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

Main article: List of the Paleozoic life of Tennessee

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
• Costellirostra
  • Costellirostra Tennesseensis
• 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
• Dunkleosteus
• † 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
• † Westonia
• † Whiteavesia
• † Wurmiella
  • † Wurmiella excavata

Mesozoic

Main article: List of the Mesozoic life of Tennessee

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
• Edmontosaurus
  • Edmontosaurus regalis - report made of unidentified related form

• 

  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
• † Androglandula – type locality for genus
  • † Androglandula tennessensis – type locality for species
• † Arctomeles
  • † Arctomeles dimolodontus – type locality for species
• Athleta
  • † Athleta rugatus

• 

  Life restoration of the Eocene whale Basilosaurus

  † Basilosaurus
  • † Basilosaurus cetoides – or unidentified comparable form
• † Berhamniphyllum – type locality for genus
  • † Berhamniphyllum claibornense – type locality for species
• Betula
• † Blattotermes
  • † Blattotermes wheeleri – type locality for species
• Bonasa
  • † Bonasa umbellus
• Brachidontes – or unidentified comparable form
  • † Brachidontes saffordi
• † Caesalpinia
  • † Caesalpinia claibornensis – 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
• † Castaneoidea – type locality for genus
  • † Castaneoidea puryearensis – type locality for species
• † Castanopsoidea – type locality for genus
  • † Castanopsoidea columbiana – 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
  • † Corbula subcompressa

• 

  Fossilized skeleton preserved in situ (upper left, 2) of the Miocene-Pliocene horse Cormohipparion

  † Cormohipparion – or unidentified comparable form
• Coturnicops
  • † Coturnicops noveboracensis
• Crassatella
  • † Crassatella gabbi
• Crotalus
• Cucullaea
  • † Cucullaea saffordi
• Cyanocitta
  • † Cyanocitta cristata
• Desmognathus
• Didelphis
  • † Didelphis virginiana
• † Diplotropis
  • † Diplotropis claybornensis – type locality for species
• † Ectopistes

  • 

    Taxidermied male Ectopistes migratorius , or passenger pigeon

    † Ectopistes migratorius
• † Elater
  • † Elater berryi – type locality for species
• † Eoglandulosa – type locality for genus
  • † Eoglandulosa warmanensis – type locality for species
• † Eomimosoidea – type locality for genus
  • † Eomimosoidea plumosa – type locality for species
• Eptesicus
  • † Eptesicus fuscus
• Equus
  • † Equus complicatus
  • † Equus leidyi
• Eremophila
  • † Eremophila alpestris
• Erethizon
  • † Erethizon dorsatum
• Falco

  • 

    A living Falco sparverius , or American kestrel

    † Falco sparverius
• † Folindusia
  • † Folindusia wilcoxiana
• † Formicium – type locality for genus
  • † Formicium berryi – type locality for species
• † Fraxinus
• Geomys
• Glaucomys
  • † Glaucomys sabrinus
• Glycymeris
• Glyptemys
  • † Glyptemys insculpta
• † Hippomaneoidea – type locality for genus
  • † Hippomaneoidea warmanensis – type locality for species
• Hyla
  • † Hyla femoralis
• † Knightiophyllum
  • † Knightiophyllum wilcoxianum
• † Laevibuccinum
  • † Laevibuccinum constrictum
• 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
• † Mazzalina – or unidentified comparable form
  • † Mazzalina impressa
• † Megatylopus – or unidentified comparable form
• Melanerpes
  • † Melanerpes carolinus
• † Melolonthites
  • † Melolonthites collinsi – type locality for species
• Mephitis

  • 

    A living Mephitis mephitis , or striped skunk

    † Mephitis mephitis
• Mesalia
  • † Mesalia hardemanensis
  • † Mesalia pumila
• Microtus
  • † Microtus pennsylvanicus
  • † Microtus xanthognathus
• † Mylohyus
  • † Mylohyus fossilis
• Natica – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • † Natica saffordia
• Neotoma
  • † Neotoma floridana
• Notophthalmus
• Nuculana
  • † Nuculana hannahae
  • † Nuculana saffordana
• Odocoileus

  • 

    A living Odocoileus virginianus , or white-tailed deer

    † Odocoileus virginianus
• Ondatra
  • † Ondatra zibethicus
• Orthoyoldia
  • † Orthoyoldia kindlei
• Ostrea
  • † Ostrea crenulimarginata
  • † Ostrea pulaskensis
• † Otiorhynchites
  • † Otiorhynchites wilcoxianus
• † Ovibovini
• Paleofroeschnerius – type locality for genus
  • † Paleofroeschnerius magnus – type locality for species
• † Paleojulacea – type locality for genus
  • † Paleojulacea laxa – 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
  • † Pholadomya mauryi
• Picoides
  • † Picoides villosus
• Pinicola
  • † Pinicola enucleator
• Pinus
• Pipilo
  • † Pipilo erythrophthalmus
• Pitar – tentative report
  • † Pitar ripleyanus
• 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]
  • † Teleoceras aepysoma – type locality for species ^[2]
• Tellina
  • † Tellina estellensis
• † Tornatellaea
  • † Tornatellaea quercollis
• Trachemys
• † Trigonobalanoidea – type locality for genus
  • † Trigonobalanoidea americana – type locality for species
• † Tsuga
• Turdus
  • † Turdus migratorius
• Turritella
  • † Turritella saffordi
  • † Turritella tennesseensis
• Tympanuchus
  • † Tympanuchus cupido
• Ulmus
• Ursus

  • 

    A living Ursus americanus , or American black bear

    † Ursus americanus
• Venericardia
  • † Venericardia hijuana
  • † Venericardia mediaplata
• Zonotrichia
  • † Zonotrichia albicollis

References

Citations

1. Rachel A. Short; Steven C. Wallace; Laura G. Emmert (2019). "A new species of Teleoceras (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) from the late Hemphillian of Tennessee" (PDF). Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History. 56 (5): 183–260.
2. Rachel A. Short; Steven C. Wallace; Laura G. Emmert (2019). "A new species of Teleoceras (Mammalia, Rhinocerotidae) from the late Hemphillian of Tennessee" (PDF). Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History. 56 (5): 183–260.

Bibliography

• Various Contributors to the Paleobiology Database. "Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database" . Retrieved 17 December 2021.