List of the prehistoric life of Maryland
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[]
The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian fossils in Maryland.
Paleozoic[]
Selected Paleozoic taxa of Maryland[]
- †Amphiscapha
- †Amplexopora
- †Archimylacris
- †Atrypa
- †Atrypa reticularis – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- †Aviculopecten
- †Bassipterus
- †Bellerophon
- †Calymene
Fossil of the Early Ordovician-Early Devonian trilobite Calymene- †Calymene camerata
- †Calymene cresapensis
- †Calymene niagarensis – or unidentified comparable form
- †Camarotoechia
- †Camarotoechia andrewsi
- †Camarotoechia litchfieldensis
- †Camarotoechia tonolowayensis
- †Chonetes
- †Chonetes novascoticus
- †Cincinnetina
- †Cincinnetina multisecta
- †Clitendoceras
- †Composita
- †Composita ovata – tentative report
- †Cornulites
- †Cypricardinia
- †Cypricardinia elegans
- †Dakeoceras
- †Dalmanites
Fossil of the Late Ordovician-Middle Devonian trilobite Dalmanites- †Dalmanites limulurus
- †Dolichopterus
- †
- †Eldredgeops
- †Eldredgeops rana
- †Ellesmeroceras
- †Encrinurus
- †Eospirifer
- †Erettopterus – tentative report
- †Euomphalus
- †Eurypterus
- †Eurypterus remipes
- †Favosites
- ���Favosites niagarensis – or unidentified comparable form
- †Flexicalymene
- †Goniatites
- †Gyrodoma
- †Hallopora
- †Holopea
- †Hyolithes
- †Isotelus
- †Lingula
- †Lysorophus
Life 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
- †Pterygotus
Life restoration of the Silurian-Middle Devonian eurypterid ("sea scorpion") Pterygotus - †Ribeiria
- †Rioceras
- Solemya
- † Solenopsis
- †Sowerbyella
- †Spirifer
- †Spirifer vanuxemi
- †Stenosiphon
- †Strophomena
- †Tainoceras
- †Tentaculites
Assemblage of fossilized shells of the Early Ordovician-Late Devonian probable mollusc Tentaculites - †Trigonocera
- †Trimerus
- †Waeringopterus
- †Worthenia
Mesozoic[]
Selected Mesozoic taxa of Maryland[]
- Acirsa
- †Acrocanthosaurus – or unidentified comparable form
Life restoration of the Early Cretaceous theropod dinosaur Acrocanthosaurus - †Acteon
- †Aenona
- †Agerostrea
- †Allognathosuchus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Allosaurus
- †Amyda
- †Ancilla
- †Anomia
- †Anomoeodus
- Arrhoges
- Astarte
- †Astrodon
Life restoration of the Early Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur Astrodon- †Astrodon johnstoni – type locality for species
- †Baculites
- †Baculites baculus
- †Bottosaurus
- †Bottosaurus harlani
- Botula
- †Botula conchafodentis
- †Botula ripleyana
- Cadulus
- Caestocorbula
- †Caestocorbula crassaplica
- †Caestocorbula crassiplica
- †Caestocorbula percompressa
- †Caestocorbula terramaria
- Carcharias
- †Caveola
- †Ceratodus
Life restoration of the Late Triassic-Eocene lungfish Ceratodus - Cerithium
- Chiloscyllium
- †Cimoliasaurus
- †Coelosaurus
- †Coelosaurus affinis
- †Coelosaurus antiquus
- †Coelurus
- †Coelurus gracilis – type locality for species
- †Corax
- Corbula
- †Crenella
- †Crenella elegantula
- †Crenella serica
- †Cretolamna
Fossil of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene shark Cretolamna- †Cretolamna appendiculata
- Cucullaea
- †Cucullaea capax
- Cuspidaria
- †Cuspidaria ampulla
- Cylichna
- †Cylichna diversilirata
- †Cylichna incisa
- †Cylindracanthus
- †Cymella
- Dasyatis
- †Deinonychus
Life restoration of the Early Cretaceous dromaeosaur ("raptor") Deinonychus - †Deinosuchus
- †Deinosuchus rugosus
- †Dentalium
- †Dentalium leve
- †Discoscaphites
- †Discoscaphites conradi
- †Discoscaphites gulosus
- †Discoscaphites iris
- †Egertonia
- †Enchodus
- †Enchodus dirus
- †Eulima
- †Eulima monmouthensis
- †Euspira
- †Eutrephoceras
Illustration in multiple views of a fossilized shell of the Late Jurassic-Miocene nautiloid cephalopod Eutrephoceras - †Ewingia
- †Exogyra
- †Exogyra costata
- Galeorhinus
- Ginglymostoma
- Glossus
- Glycimeris
- Glycymeris
- †Glycymeris rotundata
- †Glyptops
- †Goniopholis
- †Grallator – or unidentified comparable form
Fossil negative with skin impressions of the theropod dinosaur footprint ichnogenus Grallator - †Halisaurus
- †Halisaurus platyspondylus
- †Hamatia – type locality for genus
- †Hamulus
- Heterodontus
- † Heteromorpha
- †Hoploparia
- †Hybodus
- †Hyposaurus
- †Hyposaurus rogersii
- †Inoceramus
- †Ischyodus
- †Ischyrhiza
- †Ischyrhiza avonicola – or unidentified comparable form
- †Ischyrhiza mira
- †Jeletzkytes
Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Jeletzkytes- †Jeletzkytes nebrascensis
- Latiaxis
- Lepisosteus
- Lima
- Limatula
- †Linearis
- Lithophaga
- Lopha
- †Lopha falcata
- †Lopha mesenterica
- †Mathilda
- †Modiolus
- †Modiolus sedesclaris
- †Modiolus sedesclarus
- †Modiolus trigonus
- †Morea
- †Mosasaurus
Life restoration of two of the Late Cretaceous Mosasaurus- †Mosasaurus conodon
- Myliobatis
- †Mytilus – tentative report
- Nebrius
- Nucula
- †Nucula camia
- †Nucula cuneifrons
- †Nucula percrassa
- †Nucula severnensis
- Odontaspis
A 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 genus
Illustration of a fossilized tooth in multiple views of the Early Cretaceous armored dinosaur Priconodon- †Priconodon crassus – type locality for species
- †Prognathodon
- †Prognathodon rapax
- †Propanoplosaurus – type locality for genus
- †Propanoplosaurus marylandicus – type locality for species
- †Protocardia
- †Pteria
- †Pterotrigonia
- †Pterotrigonia eufalensis
- †Pterotrigonia eufaulensis
- †Pterotrigonia thoracica
- †Ptychotrygon
- Pycnodonte
- †Pycnodonte vesicularis
- Raja
- Rhinobatos
- †Rhombodus
Restoration of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene ray Rhombodus - Ringicula
- †Ringicula clarki
- †Ringicula pulchella
- Rissoina
- †Sargana
- †Scaphites
- †Scaphites hippocrepis
- Serpula
- †Serratolamna
- †Serratolamna serrata
- †Sphenodiscus
- †Sphenodiscus lobatus
- †Sphenodiscus pleurisepta
- Squalicorax
Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous shark Squalicorax- †Squalicorax falcatus
- †Squalicorax kaupi
- †Squalicorax pristodontus
- Squatina
- †Stephanodus
- Tellina
- †Tenea
- †Tenontosaurus
Life restoration of the Early Cretaceous Iguanodon relative Tenontosaurus - †Thoracosaurus
- Trachycardium
- †Trachycardium eufaulensis
- Turritella
- †Turritella bilira
- †Turritella hilgardi
- †Turritella paravertebroides
- †Turritella tippana
- †Turritella trilira
- †Turritella vertebroides
- †Zephyrosaurus
Cenozoic[]
Selected Cenozoic taxa of Maryland[]
- †Abra – tentative report
- Acipenser
- Acropora
- †Acropora palmata
- Acteocina
- Acteon
- †Acus
- †Adocus
- †Aepycamelus – tentative report
Life restoration of the Miocene camel Aepycamelus, or the long-necked camel. Heinrich Harder (1920). - Aetobatus
- †Aglaocetus
- Alca
- †Alca torda – or unidentified comparable form
- †Ambystoma
- †Ambystoma maculatum
- †Ambystoma tigrinum
- Amia
- †Amphicyon
Life restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene beardog Amphicyon - Amyda
- Anachis
- Anadara
- Anas
- †Anas crecca
- Ancilla – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Angulus
- Anomia
- – tentative report
- †Aphelops – tentative report
- Aporrhais
- Aquila
- †Aquila chrysaetos
- †Araeodelphis – type locality for genus
- Arca
- †Archaeohippus
- Architectonica
- †Arctodus
- †Arctodus pristinus
- Argopecten
- †Argopecten irradians
- †Armatobalanus
- Astarte
Shell of a modern Astarte bivalve - Asterias
- †Asterias forbesi – or unidentified comparable form
- Astrangia
- †Astrangia danae
- †Astroscopus – type locality for species
- †Astroscopus countermani – type locality for species
- Astyris
- †Astyris lunata
- Athleta
- Atrina
- †Aulophyseter
Life restoration of the Miocene sperm whale Aulophyseter - Balaenoptera
- Balanus
- Bankia
- Barnea
- Blarina
- †Blarina brevicauda
- †Blarina carolinensis
- Bonasa
- †Bonasa umbellus
A living Bonasa umbellus, or ruffed grouse
- Boreotrophon
- Brachidontes
- †Brachyprotoma
- †Brachyprotoma obtusata
- †Brevoortia
- †Brevoortia tyrannus – or unidentified comparable form
- Bufo
- †Bufo americanus
- †Bufo woodhousei
- Busycon – type locality for genus
- †Busycon carica
- Busycotypus
- †Busycotypus canaliculatus
- Cadulus
- Caecum
- Callinectes
- †Callinectes ornatus
- †Callinectes sapidus
A living Callinectes sapidus, or Chesapeake blue crab
- Calliostoma
- Callista
- Calonectris
- Calyptraea
- †Calyptraea centralis
- Cancellaria
- Cancer
- †Cancer irroratus
- Canis
- †Canis armbrusteri – type locality for species
Illustration 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
- †Carcharodon hastalis
- Cardita
- Carphophis
- †Carphophis amoenus
- Cassis
- Castor
- †Castor canadensis
- †Cephalotropis – type locality for genus
- Cerastoderma
- Cervus
- Cetorhinus
- †Cetotherium
Life restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene whale Cetotherium - Chama
- Chelone
- Chelydra
- †Chelydra serpentina
- †Chesapecten
- †Chesapecten jeffersonius
- Chlamys
- Chrysemys
- †Chrysemys picta
- 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 constrictor
A living Coluber constrictor, or eastern racer
- Concavus
- Condylura
- †Condylura cristata
- Conus
- Corbula
- Crassostrea
- †Crassostrea virginica
- Crepidula
- †Crepidula fornicata
- †Crepidula plana
- †Cretolamna Fossil of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene shark Cretolamna
- †Cretolamna appendiculata
- Crotalus
- †Crotalus horridus
- Crucibulum
- Cryptobranchus
- Cucullaea
- Cumingia
- Cyclocardia
- Cylichna
- Cymatosyrinx
- †Cynarctus
- †Cynarctus wangi – type locality for species
- Cypraea
Multiple views of a shell of a Cypraea cowrie sea snail- †Cyrtopleura costata
- Cythara
- †Cytheris
- Dasyatis
- Dentalium
- Diadophis
- †Diadophis punctatus
- Diodora
- †Diorocetus – type locality for genus
- †Dipoides
- Discinisca
- †Dolicholatirus
- Dosinia
- Echinocardium
- Echinophoria – type locality for genus
- †Ecphora
- †Ecphora gardnerae
Illustration of a fossilized shell of the Miocene murex sea snail Ecphora gardnerae
- †Ectopistes
- †Ectopistes migratorius
- Elaphe
- †Elaphe vulpina
- Electra
- Elphidium
- Ensis
- †Ensis directus
- †Entobia
- †Eosuchus
- †Eosurcula – or unidentified comparable form
- Epitonium
- Eptesicus
- †Eptesicus fuscus – or unidentified comparable form
- Equus
- †Equus giganteus
- Erethizon
- †Erethizon dorsatum
- †Euceratherium
Life restoration of the Pleistocene bovid Euceratherium, or the shrub ox. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913).- †Euceratherium collinum
- †Euclastes – tentative report
- Eulima
- Eumeces
- †Eumeces fasciatus – or unidentified comparable form
- Eupleura
- †Eupleura caudata
- †Eurhinodelphis
- †Eurhinodelphis longirostris
- Euspira
- Felis
A living Felis, or cat - †Ficopsis
- Fissurella
- †Fistulobalanus
- †Fulgar
- Galeocerdo
- †Galeocerdo aduncus
- †Galeocerdo contortus
- Galeodea
- Gari
- Gastrochaena
- Gavia
- †Gavia immer
- †Gavialosuchus
Fossilized skull of the Miocene crocodile relative Gavialosuchus - Gegania
- Gemma
- †Gemma gemma
- Genota – or unidentified comparable form
- Geukensia
- Gibbula – tentative report
- Glaucomys
- Globigerina
- Globigerinoides
- Glossus
- Glycimeris
- Glycymeris
- Glyptemys
- †Glyptemys muhlenbergii
- †Gomphotherium
Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene elephant relative Gomphotherium - Gulo
- †Gulo gulo
- Gyrinophilus
- †Gyrinophilus porphyriticus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Hadrodelphis – type locality for genus
- Haminoea
- Hastula
- Haustator
- †Heliadornis – type locality for genus
- Hemipristis
- †Hemipristis serra
- Heterodon
- †Heterodon platyrhinos – or unidentified comparable form
- Hiatella
- †Hiatella arctica
- †Hippotherium
Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pliocene horse Hippotherium - Hyla
- †Hyla crucifer
- Hyotissa
- Ictalurus
- Ilyanassa
- †Ilyanassa obsoleta
- †Ilyanassa trivittata
- Ischadium
- †Ischadium recurvum
- †Ischyodus
- Isognomon
- Isurus
- †Kentriodon – type locality for genus
Life restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene dolphin Kentriodon - Kuphus – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
- Kurtziella
- †Kurtziella cerina
- Lacuna
- †Lagodon
- Lamna
- Lampropeltis
- †Lampropeltis triangulum
- Lasiopodomys
- Lepisosteus
- †Leptophoca – type locality for genus
- †Leptophoca lenis – type locality for species
- Lepus
- †Lepus americanus
- Libinia
- †Libinia dubia
- Lithophaga – or unidentified comparable form
- Littoraria
- †Littoraria irrorata
- Lontra
- †Lontra canadensis
Pair of living Lontra canadensis, or North American river otter
- †Lophocetus
- Lopholatilus
- Lucina
- Lunatia
- Lyonsia
- Macoma
- †Macoma balthica
- Macrocallista
- †Macrokentriodon – type locality for genus
- †Mammut
- †Mammut americanum
- †Mammuthus
- †Mammuthus columbi
- †Mammuthus primigenius
Life restorations of a Mammut americanum, or American mastodon (right), and a Mammuthus primigenius, or wooly mammoth (left)
- Marginella
- Marmota
- †Marmota monax
- Martesia
- Mathilda
- †Megalonyx
- Megaptera
- Melampus
- Melanitta
- †Melanitta deglandi
- Meleagris
- †Meleagris gallopavo
A wild male Meleagris gallopavo, or turkey, displaying his facial coloration and tail feathers to attract a female
- Membranipora
- Menestho
- Mephitis
- †Mephitis mephitis
- Mercenaria
- †Mercenaria mercenaria
- Meretrix
- †Merychippus
- †Mesocetus
- †Metaxytherium
- Microtus
- †Microtus chrotorrhinus – or unidentified comparable form
- †Microtus pennsylvanicus
- †Miracinonyx
Restoration of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Miracinonyx, or American cheetah- †Miracinonyx inexpectatus
- Mitra
- Modiolus
- †Modiolus modiolus
- † – tentative report
- †Monotherium
- Mulinia
- Mustela
- †Mustela vison – or unidentified comparable form
- †Mya
- †Mya arenaria
- Myliobatis
- †Mylohyus
Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Holocene peccary Mylohyus- †Mylohyus fossilis – type locality for species
- Myodes
- Myotis
- †Myotis grisescens – or unidentified comparable form
- Mytilus
- †Nanosiren – tentative report
- Napaeozapus
- †Napaeozapus insignis
- Narona
- Nassa
- Nassarius
A living Nassarius, or nassa mud snail- †Nassarius vibex
- Neofiber
- Neotoma – type locality for genus
- †Neotoma floridana
- Nerodia
- †Nerodia sipedon
- Neverita
- Notophthalmus
- †Notophthalmus viridescens – or unidentified comparable form
- Notorynchus
- †Notorynchus cepedianus – type locality for species
Close-up portrait of a living Notorynchus cepedianus, or broadnose sevengill shark
- Novocrania
- Nucula
- †Nucula proxima
- †Nuculana acuta
- Ochotona
- †Ochotona princeps – or unidentified comparable form
- Odocoileus
- †Odocoileus virginianus
- Odontaspis
- Odostomia
- Ondatra
- †Ondatra zibethicus
- Opheodrys
- †Opheodrys vernalis
- †Orycterocetus
- †Osteopygis
- Ostrea
- †Otodus
- †Otodus megalodon
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
- Otus
- †Oxyrhina
- †Oxyrhina desorii
- Pagurus
- †Pagurus pollicaris
- †Palaeocarcharodon
- †Palaeophis
- Pandora
- Panopea
- Panopeus
- †Panopeus herbstii
- Panthera
- †Panthera leo
- †Panthera onca
- Parascalops
- †Parascalops breweri
- †Parietobalaena – type locality for genus
Life restoration of the Miocene baleen whale Parietobalaena and calf- †Parietobalaena palmeri – type locality for species
- Pecten
- Pekania
- †Pelocetus – type locality for genus
- Perisoreus
- †Perisoreus canadensis
- Peromyscus
- †Peromyscus leucopus – or unidentified comparable form
- Petricola
- †Petricola pholadiformis
- †Phenacodus – tentative report
- Phenacomys
- †Phocageneus
- Pholadomya
- †Physeterula
- Pinna
- Pipistrellus
- Pitar
- Pitymys
- Placopecten
- †Platygonus
Restoration 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
- †Pseudacris triseriata
- Pseudoliva
- Pteria
- †Ptychosalpinx
- Puffinus
A living Puffinus shearwater - Pycnodonte
- Quinqueloculina
- †Rana
- †Rana clamitans
- †Rana pipiens
- †Rana sylvatica
- Rangia
- Ranzania
- Retusa
- Rhinoptera
A school of living Rhinoptera, or cownose rays - Rhynchobatus
- †
- †Roccus saxatilis
- †
- 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
- †Schizodelphis
Fossilized skull of the Miocene toothed whale Schizodelphis - Schizoporella
- †Schizoporella unicornis
- Sciaenops
- Sciurus
- †Sciurus carolinensis
- †Scutella
- †Sediliopsis – type locality for genus
- Seila
- Semele – tentative report
- Semele
- Serpulorbis
- Siphonalia
- †Smilodon
Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon- †Smilodon fatalis
- †
- Solen
- Sorex
- †Sorex cinereus
- †Sorex fumeus
- Spermophilus
- †Spermophilus tridecemlineatus
- †Sphyraenodus
- Sphyrna
- Spilogale
- †Spilogale putorius – type locality for species
- Spisula
- †Squalodon
Life restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene shark-toothed dolphin Squalodon- †Squalodon calvertensis – type locality for species
- Squatina
- Squilla
- †Squilla empusa
- Stewartia
- Stramonita
- Strioterebrum
- †Syllomus
- Sylvilagus
- †Sylvilagus floridanus
- Synaptomys
Illustration of a living Synaptomys, or bog lemming- †Synaptomys cooperi
- Syrnola
- Tagelus
- Tamias
- †Tamias striatus
- Tamiasciurus
- †Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
- †Tapiravus
- Tapirus
A living Tapirus, or tapir - †Tasbacka
- Taxidea
- †Taxidea taxus – type locality for species
- Teinostoma
- Tellina
- Terebra
- Terebratula
- Teredo
- Terrapene
- †Terrapene carolina
- Testudo
- Textularia
- Thamnophis
- †Thecachampsa
Fossilized skeleton of the Oligocene-Miocene gavial relative Thecachampsa- †Thecachampsa antiqua
- Thomomys – type locality for genus
- Thracia
- Tremarctos
- †Tremarctos floridanus
- 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
- Tursiops
A living Tursiops, or bottlenose dolphin - Typhis
- Umbraculum – tentative report
- Urosalpinx
- †Urosalpinx cinerea
- Ursus
- †Ursus americanus
- Venericardia
- Vespertilio
- Vitrinella
- Volutifusus
- Vulpes
- †Xiphiacetus
Fossilized skeleton of the Miocene whale Xiphiacetus - Xiphias
- Yoldia
References[]
- Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database". Retrieved 17 December 2021.
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Categories:
- Paleontology in Maryland
- Lists of prehistoric life in the United States