List of the prehistoric life of Tennessee

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

Precambrian[]

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

Paleozoic[]

Selected Paleozoic taxa of Tennessee[]

• †Acodus
• †Actinoceras
• †Actinocrinites
• †Agaricocrinus
  • 

    Fossilized calyx of the Carboniferous crinoid ("sea lily") Agaricocrinus americanus, or the mushroom crinoid
    †Agaricocrinus americanus
• †Amplexopora
• †Amplexus
• †Ampyx
• †Aphetoceras
• †Atrypa
  • †Atrypa reticularis – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• †Aulopora
• †Bellerophon
• †Bembexia
• †Bimuria
• †Bumastus
• †Calymene
  • †Calymene niagarensis
• †Calyptaulax
• †Camarotoechia
• †Cartersoceras – type locality for genus
• †Ceratopsis
• †Ceraurinus
• †Ceraurus
• †Chasmatopora
• †Cheirurus
• †Chonetes
  • †Chonetes glenparkensis – or unidentified related form
• †Christiania
• 

  Assemblage of fossilized shells of the Ordovician brachiopod Cincinnetina
  †Cincinnetina
  • †Cincinnetina meeki
• †Cladochonus
  • †Cladochonus crassus
• †Cleiothyridina
• †Columnaria
  • †Columnaria alveolata
• †Conocardium
• †Constellaria
• †Coolinia
• †Cornulites
  • †Cornulites proprius
• Crania
• †Craniops
• †Crepicephalus
• †Crepipora
• †Cruziana
• †Ctenostoma
• †Cyathocrinites
• †Cyclonema
• †Cyphaspis
• †Cypricardinia
• 

  Restoration of the Cambrian-Middle Devonian nautiloid cephalopod Cyrtoceras
  †Cyrtoceras
• †Cyrtolites
• †Cystodictya
• †Dalmanites
• †Dicoelosia
• †Dimerocrinites
  • †Dimerocrinites carleyi
  • †Dimerocrinites inornatus
  • †Dimerocrinites occidentalis
• †Distomodus
  • †Distomodus staurognathoides
• †Eatonia
• †Echinosphaerites
• †Eospirifer
  • †Eospirifer radiatus
• †Eretmocrinus
  • †Eretmocrinus magnificus
• 

  Fossilized calyx of the Silurian-Middle Devonian crinoid ("sea lily") Eucalyptocrinites
  †Eucalyptocrinites
  • †Eucalyptocrinites caelatus
  • †Eucalyptocrinites crassus
• †Favositella
• †Favosites
  • †Favosites forbesi
  • †Favosites spinigerus
• †Fenestella
• †Fletcheria
• †Flexicalymene
  • †Flexicalymene meeki
  • †Flexicalymene senaria
• †Foerstia
• †Forbesiocrinus
• 

  Fossilized calyx and partial stem of the Devonian-Carboniferous crinoid ("sea lily") Gilbertsocrinus
  †Gilbertsocrinus
• †Girvanella
• †Glyptocrinus
• †Gonioceras
• †Gravicalymene
• †Grewingkia
  • †Grewingkia canadensis
• †Hallopora
• †Hedstroemia
• †Helcionopsis
  • †Helcionopsis striata
• †Hibbertia
• †Hindia
• †Holopea
• †Hyolithes
• †Illaenus
• 

  Fossil of the Middle-Late Ordovician giant trilobite Isotelus.
  †Isotelus
• †Kockelella
• †Krausella
• †Lingulella
• †Lonchodomas
• †Marsupiocrinus
• †Meristella
• †Meristina
• †Monomorphichnus
• †Orthoceras
• †Ozarkodina
  • †Ozarkodina confluens
• †Paciphacops
• 

  Fossilized theca of the Carboniferous blastoid echinoderm ("sea bud") Pentremites
  †Pentremites
• †Phragmolites
• †Phycodes
• †Phylloporina
• †Plaesiomys
• †Planolites
• †Platyceras – type locality for genus
• †Platycrinites
• †Platystrophia
  • †Platystrophia acutilirata
  • †Platystrophia cypha
• †Plectoceras
• †Pleurodictyum
• †Plumulites
• †Proetus
• †Protosalvinia
• †Pterotheca
• †Quadratia
• 

  Fossil of the arthropod burrow ichnogenus Rusophycus
  †Rusophycus
• †Sagenocrinites
• †Salterella
• †Siphonotreta
• †Skenidioides
• †Skolithos
• †Solenopora
  • †Solenopora compacta
• †Sowerbyella
• †Sphaerocodium – tentative report
• †Spirifer
• Spirorbis
• †Spyroceras
• †Stigmatella
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Ordovician-Silurian brachiopod Strophomena
  †Strophomena
  • †Strophomena concordensis
  • †Strophomena filitexta
  • †Strophomena incurvata
  • †Strophomena neglecta
  • †Strophomena planumbona
• †Subulites
• †Taxocrinus
• †Tentaculites
• †Tetradium
• †Tricrepicephalus
• †Trimerus
• †
• †Whiteavesia
• †Wurmiella
  • †Wurmiella excavata

Mesozoic[]

Selected Mesozoic taxa of Tennessee[]

• Acirsa
• Acmaea
• 

  A living Acteon barrel bubble sea snail
  †Acteon
• †Aenona
• Amauropsis
• †Ampullina
• †Ancilla
• †Anomia
• †Anomoeodus
• †Arca
• Arctica
• 

  Fossil of the Late Cretaceous crab Avitelmessus
  †Avitelmessus
  • †Avitelmessus grapsoideus
• †Baculites
  • †Baculites grandis
  • †Baculites ovatus
• Barbatia
• Brachidontes
• Cadulus
• Caestocorbula
  • †Caestocorbula crassiplica
• Callianassa
  • †Callianassa mortoni
• †Calliomphalus
  • †Calliomphalus americanus – type locality for species
• 

  Shell of a Cancellaria nutmeg sea snail
  Cancellaria
• Capulus
• †Caveola
• Cerithiopsis
• Cerithium
• Charonia
• Chiton
• Clavagella
• Cliona
• †Conorbis
• Corbula
• †Crania – tentative report
• †Crenella
  • †Crenella elegantula
  • †Crenella serica
• Cucullaea
  • †Cucullaea capax
  • †Cucullaea littlei
• Cylichna
  • †Cylichna incisa
• †Dentalium
• †Discoscaphites
  • †Discoscaphites iris
• †Dolicholatirus
• †Ecphora
• 

  Restoration of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene bony fish Enchodus, or the "saber-toothed herring"
  †Enchodus
• †Eothoracosaurus
  • †Eothoracosaurus mississippiensis
• †Eulima
• †Euspira
• †Eutrephoceras
• †Exilia
• †Exogyra
  • †Exogyra cancellata
  • †Exogyra costata
• Fasciolaria – tentative report
• 

  A Gastrochaena marine bivalve
  Gastrochaena
• †Gegania
• Gemmula
• Glossus
• Glycymeris
• †Hamulus
• †Helicoceras
  • †Helicoceras navarroense
• †Hoploparia
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Early Jurassic-Late Cretaceous marine bivalve Inoceramus with a human indicating its size
  †Inoceramus
  • †Inoceramus proximus
  • †Inoceramus sagensis
• †Ischyrhiza
  • †Ischyrhiza mira
• Latiaxis
• Limatula
• †Linearis
• Lithophaga
• Littorina
• Lopha
  • †Lopha falcata
• †Lucina
• †Mammila
• Martesia
• †Mathilda
• Melanatria
• Membranipora
• Meretrix
• †Metopaster
• Micropora
• †Morea
• 

  Life restoration of two of the Late Cretaceous Mosasaurus
  †Mosasaurus
• †Neithea
  • †Neithea quinquecostata
• Nucula
  • †Nucula percrassa
• †Obeliscus
• †Odostomia
  • †Odostomia plicata – type locality for species
• Opalia
• Ostrea
• Panopea
• † Paranomia
• †Pecten
• †Pedalion
• †Peneus
• Pholadomya
  • †Pholadomya occidentalis
• †Plioplatecarpus
  • †Plioplatecarpus depressus
• Polinices
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous mosasaur Prognathodon preying upon an ammonoid cephalopod
  †Prognathodon
• †Protocardia
• †Pteria
• †Pterotrigonia
  • †Pterotrigonia angulicostata
  • †Pterotrigonia thoracica
• Pycnodonte
• Ringicula
  • †Ringicula pulchella
• Rissoina
• Rostellaria – tentative report
• †Sargana
• †Saurodon – tentative report
• † Scala
• 

  Shells in multiple views of a Scaphander canoe bubble sea snail
  Scaphander
• †Scaphites
• †Schizobasis
• Seila
• †Seminola
• Serpula
• Serpulorbis
• †Siphonaria
• Teinostoma
• Tellina
• †Tenea
• †Teredo
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous sea turtle Toxochelys
  †Toxochelys
  • †Toxochelys latiremis
• Trichotropis
• †Trigonia
• Trochus
• †Tuba
• Turbinella
• †Turricula
• Turris
• Turritella
  • †Turritella bilira
  • †Turritella paravertebroides
  • †Turritella tippana
  • †Turritella trilira
  • †Turritella vertebroides
• Yoldia

Cenozoic[]

• Aegolius
  • †Aegolius acadicus
  • †Aegolius funereus
• Alligator
• Alnus
• †Ambystoma
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Athleta
  • †
• 

  Life restoration of the Eocene whale Basilosaurus
  †Basilosaurus
  • †Basilosaurus cetoides – or unidentified comparable form
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Betula
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Bonasa
  • †Bonasa umbellus
• Brachidontes – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• †Caesalpinia
  • † – type locality for species
• Canis
  • 

    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 – tentative report
• Capella
  • †Capella gallinago
• Carduelis
  • †Carduelis pinus
• Carpodacus
  • †Carpodacus purpureus
• Carya
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Castor
  • †Castor canadensis
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene giant beaver Castoroides
  †Castoroides
• Celtis
• Cervus
  • †Cervus elaphus
• Chaetura
  • †Chaetura pelagica
• Chrysemys
• Clethrionomys
  • †Clethrionomys gapperi
• Colaptes
  • †Colaptes auratus
• Coluber
• Corbula
  • †
• 

  Fossilized skeleton preserved in situ (upper left, 2) of the Miocene-Pliocene horse Cormohipparion
  †Cormohipparion – or unidentified comparable form
• Coturnicops
  • †Coturnicops noveboracensis
• • †
• Crotalus
• Cucullaea
  • †
• Cyanocitta
  • †Cyanocitta cristata
• Desmognathus
• Didelphis
  • †Didelphis virginiana
• †Diplotropis
  • † – type locality for species
• †Ectopistes
  • 

    Taxidermied male Ectopistes migratorius, or passenger pigeon
    †Ectopistes migratorius
• †Elater
  • † – type locality for species
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Eptesicus
  • †Eptesicus fuscus
• Equus
  • †
  • †
• Eremophila
  • †Eremophila alpestris
• Erethizon
  • †Erethizon dorsatum
• Falco
  • 

    A living Falco sparverius, or American kestrel
    †Falco sparverius
• †
  • †
• †Formicium – type locality for genus
  • †Formicium berryi – type locality for species
• †Fraxinus
• Geomys
• Glaucomys
  • †Glaucomys sabrinus
• Glycymeris
• Glyptemys
  • †Glyptemys insculpta
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Hyla
  • †Hyla femoralis
• †
  • †
• †
  • †
• Lepus
  • †Lepus americanus
• Lontra
  • †Lontra canadensis
• Lynx
  • †Lynx rufus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Machairodus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Mammut
  • †Mammut americanum
• †Mammuthus
  • 

    Life restorations of a Mammut americanum, or American mastodon (right), and a Mammuthus primigenius, or wooly mammoth (left)
    †Mammuthus primigenius
• Marmota
  • †Marmota monax
• † – or unidentified comparable form
  • †
• †Megatylopus – or unidentified comparable form
• Melanerpes
  • †Melanerpes carolinus
• †
  • † – type locality for species
• Mephitis
  • 

    A living Mephitis mephitis, or striped skunk
    †Mephitis mephitis
• Mesalia
  • †
  • †
• Microtus
  • †Microtus pennsylvanicus
  • †Microtus xanthognathus
• †Mylohyus
  • †Mylohyus fossilis
• Natica – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †
• Neotoma
  • †Neotoma floridana
• Notophthalmus
• Nuculana
  • †
  • †
• Odocoileus
  • 

    A living Odocoileus virginianus, or white-tailed deer
    †Odocoileus virginianus
• Ondatra
  • †Ondatra zibethicus
• • †
• Ostrea
  • †
  • †
• †
  • †
• †Ovibovini
• – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• Panthera
  • †Panthera onca
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Paramylodon
  †Paramylodon
• Pedioecetes
  • †Pedioecetes phasianellus
• Perisoreus
  • †Perisoreus canadensis
• Phenacomys
  • †Phenacomys intermedius
• Pholadomya
  • †
• Picoides
  • †Picoides villosus
• Pinicola
  • †Pinicola enucleator
• Pinus
• Pipilo
  • †Pipilo erythrophthalmus
• Pitar – tentative report
  • †
• Pituophis
• Plethodon
• †Plionarctos
• 

  Life restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene red panda Pristinailurus, or Bristol's panda
  †Pristinailurus – type locality for genus
  • †Pristinailurus bristoli – type locality for species
• Procyon
  • †Procyon lotor
• Quercus
• †Regina – or unidentified comparable form
• Salix
• Sayornis
  • †Sayornis phoebe
• Sciurus
  • †Sciurus carolinensis
• Scolopax
  • †Scolopax minor
• Sistrurus – or unidentified comparable form
• Sitta
  • †Sitta canadensis
• 

  Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon
  †Smilodon
  • †Smilodon fatalis
• Sorex
  • †Sorex arcticus
  • †Sorex hoyi
  • †Sorex palustris
• Spermophilus
  • †Spermophilus tridecemlineatus
• Sternotherus
• Strix
  • †Strix varia
• 

  A living Sturnella magna, or eastern meadowlark
  Sturnella
• Surnia
  • †Surnia ulula
• Sylvilagus
  • †Sylvilagus aquaticus – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Sylvilagus floridanus
• Tamias
  • †Tamias striatus
• Tamiasciurus
  • †Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
• Tapirus
  • †Tapirus haysii
  • †Tapirus polkensis
  • †Tapirus veroensis
• 

  Restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene rhinoceros Teleoceras
  †Teleoceras^[1]
  • † – type locality for species^[2]
• Tellina
  • †
• †
  • †
• Trachemys
• † – type locality for genus
  • † – type locality for species
• †Tsuga
• Turdus
  • †Turdus migratorius
• Turritella
  • †
  • †
• Tympanuchus
  • †Tympanuchus cupido
• Ulmus
• Ursus
  • 

    A living Ursus americanus, or American black bear
    †Ursus americanus
• Venericardia
  • †
  • †
• Zonotrichia
  • †Zonotrichia albicollis

References[]

Citations

Bibliography

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