List of the Cenozoic life of New Jersey

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

A[]

• †
  • †
• Acanthodesia
  • †
• 

  Fossilized teeth of the Permian-Paleocene cartilaginous fish Acrodus
  †Acrodus
  • †
• • †
• Acteocina
  • †Acteocina canaliculata
  • † – type locality for species
• Aetobatus
  • †
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• 

  Assemblage of fossilized skeletons of the softshell turtle Amyda
  Amyda
  • † – type locality for species
  • † – type locality for species
• Anachis
  • †
• Anadara
  • †
  • †Anadara ovalis
  • †Anadara transversa
• †
  • †
• Angulus
  • †
  • †
• Anomia
  • †Anomia simplex
• †
  • †
• Arca
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Architectonica
  • †
• Argopecten
  • †Argopecten gibbus
  • †Argopecten irradians
• Argyrotheca
  • †
• 

  Shell of a modern Astarte bivalve
  Astarte
  • †Astarte castanea
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Astrangia
  • †Astrangia danae
• Astyris
  • †
  • †Astyris lunata
• Athleta
  • †
  • †
• Atrina
  • †
• 

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

B[]

• Balanophyllia
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  Fossilized shells of the Jurassic-modern barnacle Balanus
  Balanus
• Barbatia
  • †
• Barnea
  • †
• †
  • †
• • †
• †
• • †
• Bison
• †Bonellitia – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• †Bootherium
  • 

    Fossilized skeleton of the Pleistocene-Holocene bovid Bootherium bombifrons, or Harlan's musk ox.
    †Bootherium bombifrons
• Buccinum
  • †Buccinum undatum
• †
  • †
• Busycon
  • †Busycon carica
  • †Busycon perversum
• Busycotypus
  • †Busycotypus canaliculatus

C[]

• Cadulus
  • †
• †Calappilia
• Callianassa – tentative report
• Calliostoma
  • †
  • †
• Calyptraea
• †
  • †
• Carcharias
  • †
• Carcharodon
  • 

    Fossilized tooth of the Miocene-Pliocene shark Cosmopolitodus hastalis, or broad-toothed mako
    †Carcharodon hastalis
• Cardita
  • †
• Carditamera
  • †
• Cardites
  • †
•  [fr; nl; sv]
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †Carinorbis
  • †
• †
  • †
• Caryocorbula
  • †
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene giant beaver Castoroides
  †Castoroides
• †Catopygus
  • †
• • †
• †
  • †
• Cerithiopsis
  • †Cerithiopsis emersonii
• †Cervalces
• Chaetopleura
  • †Chaetopleura apiculata
• Chama
  • †Chama congregata
• †
  • †
• Cheilopora – tentative report
  • †
• Chelone
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • †
  • †
• 

  Fossilized shells of the Miocene-Pleistocene scallop Chesapecten
  †Chesapecten
  • †
• Chionopsis
  • †Chionopsis intapurpurea
• Chlamys
  • †
  • †
• Cidaris
  • † – type locality for species
• †Cistella
  • †
• 

  Multiple views of a fossilized shell of the Paleocene-Pliocene spindle sea snail Clavilithes
  Clavilithes
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Clementia
  • †
• Cliona – tentative report
• Conus
  • †
• Corbula
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †Coscinopleura
  • †
• Crassatella
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Crassinella
  • †Crassinella lunulata
  • †
• Crassostrea
  • †Crassostrea virginica
• Crenella
  • †Crenella glandula
• Crepidula
  • †Crepidula convexa
  • †Crepidula fornicata
  • †Crepidula plana
• 

  Fossil of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene shark Cretolamna
  †Cretolamna
  • †Cretolamna appendiculata
• †Crocodilus
  • † – type locality for species
• Crocodylus
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • †
• Crucibulum
  • †
  • †Crucibulum striatum
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  Shell of a Cucullaea, or false ark shell
  Cucullaea
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Cumingia
  • †
• Cuspidaria
  • †
• Cyclocardia
  • †
• Cylichna
  • †
• †Cylindracanthus
  • †
  • †
• Cythara – tentative report

D[]

• †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• 

  A living Dasyatis stingray
  Dasyatis
  • † – type locality for species
• • † – or unidentified comparable form
• Dentalium
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• Diastoma
  • †
• †Diatryma
  • †
• 

  Restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene hornless rhinoceros Diceratherium. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913).
  †Diceratherium
  • †
• Diodora
  • †
• Diplodonta
  • †
  • †Diplodonta punctata
  • †
• • †
• Discinisca
  • †
• • †
• †Dolicholatirus
  • †
• †
• Donax
  • †
  • †Donax fossor
• 

  Fossil shell of the Cretaceous-modern marine venus clam Dosinia
  Dosinia
  • †
• †
  • †

E[]

• Echinarachnius
• †Echinocorys
  • † – type locality for species
• †Echinopsis
  • † ��� type locality for species
• 

  Illustration of a fossilized shell of the Eocene-Pliocene murex sea snail Ecphora
  †Ecphora
  • †
• Edaphodon
  • †
  • †
  • †
• • †
  • †
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• †Enchodus
  • †
• Endopachys
• Ensis
  • †Ensis directus
• †
  • †
• Eontia
  • †
  • †
• †Eopleurotoma – tentative report
  • †
  • †
• †Eosphargis
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  Fossilized cranium in multiple views of the Paleocene-Eocene gavial relative Eosuchus
  †Eosuchus
  • †Eosuchus minor – type locality for species
• Epitonium
  • †
  • †Epitonium humphreysii
  • †
  • †
• Equus
• Ervilia
• †
  • †
  • †
• Eupleura
  • †Eupleura caudata
• †
  • †
• Euspira
  • †
  • †Euspira heros
  • †Euspira triseriata
• †Eutrephoceras
• †
  • †

F[]

• • †
• 

  Shell of a Fasciolaria, or tulip sea snail
  Fasciolaria – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †
• Flabellum
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • †
• Fossarus – tentative report
  • †

G[]

• 

  A living Galeocerdo cuvier, or tiger shark
  Galeocerdo
  • †Galeocerdo aduncus
  • †
• Galeodea
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Gemma
  • †Gemma gemma
• Geukensia
  • †Geukensia demissa
• Ginglymostoma
  • †
• Glans
  • †
• 

  Fossil tube of the Jurassic-modern polychaete worm Glomerula
  †Glomerula
  • †
• Glossus
  • †
  • †
• Glycymeris
  • †
  • †
  • †Glycymeris subaustralis
• †Gorgonella
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  Interior and exterior of a fossilized shell of the Late Triassic-Eocene marine bivalve Gryphaea
  †Gryphaea
  • †
• †
  • †

H[]

• †
  • †
• †Hamulus – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• Haustator – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• • † – type locality for species
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• • †
• Hemipristis
  • 

    Fossilized teeth of the Miocene weasel shark Hemipristis serra
    †Hemipristis serra
• Heptranchias
  • †Heptranchias howelli – type locality for species
• Hespererato
  • †
• †
  • †
• Heteropora
  • †
• Hexanchus
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Hiatella
  • 

    Two modern shells, closed (left) and open (right), of Hiatella arctica, also known as the wrinkled rock-borer
    †Hiatella arctica
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Hydroides
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • †
• †Hyposaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Hyposaurus rogersii – type locality for species

I[]

• Ilyanassa
  • †Ilyanassa obsoleta
  • †Ilyanassa trivittata
• Ischadium
  • †Ischadium recurvum
• †
  • †
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Middle Jurassic-Miocene Chimaera relative Ischyodus
  †Ischyodus
  • †
• †Ischyrhiza
  • †Ischyrhiza mira
• Isognomon
  • †
• Isurus
  • †
• †
  • †

K[]

• †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
• Kurtziella
  • †Kurtziella cerina

L[]

• Laevicardium
  • †Laevicardium mortoni
• 

  A modern Lamna mackerel shark
  Lamna
  • †
• Latirus
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• • †
• †
  • †
• – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †
• Libinia
  • 

    Illustration of a living Libinia emarginata, or portly spider crab
    †Libinia emarginata
• †Linthia
  • †
• Lirophora
  • †Lirophora latilirata
• Lithophaga
  • †
• Littoraria
  • †Littoraria irrorata
• †
• Lunatia
  • †
• • †

M[]

• Macoma
  • †Macoma balthica
  • †
• Macrocallista
  • †
• • †
• Mactra
  • †
  • †
• †Mammut
  • 

    Restoration of a Mammut americanum, or American mastodon
    †Mammut americanum
• †Mammuthus
• †
  • †
• Marshallora
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Megalonyx
  †Megalonyx
• Melampus
  • †Melampus bidentatus
• Melanella
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  Life restoration of the Miocene rhinoceros Menoceras
  †Menoceras
  • †Menoceras barbouri – or unidentified comparable form
• Mercenaria
  • †Mercenaria campechiensis
  • †
  • †Mercenaria mercenaria
  • †
• Mesodesma
  • †
  • †
• Mitrella
  • †
• Modiolus
  • †
  • †
  • 

    Shells of Modiolus modiolus, or northern horsemussels
    †Modiolus modiolus
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• Morus
  • † – type locality for species
• Mulinia
  • †Mulinia lateralis
• Murex
  • †
  • †
• Murexiella
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †Mya
  • †Mya arenaria
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  Two living Myliobatis eagle rays
  Myliobatis
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Mytilus
  • †Mytilus edulis
  • †

N[]

• 

  A living Nassarius, or nassa mud snail
  Nassarius
  • †Nassarius acutus
  • †
  • †Nassarius vibex
• Natica – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• Nemocardium
  • †
• †
  • †
• Neptunea
  • †Neptunea lyrata
  • †
• Neverita
  • †
• • †
• • †
• • †
• 

  Interior of a fossilized shell of the Early Ordovician-modern marine bivalve Nucula
  Nucula
  • †
  • †
  • †Nucula proxima
  • †
  • †
• Nuculana
  • †
  • †
  • †

O[]

• Odobenus
  • 

    A living Odobenus rosmarus, or walrus
    †Odobenus rosmarus
• Odontaspis
  • †
• † – or unidentified comparable form
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• Olivella
  • †Olivella mutica
• – tentative report
• †Ophiocoma – tentative report
  • †
• Ophiomusium
  • †
• † – tentative report
  • †
• Ostrea
  • †
  • †Ostrea compressirostra
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †Otodus
  • †Otodus angustidens
  • 

    Diagram 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
    †Otodus megalodon
• Ovibos
  • †Ovibos moschatus
• †Oxyrhina
  • †Oxyrhina desorii
  • †
  • †
  • †

P[]

• †Palaeocarcharodon
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  Restoration of the Cretaceous-Eocene sea snake Palaeophis
  †Palaeophis
  • † – type locality for species
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• Paliurus
  • †
• Pandora
  • †
  • †
• Panopea
  • †
  • †
• Panopeus
  • †
  • †
• †Papillina
  • †
  • †
• • †
• †
  • †
• • †
  • †
• Pecten
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Penion – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• 

  Life restoration of the Middle Triassic-Eocene crinoid ("sea lily") Pentacrinites
  †Pentacrinites
  • †
• †
  • †
• Periploma
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
• †Peritresius
  • †
• †Peronidella
  • †
• Petricola
  • †
  • †Petricola pholadiformis
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Phoca
• Phyllodus
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
  • † – type locality for species
• Phyllonotus
  • †
• 

  A living Physeter macrocephalus, or sperm whale
  Physeter
  • †Physeter antiquus
• †
  • †
• Pinna
  • †
• Pitar
  • †Pitar morrhuanus
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †Plagiochasma
  • †
• • ���
• Platidia
  • †
• Pleuromeris
  • †Pleuromeris tridentata
• 

  Fossilized shell of a Pleurotomaria slit snail
  Pleurotomaria
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
• Plicatula
  • †
  • †Plicatula gibbosa
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Paleocene-modern moon snail Polinices
  Polinices
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• Pristis
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †Prosynthetoceras
• 

  A living Protula polychaete worm
  Protula
  • †
• Psammechinus
  • †
• Pseudoliva
• Pteria – tentative report
  • †
• †Pterosphenus
  • † – or unidentified comparable form
• 

  Fossilized skull of the Eocene sea turtle Puppigerus. The shell belongs to another kind of turtle.
  †Puppigerus
  • †
• Pycnodonte
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Pyrgocythara
  • †Pyrgocythara plicosa
• †

R[]

• • †
• • †
• Rangia
  • †Rangia cuneata
• Rangifer
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• Rhinoptera
• †Rhizocrinus
  • †
• 

  Restoration of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene ray Rhombodus
  †Rhombodus
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• †Rotularia
  • †

S[]

• • † – type locality for species
• • †
  • †
• • †
• 

  Shell of a Scaphella volute sea snail
  Scaphella
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Scyliorhinus
  • †
• Seila
  • †Seila adamsii
  • †
• Semele
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• 

  A living Serpula, or calcareous tubeworm
  Serpula
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Serpulorbis
  • †
• Sinum
  • †
  • †Sinum perspectivum
• Siphonalia
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• Solenosteira
  • †Solenosteira cancellaria
• †Solyma
  • †
• †Sphyraenodus
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
• • †
• 

  Life restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene shark-toothed dolphin Squalodon
  †Squalodon – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Squalus
  • †
• Squatina
• †
  • †
• Stellatoma
  • †Stellatoma stellata
• Stewartia
  • †
• Stramonita
  • †
• Striarca
  • †
• 

  Fossilized teeth of the Paleocene-Miocene sandshark Striatolamia
  †Striatolamia
• Strioterebrum
  • †
• • †
  • †
• † – tentative report
  • †

T[]

• Tagelus
  • †
• †Taphrosphys
  • †
• †Tapiravus
  • †
• 

  A living Tapirus, or tapir
  Tapirus
• Tectonatica
  • †Tectonatica pusilla
• Tellina
  • †
  • †
  • †
• Tenagodus – tentative report
• †Tenea
  • †
• Teredo
  • †
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Oligocene-Miocene gavial relative Thecachampsa
  †Thecachampsa
  • †Thecachampsa antiqua
• †Thoracosaurus
  • †
  • †
  • †Thoracosaurus neocesariensis
• Tibia
• †
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
  • †
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  A living Trichechus, or manatee
  Trichechus
• Triphora
  • †
• †
  • †
• Trochita
  • †
• Trochocyathus
  • †
• † – tentative report
  • †
• Turbonilla
  • †Turbonilla interrupta
• Turris – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †
• Turritella
  • †
  • †
  • †
  • †Turritella vertebroides
• Tylocidaris
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  A living Tympanuchus, or prairie chicken
  Tympanuchus
  • † – type locality for species

U[]

• Urosalpinx
  • 

    A living Urosalpinx sea snail, or oyster drill
    †Urosalpinx cinerea

V[]

• †Veleda
  • †
• Venericardia
  • †
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
  • †
• Venus
  • †
  • †
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• †
• †
  • †

W[]

• †
  • †

X[]

• Xenophora
  • †
• 

  A living Xiphias, or swordfish
  Xiphias
  • †
• Xiphodolamia – type locality for genus
  • †
  • † – type locality for species

Y[]

• Yoldia
  • †

Z[]

• †
  • †
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• 

  A living Zygaena moth
  †Zygaena
  • †

References[]

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