List of the prehistoric life of New Jersey facts for kids

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

Precambrian

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

Paleozoic

• †Archaeocyathus
• †Centroceras
  • †Centroceras marcellense
• †Cladopora
• †Coenites
• †Cordilleracyathus – tentative report
• 

  Fossil of the Late Ordovician-Permian tabulate coral Favosites
  †Favosites
• †Leiorhynchus
  • †Leiorhynchus limitare
• †Leptodesma
  • †Leptodesma laevis
• †Ophileta – type locality for genus
  • †Ophileta polygyratus – type locality for species
• †Styliolina
  • †Styliolina fissurella

Mesozoic

Selected Mesozoic taxa of New Jersey

• Acipenser
• Acteon
• †Adocus – type locality for genus
  • 

    Shell and skeleton of Adocus beatus, Peabody Museum of Natural History
    †Adocus beatus – type locality for species
• †Aenona
• †Agerostrea
• †Allognathosuchus – or unidentified related form
• Amauropsis
• Amia
• †Amyda
• †Anatalavis
  • †Anatalavis rex – type locality for species
• †Anchisauripus
  • †Anchisauripus tuberosus
• †Ankylosaurus
• †Anomia
• †Anomoeodus
• 

  Fossil (right) of the Early Jurassic dinosaur footprint ichnogenus Anomoepus
  †Anomoepus
• †Apatopus
• †Arambourgiania – or unidentified comparable form
• Arca
• †Argoides
• Astarte
• Astrangia
• Atractosteus
• †Atreipus
• Attagenus
• †Avellana
• †Axonoceras
• †Baculites
  • †Baculites haresi
  • †Baculites ovatus
  • †Baculites scotti – tentative report
• †Baikuris
  • †Baikuris casei – type locality for species
• Barbatia
• †Belemnitella
  • †Belemnitella americana
• Bernaya
• †Bottosaurus
  • †Bottosaurus harlani – type locality for species
• Botula
  • †Botula ripleyana
• Brachaelurus
• †Brachychampsa – or unidentified comparable form
• †Brontozoum
• 

  Amber-entombed specimen of the Late Cretaceous ant Brownimecia
  †Brownimecia – type locality for genus
  • †Brownimecia clavata – type locality for species
• Caestocorbula
  • †Caestocorbula crassaplica
  • †Caestocorbula crassiplica
  • †Caestocorbula percompressa
• Callianassa
  • †Callianassa mortoni
• †Calliomphalus
  • †Calliomphalus americanus
• Cardita
• †Catopygus
• †Ceratodus
• Cerithium
• Cheilotrichia
• †Chelone
• Chiloscyllium
• †Chirotherium
  • †Chirotherium lulli – type locality for species
• Chlamys
• †Cimoliasaurus
• 

  Life restoration of the face of the Late Cretaceous multituberculate mammal Cimolomys
  †Cimolomys – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Cimolomys clarki
• †Cirroceras
• Clavagella
• †Clidastes
• Cliona
• †Coelosaurus
  • †Coelosaurus antiquus – type locality for species
• †Coelurosaurichnus
• Corbula
• †Corsochelys
• Crassostrea
• †Crenella
  • †Crenella elegantula
  • †Crenella serica
• †Cretolamna
  • †Cretolamna appendiculata
• 

  Restoration of the Late Cretaceous shark Cretoxyrhina, or the Ginsu shark
  †Cretoxyrhina
  • †Cretoxyrhina mantelli
• †Crocodilus
• Cucullaea
  • †Cucullaea capax
  • †Cucullaea littlei
• Culicoides
• Cuspidaria
  • †Cuspidaria jerseyensis
• †Cylindracanthus
• †Cymella
• Cyzicus – or unidentified comparable form
• Dasyatis
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous Alligator relative Deinosuchus
  †Deinosuchus
  • †Deinosuchus rugosus
• †Dentalium
  • †Dentalium leve
• †Didelphodon – or unidentified comparable form
• †Didymoceras
• †Diplocynodon
• †Diplurus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Discoscaphites
  • †Discoscaphites conradi
  • †Discoscaphites gulosus
• †Dolicholatirus
• Dosinia
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous primitive tyrannosaur Dryptosaurus
  †Dryptosaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Dryptosaurus aquilunguis – type locality for species
• Edaphodon
  • †Edaphodon mirificus
• †Edmontosaurus
• †Elasmosaurus
  • †Elasmosaurus orientalis – type locality for species
• †Enchodus
  • †Enchodus gladiolus
• †Epitonium
  • †Epitonium sillimani
• †Euspira
• †Eutrephoceras
• 

  Interior of a fossilized shell of the Jurassic-Cretaceous foam oyster Exogyra
  †Exogyra
  • †Exogyra cancellata
  • †Exogyra costata
  • †Exogyra ponderosa
• Fasciolaria
• † Gegania
• †Gervillia
• Ginglymostoma
• Glossus
• Glycimeris
• Glycymeris
  • †Glycymeris rotundata
• †Gonyaulax
• †Graculavus – type locality for genus
• †Grallator
• †Grimaldiella – type locality for genus
• †Gryphaea
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous dinosaur Hadrosaurus
  †Hadrosaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Hadrosaurus cavatus – type locality for species
  • †Hadrosaurus foulkii – type locality for species
  • †Hadrosaurus minor – type locality for species
• †Halisaurus
  • †Halisaurus platyspondylus
• Hemiscyllium
• Heterodontus
• †Hoploparia
• †Hoploscaphites
• †Hybodus
• †Hyposaurus
  • †Hyposaurus rogersii – type locality for species
• †Hypsibema
  • †Hypsibema crassicauda
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Triassic primitive reptile Hypsognathus
  †Hypsognathus – type locality for genus
  • †Hypsognathus fenneri – type locality for species
• †Hypuronector – type locality for genus
  • †Hypuronector limnaios – type locality for species
• †Icarosaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Icarosaurus siefkeri – type locality for species
• †Inoceramus
  • †Inoceramus proximus
• †Ischyodus
  • †Ischyodus bifurcatus
• †Ischyrhiza
  • †Ischyrhiza mira
• †Jeletzkytes
  • †Jeletzkytes nodosus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Jerseyempheria – type locality for genus
• †Kouphichnium
• †Laornis – type locality for genus
  • †Laornis edvardsianus – type locality for species
• 

  Fossilized skull of the Late Cretaceous alligator relative Leidyosuchus
  †Leidyosuchus
• Leptoconops
• Lima
• Limatula
• † Limonia
• †Linearis
• Linuparus
• †Liodon
• †Lissodus
• Lithophaga
• Lopha
  • †Lopha falcata
  • †Lopha mesenterica
• 

  A living Lunatia moon sea snail
  Lunatia
• Martesia
• †Megalocoelacanthus
  • †Megalocoelacanthus dobiei
• †Menuites
• †Metoicoceras
• †Milnesium
• †Modiolus
  • †Modiolus sedesclaris
  • †Modiolus sedesclarus
• †Morea
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous Mosasaurus
  †Mosasaurus
  • †Mosasaurus conodon – type locality for species
• †Mytilus – tentative report
• †Neithea
  • †Neithea quinquecostata
• †Nostoceras
• Nucula
  • †Nucula camia
  • †Nucula cuneifrons
  • †Nucula percrassa
• †Odaxosaurus – or unidentified comparable form
• Odontaspis
• Oecobius – tentative report
• †Ophiomorpha
• Orchestina
• †Osteopygis – type locality for genus
• Ostrea
• †Oxyrhina
  • †Oxyrhina desorii
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Pachydiscus
  †Pachydiscus
• Pagurus
• †Palaeoniscus
• †Palaeopagurus – tentative report
• †Palaeotringa – type locality for genus
• Panopea
• †Paracupes
• †Paralbula
• †Paranomia
• †Parrisia – type locality for genus
• †Pecten
• †Peritresius
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Early Triassic-Pliocene marine bivalve Pholadomya
  Pholadomya
  • †Pholadomya occidentalis
• Pholas
• †Pinna
• †Placenticeras
• †Plagiostoma
• †Plesiosaurus
• Plicatula
• †Plioplatecarpus
  • †Plioplatecarpus depressus – type locality for species
• †Plumalexius – type locality for genus
  • †Plumalexius rasnitsyni – type locality for species
• Polinices
• †Pristis
• †Procolpochelys
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous mosasaur Prognathodon
  †Prognathodon
  • †Prognathodon rapax – type locality for species
• †Protocardia
• †Pseudocorax
• †Pteria
• †Pterotrigonia
  • †Pterotrigonia angulicostata
  • †Pterotrigonia cerulea
  • †Pterotrigonia eufalensis
  • †Pterotrigonia eufaulensis
• †Ptychotrygon
• Pycnodonte
  • †Pycnodonte mutabilis
  • †Pycnodonte vesicularis
• Rangia – tentative report
• Rhinobatos
• †Rhombodus
• Ringicula
  • †Ringicula clarki
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Late Triassic phytosaur Rutiodon
  †Rutiodon
  • †Rutiodon carolinensis
• †Sargana
• †Sauropus
• †Scapanorhynchus
  • †Scapanorhynchus texanus
• †Scaphites
  • †Scaphites hippocrepis
• †Sclerorhynchus
• †Scoyenia
• Segestria – tentative report
• †Semionotus
• Serpula
• †Serratolamna
  • †Serratolamna serrata
• †Spathopria – type locality for genus
• 

  Amber-entombed specimen of the Late Cretaceous ant Sphecomyrma
  †Sphecomyrma – type locality for genus
  • †Sphecomyrma freyi – type locality for species
  • †Sphecomyrma mesaki – type locality for species
• †Sphenodiscus
  • †Sphenodiscus lobatus
• Spondylus
• Squalicorax
  • †Squalicorax kaupi
  • †Squalicorax pristodontus
• Squatina
• †Stegobium
• †Stegomus
• †Stephanodus
• †Steropoides
• †Symmorphus – tentative report
• †Tanytrachelos
  • †Tanytrachelos ahynis
• †Taphrosaurus
• Tellina
• †Telmatornis – type locality for genus
• Tenagodus
• †Tenea
• 

  Fossilized skull of the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene gavial relative Thoracosaurus
  †Thoracosaurus
• †Tomodon – type locality for genus
  • †Tomodon horrificus – type locality for species
• Trachycardium
  • †Trachycardium eufaulensis
• †Trigonia
• Trionyx
• Turbinella
• Turbonilla
• Turritella
  • †Turritella bilira
  • †Turritella trilira
  • †Turritella vertebroides
• †Volviceramus
• Vulsella – or unidentified comparable form
• Xanthosia
• 

  Life restoration of the Cretaceous bony fish Xiphactinus
  †Xiphactinus
  • †Xiphactinus audax

Cenozoic

Selected Cenozoic taxa of New Jersey

• 

  Fossilized teeth of the Permian-Paleocene cartilaginous fish Acrodus
  †Acrodus
• Acteocina
• Aetobatus
• Amyda
• Anachis
• Anadara
  • †Anadara ovalis
  • †Anadara transversa
• Angulus
• Anomia
  • †Anomia simplex
• Arca
• Architectonica
• Argopecten
  • †Argopecten gibbus
  • 

    A living Argopecten irradians (formerly Aequipecten irradians), or Atlantic bay scallop
    †Argopecten irradians
• Argyrotheca
• Astarte
  • †Astarte castanea
• Astrangia
  • †Astrangia danae
• Astyris
  • †Astyris lunata
• Athleta
• Atrina
• †Aturia
• Balanophyllia
• 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
• Cadulus
• †Calappilia
• Callianassa – tentative report
• Calliostoma
• Calyptraea
• 

  A living Carcharias sand tiger shark
  Carcharias
• Carcharodon
  • †Carcharodon hastalis
• Cardita
• Carditamera
• Cardites
• †Castoroides
• †Catopygus
• Cerithiopsis
  • †Cerithiopsis emersonii
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene cervid Cervalces, or the stag moose
  †Cervalces
• Chaetopleura
  • †Chaetopleura apiculata
• Chama
  • †Chama congregata
• Chelone
• †Chesapecten
• Chlamys
• Cidaris
• †Cistella
• Clavilithes
• Clementia
• Cliona – tentative report
• 

  Fossilized shell of a Conus cone snail
  Conus
• Corbula
• †Coscinopleura
  • †Crassinella lunulata
• Crassostrea
  • †Crassostrea virginica
• Crenella
  • †Crenella glandula
• Crepidula
  • †Crepidula convexa
  • †Crepidula fornicata
  • †Crepidula plana
• †Cretolamna
  • †Cretolamna appendiculata
• †Crocodilus
• 

  A living Crocodylus
  Crocodylus
• Crucibulum
  • †Crucibulum striatum
• Cucullaea
• Cumingia
• Cuspidaria
• Cyclocardia
• Cylichna
• †Cylindracanthus
• Cythara – tentative report
• Cytherea
• Dasyatis
• Dentalium
• Diastoma
• †Diatryma
• 

  Restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene hornless rhinoceros Diceratherium. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913).
  †Diceratherium
• Diodora
  • †Diplodonta punctata
• Discinisca
• †Dolicholatirus
• Donax
  • †Donax fossor
• Dosinia
• Echinarachnius
• †Echinocorys
• †Echinopsis
• †Ecphora
• Edaphodon
• †Enchodus
• Ensis
  • †Ensis directus
• †Eosphargis
• 

  Fossilized cranium in multiple views of the Paleocene-Eocene gavial relative Eosuchus
  †Eosuchus
• Epitonium
  • †Epitonium humphreysii
• Equus
• Ervilia
• Eupleura
  • †Eupleura caudata
• Euspira
  • †Euspira heros
  • †Euspira triseriata
• †Eutrephoceras
• Fasciolaria – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• Flabellum
• Fossarus – tentative report
• 

  A living Galeocerdo cuvier, or tiger shark
  Galeocerdo
  • †Galeocerdo aduncus
• Galeodea
• Gemma
  • †Gemma gemma
• Geukensia
  • †Geukensia demissa
• Ginglymostoma
• Glans
• †Glomerula
• Glossus
• Glycymeris
  • †Glycymeris subaustralis
• †Gorgonella
• †Gryphaea
• †Hamulus – or unidentified comparable form
• Haustator – or unidentified comparable form
• Hemipristis
  • 

    Fossilized teeth of the Miocene weasel shark Hemipristis serra
    †Hemipristis serra
• Heptranchias
  • †Heptranchias howelli – type locality for species
• Hespererato
• Hexanchus
• Hiatella
  • †Hiatella arctica
• Hydroides
• †Hyposaurus – type locality for genus
  • †Hyposaurus rogersii – type locality for species
• Ilyanassa
  • †Ilyanassa obsoleta
  • †Ilyanassa trivittata
• Ischadium
  • †Ischadium recurvum
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Middle Jurassic-Miocene Chimaera relative Ischyodus
  †Ischyodus
• †Ischyrhiza
  • †Ischyrhiza mira
• Isognomon
• Isurus
• Kurtziella
  • †Kurtziella cerina
• Laevicardium
  • †Laevicardium mortoni
• Lamna
• Latirus
• Libinia
  • 

    Illustration of a living Libinia emarginata, or portly spider crab
    †Libinia emarginata
• †Linthia
• Lithophaga
• Littoraria
  • †Littoraria irrorata
• Lunatia
• Lunularia
• Macoma
  • †Macoma balthica
• Macrocallista
• Mactra
• †Mammut
  • †Mammut americanum
• †Mammuthus
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Megalonyx
  †Megalonyx
• Melampus
  • †Melampus bidentatus
• Melanella
• †Menoceras
• Mercenaria
  • †Mercenaria mercenaria
• Mesodesma
• Mitrella
• Modiolus
  • †Modiolus modiolus
• Morus
• Mulinia
  • †Mulinia lateralis
• Murex
• Murexiella
• †Mya
  • †Mya arenaria
• 

  Two living Myliobatis eagle rays
  Myliobatis
• Mytilus
  • †Mytilus edulis
• Nassarius
  • †Nassarius acutus
  • †Nassarius vibex
• Natica – or unidentified comparable form
• Neptunea
  • †Neptunea lyrata
• Neverita
• 

  Exterior of the shell of a modern specimen of the Early Ordovician-modern marine bivalve Nucula
  Nucula
  • †Nucula proxima
• Odobenus
  • †Odobenus rosmarus
• Odontaspis
• Olivella
  • †Olivella mutica
• †Ophiocoma – tentative report
• Ophiomusium
• Ostrea
  • †Ostrea compressirostra
• †Otodus
  • 

    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
• †Palaeocarcharodon
• †Palaeophis
• Paliurus
• Pandora
• Panopea
• Panopeus
• Pecten
• Penion – or unidentified comparable form
• 

  Life restoration of the Middle Triassic-Eocene crinoid ("sea lily") Pentacrinites
  †Pentacrinites
• †Peritresius
• †Peronidella
• Petricola
  • †Petricola pholadiformis
• Phoca
• Phyllodus
• Phyllonotus
• Physeter
• Pinna
• Pitar
  • †Pitar morrhuanus
• †Plagiochasma
• Pleuromeris
  • †Pleuromeris tridentata
• 

  Fossilized shell of a Pleurotomaria slit snail
  Pleurotomaria
• Plicatula
  • †Plicatula gibbosa
• Polinices
• Pristis
• †Prosynthetoceras
• Protula
• Psammechinus
• Pseudoliva
• Pteria – tentative report
• 

  Fossilized skull of the Eocene sea turtle Puppigerus. The shell belongs to another kind of turtle.
  †Puppigerus
• Pycnodonte
• Pyrgocythara
  • †Pyrgocythara plicosa
• Rangia
• Rangifer
• Rhinoptera
• †Rhizocrinus
• †Rhombodus
• †Rotularia
• Scaphella
• 

  Group of living Scyliorhinus catsharks
  Scyliorhinus
• Seila
  • †Seila adamsii
• Semele
• Serpula
• Serpulorbis
• Sinum
  • †Sinum perspectivum
• Siphonalia
• †Solarium
• Solenosteira
  • †Solenosteira cancellaria
• †Sphyraenodus
• 

  Life restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene shark-toothed dolphin Squalodon
  †Squalodon – type locality for genus
• Squalus
• Squatina
• Stellatoma
  • †Stellatoma stellata
• Stewartia
• Stramonita
• †Striatolamia
• Strioterebrum
• Tagelus
• †Tapiravus
• Tapirus
• Tectonatica
  • †Tectonatica pusilla
• Tellina
• Tenagodus – tentative report
• †Tenea
• Teredo
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Oligocene-Miocene gavial relative Thecachampsa
  †Thecachampsa
  • †Thecachampsa antiqua
• †Thoracosaurus
• Tibia
• Trichechus
• Triphora
• Trochita
• Turbonilla
  • †Turbonilla interrupta
• Turris – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• Turritella
  • †Turritella vertebroides
• Tylocidaris
• Tympanuchus
• Urosalpinx
  • †Urosalpinx cinerea
• †Veleda
• Venericardia
• Venus
• Xenophora
• 

  A living Xiphias, or swordfish
  Xiphias
• Yoldia
• †Zygaena