# 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
* 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
### 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
** †Teleoceras aepysoma – type locality for species
* 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