalodonDiagram illustrating the largest (grey) and most conservative (red) size estimates of the Miocene-Pliocene shark Carcharocles megalodon (sometimes Carcharodon or Otodus megalodon) with a whale shark (violet), great white shark (green), and anachronistic human (black) to scale
- Otus
- †Oxyrhina
- Pagurus
- †Palaeocarcharodon
- †Palaeophis
- Pandora
- Panopea
- Panopeus
- Panthera
- Parascalops
†Parietobalaena – type locality for genusLife restoration of the Miocene baleen whale Parietobalaena and calf - †Parietobalaena palmeri – type locality for species
- Pecten
- Pekania
- †Pelocetus – type locality for genus
- Perisoreus
- Peromyscus
- †Peromyscus leucopus – or unidentified comparable form
- Petricola
- †Phenacodus – tentative report
- Phenacomys
- †Phocageneus
- Pholadomya
- †Physeterula
- Pinna
- Pipistrellus
- Pitar
- Pitymys
- Placopecten
†PlatygonusRestoration of a herd of alarmed Miocene-Pleistocene peccaries of the genus Platygonus. Charles R. Knight (1922). - Plecotus
- Plethodon
- Pleurotomella
- Pogonias
- †Pogonias cromis – or unidentified comparable form
- Polydora
- Polystira
- †Presbyornis
- †Prionodon
- Prionotus
- †Prionotus evolans – or unidentified related form
- Propebela
- Prophaethon – tentative report
- †Protocardia
- Pseudacris
- Pseudoliva
- Pteria
- †Ptychosalpinx
PuffinusA living Puffinus shearwater - Pycnodonte
- Quinqueloculina
- †Rana
- Rangia
- Ranzania
- Retusa
RhinopteraA school of living Rhinoptera, or cownose rays - Rhynchobatus
- †Roccus
- †Rotalia
- Salamandra
- †Scala – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- †Scala
- †Scaldicetus
- †Scapanorhynchus
- Scaphander
- Scaphella – type locality for genus
- Sceloporus
- †Sceloporus undulatus – or unidentified comparable form
†SchizodelphisFossilized skull of the Miocene toothed whale Schizodelphis - Schizoporella
- Sciaenops
- Sciurus
- †Scutella
- †Sediliopsis – type locality for genus
- Seila
- Semele – tentative report
- Semele
- Serpulorbis
- Siphonalia
†SmilodonLife restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon - †Solarium
- Solen
- Sorex
- Spermophilus
- †Sphyraenodus
- Sphyrna
- Spilogale
- †Spilogale putorius – type locality for species
- Spisula
†SqualodonLife restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene shark-toothed dolphin Squalodon - †Squalodon calvertensis – type locality for species
- Squatina
- Squilla
- Stewartia
- Stramonita
- Strioterebrum
- †Syllomus
- Sylvilagus
SynaptomysIllustration of a living Synaptomys, or bog lemming - Syrnola
- Tagelus
- Tamias
- Tamiasciurus
- †Tapiravus
TapirusA living Tapirus, or tapir - †Tasbacka
- Taxidea
- †Taxidea taxus – type locality for species
- Teinostoma
- Tellina
- Terebra
- Terebratula
- Teredo
- Terrapene
- Testudo
- Textularia
- Thamnophis
†ThecachampsaFossilized skeleton of the Oligocene-Miocene gavial relative Thecachampsa - Thomomys – type locality for genus
- Thracia
- Tremarctos
- Triloculina
- Trionyx – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Triphora
- Tritonium
- Trochita
- †Trygon
- †Tuba – tentative report
- Turricula – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Turris – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Turritella
TursiopsA living Tursiops, or bottlenose dolphin - Typhis
- Umbraculum – tentative report
- Urosalpinx
- Ursus
- Venericardia
- Vespertilio
- Vitrinella
- Volutifusus
- Vulpes
†XiphiacetusFossilized skeleton of the Miocene whale Xiphiacetus - Xiphias
- Yoldia
References
[edit]- Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021.