List of the Cenozoic life of Alaska

This list of the Cenozoic life of Alaska contains the various prehistoric life-forms whose fossilized remains have been reported from within the US state of Alaska and are between 66 million and 10,000 years of age.

A[]

• 

  Shell of an Acanthocardia cockle
  Acanthocardia
  • †
• Acila
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • †
• Acirsa
  • †
• Acmaea
  • †
• Acrotrichis – tentative report
• †
• Agonum
• †Ainus
• • † – tentative report
• 

  A living Alces, or moose
  Alces
• Alnus
  • †
• Alopex
  • †Alopex lagopus
• Alvania
  • †
• Amara
• Amauropsis
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• Ancistrolepis
  • †
  • †
• †
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Angulus
  • †
• †Anomalosipho – tentative report
• Anomia – tentative report
• †
  • †
• Aphaenogaster
• Arca
• Arctica
  • †
  • †
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• †Arctodus
  • †Arctodus simus
• Argobuccinum
  • †
• 

  Life restoration of the Oligocene river dolphin Arktocara
  †Arktocara – type locality for genus
  • †Arktocara yakataga – type locality for species
• Arrhenopeplus
  • ���
• Asaphidion
  • †Asaphidion yukonense – or unidentified comparable form
• Asinus
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Astarte
  • †
  • †
  • †Astarte borealis
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Astrangia
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Paleocene-Miocene nautiloid cephalopod Aturia
  †Aturia
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• • † – or unidentified comparable form

B[]

• Balanus
  • †Balanus balanoides
  • †Balanus balanus
  • 

    Shell (left, internal view) and calcified basis (right) of a modern Balanus crenatus acorn barnacle
    †Balanus crenatus
  • †
  • †Balanus nubilus – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• Bembidion
• Beringius
  • †Beringius crebricostatus
  • †
• Betula
• Bibio
• Bison
  • 

    Mummified specimen found in Alaska of the Pleistocene-Holocene Bison priscus, or steppe bison. This specimen, known as "Blue Babe" after the blue ox of Paul Bunyan folklore, derives its unusual coloration from a chemical reaction between the phosphorus in its skin and iron in the surrounding soil to produce a coating of vivianite.
    †Bison priscus
• • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• †Bootherium
  • †Bootherium bombifrons
• Boreotrophon
  • †
  • †Boreotrophon rotundatus – or unidentified comparable form
• Brachidontes
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• – tentative report
• 

  Fossil of the Eocene crab Branchioplax
  †Branchioplax
  • †Branchioplax washingtoniana
• †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Buccella
  • †
• Buccinum
  • †Buccinum angulosum
  • †Buccinum glaciale
  • † – tentative report
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Bulbus
  • †Bulbus fragilis
• Byrrhus

C[]

• Cadulus
  • †
• Calliostoma
• Callorhinus
  • †Callorhinus ursinus
• Calyptraea
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Camponotus
• Cancellaria
• Canis
  • 

    A living Canis lupus, or gray wolf
    †Canis lupus
• Carabus
  • †Carabus nemoralis – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Carabus truncaticollis – or unidentified comparable form
• †Carex
• Caryophyllia
  • †
• • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Castalia
• †
  • †
• Castanea
  • †
• Cepheus
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• – tentative report
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene cervid Cervalces, or the stag moose
  †Cervalces
• Cervus
  • †Cervus elaphus
• Ceutorhynchus – tentative report
• Chama
• Chione
  • †
• Chirona
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• Chlamys
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • 

    A modern shell of Chlamys islandica, or Iceland scallop
    †Chlamys islandica
  • †
  • †Chlamys rubida
• †Chrysodomus – tentative report
• Chrysolina
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Cibicides
  • †
• • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Cingula
  • †
• 

  Shell of a Clinocardium cockle
  Clinocardium
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †Clinocardium nuttallii
  • †
• Colus
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
• †
  • †
• Corbicula
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Corbula
  • † – type locality for species
• †Cornwallius
  • †
• 

  A living Corylus, or hazel
  †Corylus
  • †
• • †
• Crassatella
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Crenella
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• Crepidula
  • †
• Cryptonatica
  • †Cryptonatica affinis
• Cyclocardia
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Cylichna
• Cyperus
• • † – type locality for species
  • †
  • †

D[]

• – tentative report
• Delphinapterus – tentative report
• Dentalium
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• 

  Fossilized cranium of the Miocene seal Desmatophoca
  †Desmatophoca – tentative report
• Diacheila
  • †
• Dicrostonyx
• Diestothyris
  • †
• Dioon
  • † – type locality for species
• Diplodonta
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• Dyschirius

E[]

• 

  Seafloor covered in living Echinarachnius sand dollars
  Echinarachnius
• Echinophoria
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• Elphidium
  • †
  • †
  • †
• 

  A living Enhydra lutris, or sea otter
  Enhydra
• Enicmus
• †Epipremnum
  • †
• Epitonium
  • †
  • †
• Equus
  • †Equus alaskae
• Erignathus
  • †Erignathus barbatus
• Erigone
• 

  A living Eschrichtius robustus, or gray whale
  Eschrichtius
• Eumetopias
  • †
• †Eumorphocorystes
  • †
• Euspira
  • †Euspira pallida
• Evalea
• †Exilia – tentative report

F[]

• 

  Fossilized foliage of the Cretaceous-Oligocene flowering plant Flabellaria
  †Flabellaria
  • †
• • †
• Fulgoraria

G[]

• Gari
  • † – type locality for species
• Georissus
• Globigerina
  • 

    A living Globigerina bulloides foraminiferan
    †Globigerina bulloides – or unidentified related form
  • †
• Glycymeris
  • †
  • †

H[]

• †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• Helophorus
  • †
• Hemithiris
  • †
• Hiatella
  • †Hiatella arctica
• Hinnites – tentative report
• Histriophoca
  • †Histriophoca fasciata
• Homalopoma – tentative report
• †Hydrodamalis
  • 

    Restorative model of the Pleistocene-Holocene manatee relative Hydrodamalis gigas, or Steller's sea cow
    †Hydrodamalis gigas

I[]

• †
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  A modern Isurus, or mako shark
  Isurus

J[]

• †
  • †
• †
  • †

K[]

• • †
• • †
• †Kolponomos – or unidentified comparable form
• • †

L[]

• Lasiopodomys
  • †
• †
  • †
• Lathrobium
• Laurus
• Leistus
• Lemmus
  • 

    A living Lemmus sibiricus, or Siberian brown lemming
    †Lemmus sibiricus
• Leptothorax
• Leukoma
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Limatula
  • †
• Liocyma
  • †Liocyma fluctuosa
• Liomesus
  • †
• Littorina
  • †
• †Lora
  • †
• Lucinoma
  • †
• 

  A living Lunatia moon sea snail
  Lunatia
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Lyonsia
  • †

M[]

• 

  Interior and exterior of a shell of a Macoma tellin
  Macoma
  • †
  • †
  • †Macoma balthica – or unidentified related form
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Macrocallista – tentative report
• • †
  • †
  • †
• Magnolia
  • †
• †Mammut
• †Mammuthus
  • 

    Restoration of a herd of Mammuthus primigenius, or wooly mammoths
    †Mammuthus primigenius
• Margarites
  • †
• Marmota
• Martesia – tentative report
• Mathilda
  • † – type locality for species
• • † – or unidentified related form
• Messor
• †Metacarcinus
  • †
• Micridium
• Micropeplus
  • † – type locality for species
  • † – type locality for species
• Microtus
• • †
• Mizuhopecten
  • †
• Modiolus
  • †
• †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Musculus
  • †Musculus niger
• †Mya
  • †Mya arenaria – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
  • †
  • †Mya truncata
• 

  Fruit of a living Myrica, or firetree
  Myrica
  • †
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Mytilus
  • †
  • †Mytilus edulis
  • †
  • †
  • †

N[]

• Namunaria
• Natica
  • †
  • †
• 

  A living Nebria ground beetle
  Nebria
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Nemocardium
  • †
• Neoconorbina
  • †
• • †
• Neptunea
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Neptunea heros
  • †
  • †Neptunea lyrata
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Neptunea ventricosa
• Neverita
  • †
• Notiophilus
  • †Notiophilus aeneus – or unidentified comparable form
• 

  Interior of a fossilized shell of the Early Ordovician-modern marine bivalve Nucula
  Nucula
  • † – type locality for species
• Nuculana
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
  • †

O[]

• Ochotona
  • †Ochotona whartoni
• Odobenus
  • 

    A living Odobenus rosmarus, or walrus
    †Odobenus rosmarus
• Oenopota
  • †Oenopota candida
  • †
• • †
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• – tentative report
• †
• 

  Living Osmunda ferns
  †Osmunda
  • †
• Ostrea
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Ovibos
  • 

    A living Ovibos moschatus, or muskox
    †Ovibos moschatus
• Ovis
  • †Ovis dalli – tentative report
• †Oxytoma
  • † – type locality for species

P[]

• 

  A living Pagophilus groenlandicus, or harp seal
  Pagophilus
  • †
• Palliolum
  • †
• Pandora
  • †
• • †
  • †
  • †
• Papyridea
  • †
• – tentative report
  • †
• †
• Patrobus
  • †Patrobus septentrionis – or unidentified comparable form
• Periploma
  • †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
• †
• Phenacomys
  • †
• Phoca
  • †Phoca hispida
  • 

    A living Phoca vitulina, or harbor seal
    †Phoca vitulina
• Picea
  • †Picea glauca
  • †Picea mariana
  • †Picea sitchensis – or unidentified comparable form
• Pinus
  • †Pinus monticola
• 

  Shell of a Pitar venus clam
  Pitar
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – or unidentified related form
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• †Planera
  • †
• • †
• Plicifusus
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Pododesmus
  • 

    Two living Pododesmus macrochisma or Alaska jingles
    †Pododesmus macrochisma
• Polinices
  • †
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• 

  Montage of photographs in spring (top left), summer (top right), autumn (bottom left), and winter (bottom right) of Populus, or poplar tree
  Populus
  • †
  • †
• • †
  • †
• †Portunites
  • †
• †Praeovibos
• †Predicrostonyx
  • †Predicrostonyx hopkinsi
• †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
• †Protocardia – tentative report
• †Protochelydra
  • †Protochelydra zangerli – or unidentified comparable form
• Protothaca
  • †
• Pseudarchaster
• Pteris
  • †
• Pterostichus
  • †Pterostichus corvinus – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Pterostichus vermiculosus – or unidentified comparable form
• Puncturella
  • †Puncturella longifissa
• Purpura
  • † – or unidentified related form
• 

  A living Pusa earless seal
  Pusa – or unidentified related form
  • †Pusa hispida
• • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Pyrulofusus
  • †

Q[]

• 

  A living Quercus, or oak tree
  Quercus
• Quinqueloculina
  • †
  • †
  • †

R[]

• Rangifer
  • 

    A living Rangifer tarandus, or reindeer
    †Rangifer tarandus
• • †
• Rhabdus
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Rosalina
  • †
• †
  • †

S[]

• 

  Illustration of two Saiga tatarica antelopes
  Saiga
• Saxidomus
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• Scaphander
  • †Scaphander lignarius – or unidentified comparable form
• †Scutella
  • †
• Sequoia
  • † – tentative report
  • †
  • † – tentative report
• Serripes
  • †Serripes groenlandicus
  • †
  • †
• † – tentative report
• Siliqua
  • †Siliqua alta – or unidentified comparable form
• • †
• Simplocaria
• 

  Shell of the whelk sea snail Siphonalia
  Siphonalia
  • † – or unidentified related form
• †Skeneopsis
  • †
• • †
• Sorex
• Spermophilus
  • †Spermophilus undulatus
• Spirorbis
• Spirotropis
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Spisula
  • †
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Stenus
• † – tentative report
• Strongylocentrotus
  • †Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis
• 

  Branch with fruit of a Symphoricarpos, or snowberry shrub
  †Symphoricarpos

T[]

• Tachinus
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Tachyrhynchus
  • †Tachyrhynchus erosus
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • †
• Taxodium
  • 

    Living Taxodium distichum, or bald cypresses
    †Taxodium distichum
  • †Taxodium dubium
  • †
  • †
• Tellina
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Terebratula
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Terebratulina
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Thracia
  • †
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Thyasira
  • †
• 

  A living Tonicella, or lined chiton
  Tonicella
  • †Tonicella marmorea
• †
  • †
• Trichotropis
  • †Trichotropis bicarinata
• †
  • †
• †Tsuga
  • 

    A living Tsuga heterophylla, or western hemlock
    †Tsuga heterophylla
• Turritella
  • †
• • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • †
• †
  • †

U[]

• 

  A living Ulmus, or elm
  Ulmus
• Ursus
• †Uya
  • † – or unidentified related form

V[]

• 

  A variety of modern Vaccinium species, clockwise from top right: cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries, and huckleberries
  †Vaccinium
• Venericardia
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Veraphis – tentative report
• †
• • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Vitis
  • †
• Volutopsius
  • † – or unidentified related form
• Vulpes
  • 

    A living Vulpes vulpes, or red fox
    †Vulpes vulpes

X[]

• 

  A living Xysticus crab spider
  Xysticus
  • † – type locality for species

Y[]

• Yoldia
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • † – type locality for species
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
  • †
• • †

References[]

• Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)