List of the prehistoric life of California facts for kids
The prehistoric life of California includes all the amazing ancient plants and animals whose fossils have been found in the state of California. These fossils tell us about creatures that lived millions of years ago, long before humans existed. Scientists study these remains to understand what California was like in the distant past.
Contents
Ancient Eras in California
Precambrian Era: No Life Found Yet
The Precambrian Era was the earliest time in Earth's history. So far, scientists have not found any fossils from this very ancient period in California. This means that if life existed here then, it was too small or soft to leave lasting traces.
Paleozoic Era: Early Ocean Life (541 to 252 Million Years Ago)
The Paleozoic Era was a time when many different kinds of ocean life first appeared. California was mostly covered by warm, shallow seas during this era. Fossils from this period show us creatures like trilobites, brachiopods, and early fish.
Cool Creatures from the Paleozoic Era
- †Advenella: A type of brachiopod, which are shelled creatures that look a bit like clams.
- †Ampyx: A trilobite, an ancient arthropod with a hard, segmented shell.
- †Aspidella: A very old, mysterious organism from the Ediacaran period, which is just before the main Paleozoic era.
- †Atrypa: Another common type of brachiopod.
- †Cruziana: These are not actual animals, but fossilized tracks or burrows left by arthropods (like ancient crabs or insects) moving along the seafloor.
- †Favosites: A type of coral that formed honeycomb-like colonies.
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†Helicoprion: This was a very unusual shark-like fish with a spiral saw-like tooth whorl in its lower jaw.
Life restoration of the Permian Chimaera relative Helicoprion - †Kutorgina: An early brachiopod.
- †Lingula: A brachiopod that has survived almost unchanged for millions of years.
- †Olenellus: A well-known trilobite from the Cambrian period.
- †Pentamerus: A large, ribbed brachiopod.
- †Rusophycus: Another type of fossilized burrow or resting trace made by ancient arthropods.
- †Spirifer: A brachiopod with distinctive wing-like extensions on its shell.
- †Xenodiscus: An ammonoid, which was a type of shelled cephalopod related to modern squids and octopuses.
Mesozoic Era: Age of Dinosaurs (252 to 66 Million Years Ago)
The Mesozoic Era is often called the "Age of Dinosaurs." During this time, California's landscape changed a lot. There were large inland seas, and later, volcanoes and mountains began to form. Many marine reptiles and dinosaurs lived here.
Dinosaurs and Reptiles from the Mesozoic Era
- †Aletopelta: An armored dinosaur, a type of nodosaur, found only in California. It was like a walking tank!
- †Augustynolophus: A duck-billed dinosaur (hadrosaur) that also lived only in California. It was a plant-eater.
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†Californosaurus: A type of ichthyosaur, which were marine reptiles that looked like dolphins.
Restoration of the Late Triassic ichthyosaur Californosaurus - †Cymbospondylus: Another large ichthyosaur, known for its long body.
- †Enchodus: A bony fish with long, saber-like teeth, sometimes called the "saber-toothed herring."
- †Fresnosaurus: A plesiosaur, a long-necked marine reptile. Its fossils were found in Fresno County.
- †Grallator: These are fossilized footprints of small, two-legged (bipedal) dinosaurs, likely theropods.
- †Hydrotherosaurus: A large plesiosaur, a marine reptile with a long neck and flippers.
- †Nectosaurus: A thalattosaur, another type of marine reptile.
- †Plotosaurus: A mosasaur, a giant marine lizard that was a top predator in the Late Cretaceous seas.
- †Shastasaurus: One of the largest ichthyosaurs ever, reaching lengths of over 60 feet (18 meters).
- †Thalattosaurus: Another thalattosaur, known for its unique skull shape.
Other Mesozoic Marine Life
- †Acanthoceras: A type of ammonite, a shelled cephalopod with complex patterns on its shell.
- †Baculites: A straight-shelled ammonite.
- Cidaris: A type of sea urchin.
- †Fagesia: A large, round ammonite.
- †Inoceramus: A very large marine bivalve (like a clam) that could grow to enormous sizes.
- †Mariella: A spiraled ammonite.
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†Parapuzosia: One of the largest ammonites ever found.
Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Parapuzosia with a human indicating its size -
Ostrea: Oysters, which are still around today.
Shell of an Ostrea, or oyster -
†Sequoia: Ancient redwood trees, similar to those in California today.
Base of the trunk of a living Sequoia tree with a human to scale
Cenozoic Era: Rise of Mammals (66 Million Years Ago to Today)
The Cenozoic Era is the most recent era, following the extinction of the dinosaurs. During this time, mammals became the dominant large animals. California's landscape continued to change, with mountain ranges forming and climate shifts. Many familiar animals, or their close relatives, lived here.
Mammals from the Cenozoic Era
- †Acritohippus: An ancient horse.
- †Aepycamelus: A "long-necked camel" from the Miocene, with a very tall neck.
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†Allodesmus: An ancient seal, a type of pinniped.
Fossilized skeleton of the Miocene seal Allodesmus - †Amphicyon: A "bear-dog," a large predator that looked like a mix between a bear and a dog.
- †Amphimachairodus: A large saber-toothed cat.
- †Anchitherium: An early three-toed horse.
- †Aphelops: A hornless rhinoceros.
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†Arctodus: The "short-faced bear," one of the largest bears that ever lived.
Restoration of an Arctodus, or short-faced bear, with a human to scale - †Aulophyseter: An ancient sperm whale.
- †Balaenula: An ancient baleen whale.
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†Barbourofelis: A "false saber-toothed cat" with long, flattened fangs.
Fossilized skull of the Miocene-Pliocene false saber-toothed cat Barbourofelis - †Bison latifrons: The "giant bison" or "long-horned bison," much larger than today's bison.
- †Brachycrus: An oreodont, a group of extinct hoofed mammals.
- †Borophagus: A "bone-crushing dog" known for its powerful jaws.
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†Camelops: The "extinct North American camel."
Life restoration of the Pliocene-Holocene camel Camelops - †Capromeryx minor: A "dwarf pronghorn," a small, fast-running antelope-like animal.
- †Canis dirus: The "dire wolf," a famous extinct wolf, larger and more powerful than modern wolves.
- †Cetotherium: An ancient baleen whale.
- †Cranioceras: A relative of modern deer with unusual horns.
- †Daphoenus: Another type of bear-dog.
- †Desmostylus: A unique marine mammal that ate plants, with strange column-like teeth.
- †Duchesneodus: A brontothere, a large, extinct hoofed mammal.
- †Elomeryx: An anthracothere, a pig-like or hippo-like mammal.
- †Euceratherium: The "shrub ox," an extinct bovid.
- †Equus scotti: An extinct horse species.
- †Gomphotaria: An ancient walrus with large tusks.
- †Harpagolestes: A mesonychian, an extinct group of carnivorous mammals.
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†Hipparion: A three-toed horse.
Life restoration of a herd of the Miocene-Pleistocene horse Hipparion. Heinrich Harder (1920). -
†Homotherium: The "scimitar cat," another type of saber-toothed cat.
Restoration of Pliocene-Pleistocene Homotherium, or scimitar cat - †Hydrodamalis cuestae: An extinct giant sea cow, related to manatees and dugongs.
- †Imagotaria: An early walrus.
- †Kentriodon: An ancient dolphin.
- †Leptocyon: An early dog.
- †Limnocyon: A creodont, an extinct group of carnivorous mammals.
- †Machairodus: A saber-toothed cat.
- †Megalonyx: A giant ground sloth.
- †Menoceras: A small, two-horned rhinoceros.
- †Merycodus: An ancient pronghorn.
- †Metaxytherium: A manatee relative.
- †Miracinonyx: The "American cheetah," a fast predator.
- †Mylohyus: An extinct peccary (pig-like animal).
- †Neoparadoxia: Another desmostylian, a marine mammal that ate plants.
- †Nimravus: A false saber-toothed cat.
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†Paramylodon: Another type of ground sloth.
- †Pelagiarctos: A "bear-walrus," an extinct walrus relative.
- †Phlaocyon: A bone-crushing dog.
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†Platygonus: An extinct peccary.
Restoration of a herd of alarmed Miocene-Pleistocene peccaries of the genus Platygonus. Charles R. Knight (1922). - †Pliopedia: An ancient walrus.
- †Pogonodon: A false saber-toothed cat.
- †Protitanops: A brontothere.
- †Psephophorus: An ancient sea turtle.
- †Rhynchotherium: An elephant relative with long tusks.
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†Smilodon: The famous "saber-toothed cat," a powerful predator.
Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon - †Stegomastodon: A mastodon, an elephant relative.
- †Stockoceros: An ancient pronghorn.
- †Stylemys: An ancient tortoise.
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†Tapirus: Ancient tapirs.
A living Tapirus, or tapir - †Teleoceras: A rhinoceros that lived in North America.
- †Thalassoleon: An ancient fur seal.
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†Titanotylopus: A giant camel.
Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene camel Titanotylopus - †Uintatherium: A large, rhino-like mammal with bony knobs on its head.
- †Zygolophodon: Another mastodon relative.
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Birds from the Cenozoic Era
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†Cathartes aura: The turkey vulture, still flying today.
A living Cathartes aura, or turkey vulture - †Chendytes: Law's diving-goose, an extinct flightless goose.
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†Falco peregrinus: The peregrine falcon, known for its incredible speed.
A living Falco peregrinus, or peregrine falcon -
†Fratercula cirrhata: The tufted puffin, a seabird.
A living Fratercula cirrhata, or tufted puffin -
†Gavia immer: The common loon, a diving bird.
A living Gavia immer, or common loon -
†Geococcyx californianus: The greater roadrunner, a fast-running bird.
A living Geococcyx californianus, or greater roadrunner - †Lithornis: An early, extinct bird.
- †Osteodontornis: A giant seabird with bony "teeth" on its beak.
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†Pelagornis: Another huge pseudo-toothed bird, one of the largest flying birds ever.
Reconstructive illustration of a fossilized skull of the Oligocene-Pleistocene pseudo-toothed bird Pelagornis, with close-up insets of its pseudo-teeth -
†Numenius phaeopus: The whimbrel, a shorebird.
A living Numenius phaeopus, or whimbrel - †Teratornis merriami: Merriam's teratorn, a massive extinct condor-like bird.
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Fish and Other Marine Life from the Cenozoic Era
- †Oncorhynchus rastrosus: The "saber-toothed salmon," a giant salmon with large fangs.
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†Porichthys notatus: The plainfin midshipman, a type of fish.
A modern Porichthys notatus, or plainfin midshipman -
†Galeocerdo: Tiger sharks.
A living Galeocerdo cuvier, or tiger shark - Notorhynchus: Cow sharks.
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Clinocardium: Cockles, a type of clam.
Shell of a Clinocardium cockle -
Conus: Cone snails.
- Dendraster excentricus: The eccentric sand dollar.
- Nassarius: Nassa mud snails.
- Pycnodonte: Oysters.
- Xenophora: Carrier shell sea snails.
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Plants and Insects from the Cenozoic Era
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Abies: Fir trees.
A living Abies, or fir tree -
†Buteo jamaicensis: Red-tailed hawks.
A living Buteo jamaicensis, or red-tailed hawk - †Calliostoma annulatum: Purple-ring top sea snails.
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†Crotalus viridis: Prairie rattlesnakes.
A living Crotalus viridis, or prairie rattlesnake -
†Dipodomys merriami: Merriam's kangaroo rats.
A living Dipodomys merriami, or Merriam's kangaroo rat -
Phrynosoma: Horned lizards.
A living Phrynosoma, or horned lizard -
†Spermophilus beecheyi: California ground squirrels.
A living Otospermophilus beecheyi (formerly Spermophilus beecheyi), or California ground squirrel - Syngnathus: Pipefish.
- Turcica: Sea snails.
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†Viburnum: A type of shrub.
Leaves and fruit of a living Viburnum.
Images for kids
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Fossils of the mysterious Ediacaran organism Aspidella
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Fossil of the Devonian-Triassic arthropod trackway ichnogenus Cruziana
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Life restoration of the Permian Chimaera relative Helicoprion
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Illustration of a fossilized shell of the brachiopod Kutorgina
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Illustration of a fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Olenellus
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Fossilized shell of the Silurian-Middle Devonian brachiopod Pentamerus
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Fossil of the arthropod burrow ichnogenus Rusophycus
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Fossilized shells of the ammonoid cephalopod Xenodiscus
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Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous armored dinosaur Aletopelta
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Interior and exterior of a shell of an Anomia, or jingle shell
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Fossilized partial skull of the Late Cretaceous duck-billed dinosaur Augustynolophus
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Restoration of the Late Triassic ichthyosaur Californosaurus
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Shell and spines of a Cidaris sea urchin
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Diagram illustrating the Middle-Late Triassic ichthyosaur Cymbospondylus with an anachronistic human to scale.
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Restoration of the Early Cretaceous-Eocene bony fish Enchodus, or the "saber-toothed herring"
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Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Fagesia
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Fossil negative with skin impressions of the theropod dinosaur footprint ichnogenus Grallator
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Fossilized shell of the Early Jurassic-Late Cretaceous marine bivalve Inoceramus with a human indicating its size
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Fossilized shells of the Jurassic brachiopod Kallirhynchia
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Fossilized shell of the Early-Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Mariella
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Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Parapuzosia with a human indicating its size
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Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous mosasaur Plotosaurus
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Fossilized shells of the Triassic-modern marine bivalve Propeamussium
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Base of the trunk of a living Sequoia tree with a human to scale
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Reconstructive illustration of the skull in side (above) and top view of the Late Triassic thalattosaur Thalattosaurus. The frontmost portion of the snout is portrayed erroneously as straight; it actually had a pronounced downward curve
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Shell of a Yoldia limatula, or file yoldia
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A living Abies, or fir tree
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene horse Acritohippus
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Life restoration of the Miocene camel Aepycamelus, or the long-necked camel. Heinrich Harder (1920).
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Fossilized skeleton of the Miocene seal Allodesmus
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Fossilized skull of the Miocene saber-toothed cat Amphimachairodus
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Fossilized mandibles of the Miocene three-toed horse Anchitherium
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Reconstructive illustration of the skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene hornless rhinoceros Aphelops
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Restoration of an Arctodus, or short-faced bear, with a human to scale
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Shells of Argopecten gibbus, or Atlantic calico scallops
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Life restoration of the Miocene sperm whale Aulophyseter
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene whale Balaenula
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Fossilized skull of the Miocene-Pliocene false saber-toothed cat Barbourofelis
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Pleistocene Bison latifrons, also known as the giant bison or long-horned bison
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Restorative portrait of the Miocene oreodont mammal Brachycrus
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A living Buteo jamaicensis, or red-tailed hawk
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Life restoration of the Pliocene-Holocene camel Camelops
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Fossilized skeleton of the Pleistocene dwarf pronghorn Capromeryx
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A living Cathartes aura, or turkey vulture
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Life restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene whale Cetotherium
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Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene Chendytes, or Law's diving-goose
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Shell and spines of a Cidaris sea urchin
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Shell of a Clinocardium cockle
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Illustration of a living Cyclothone bristlemouth
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Fossilized shell of a Conus cone snail
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Restoration of the Miocene palaeomerycid Cranioceras, a relative of modern deer, with anachronistic human to scale
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A living Crotalus viridis, or prairie rattlesnake
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Eocene-Miocene bear-dog Daphoenus
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Life restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene herbivorous marine mammal Desmostylus
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A living Dipodomys merriami, or Merriam's kangaroo rat
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Illustration of the fossilized jaws and teeth of the Eocene brontothere mammal Duchesneodus
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Life restoration of two of the Eocene-Oligocene anthracothere mammal Elomeryx being menaced by fellow-anthracothere Anthracotherium
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Fossilized skeleton of the Eocene-Pliocene frog Eopelobates
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Restoration of the Pliocene-Holocene horse Equus scotti, or Scott's horse
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Life restoration of the Pleistocene bovid Euceratherium, or the shrub ox. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913).
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A living Falco peregrinus, or peregrine falcon
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A living Fratercula cirrhata, or tufted puffin
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A living Galeocerdo cuvier, or tiger shark
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A living Gavia immer, or common loon
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A living Geococcyx californianus, or greater roadrunner
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Life restoration of the Miocene walrus Gomphotaria
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Fossilized skull of the mesonychian mammal Harpagolestes
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Life restoration of the Eocene-Miocene mammal Herpetotherium
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Life restoration of a herd of the Miocene-Pleistocene horse Hipparion. Heinrich Harder (1920).
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Restoration of Pliocene-Pleistocene Homotherium, or scimitar cat
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Restoration of the Miocene walrus Imagotaria
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Life restoration of the Oligocene-Miocene dolphin Kentriodon
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Life restoration of the Miocene opah fish Lampris zatima
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Illustration of a fossilized skull of the Oligocene-Miocene dog Leptocyon
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Top view of a fossilized skull of the Eocene creodont mammal Limnocyon
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Life restoration of the Paleocene-Eocene bird Lithornis
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Fossilized cranium of the Miocene-Pleistocene saber-toothed cat Machairodus
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Megalonyx
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Reconstructive illustration of the skeleton of a Mammuthus exilis, or pygmy mammoth
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Life restoration of the Miocene rhinoceros Menoceras
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Fossilized skeleton of the Miocene pronghorn Merycodus
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene manatee relative Metaxytherium
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Restoration of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Miracinonyx, or American cheetah
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Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Holocene peccary Mylohyus
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A living Nassarius, or nassa mud snail
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene aquatic desmostylian mammal Neoparadoxia
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Illustration of the fossilized skull of the Oligocene false saber-toothed cat Nimravus
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A living Numenius phaeopus, or whimbrel
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Illustration of the shell of an Odostomia donilla pyram shell sea snail
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Pleistocene Odocoileus lucasi, or American mountain deer
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Life restoration of a school of the Miocene-Pleistocene Oncorhynchus rastrosus, or saber-toothed salmon
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Life restoration of the Miocene pseudo-toothed bird Osteodontornis
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Restoration of the Miocene aquatic desmostylian mammal Paleoparadoxia
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Fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Paramylodon
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Reconstructive illustration of a fossilized skull of the Oligocene-Pleistocene pseudo-toothed bird Pelagornis, with close-up insets of its pseudo-teeth
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Illustration of a fossilized skull in multiple views of the Oligocene-Miocene bone-crushing dog Phlaocyon
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A living Phrynosoma, or horned lizard
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Restoration of a herd of alarmed Miocene-Pleistocene peccaries of the genus Platygonus. Charles R. Knight (1922).
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Life restoration of the Miocene walrus Pliopedia
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Illustration of a fossilized skull of the Oligocene false faber-toothed cat Pogonodon
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A modern Porichthys notatus, or plainfin midshipman
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Life restoration of the Eocene brontothere mammal Protitanops
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Hypothetical restoration of the Oligocene-Pliocene sea turtle Psephophorus
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Illustration of a fossilized skull of the Paleocene multituberculate mammal Ptilodus
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Assemblage of fossilized shells of the Cretaceous-Pleistocene oyster Pycnodonte
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Life restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene pronghorn Ramoceros and Cosoryx. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913).
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Restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene elephant relative Rhynchotherium
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Fossilized teeth of the Neogene sperm whale Scaldicetus
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Illustration of a living Scopelogadus ridgehead
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Fossilized skull of the Pliocene porpoise Semirostrum
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Restoration of two species of the Oligocene oreodont mammal genus Sespia
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Life restoration of the Pleistocene-Holocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon
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A living Otospermophilus beecheyi (formerly Spermophilus beecheyi), or California ground squirrel
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Pliocene-Pleistocene elephant relative Stegomastodon
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the fossil pronghorn Stockoceros
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Eocene-Oligocene tortoise Stylemys
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A living Syngnathus pipefish
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Restoration of the Miocene-Pliocene rhinoceros Teleoceras
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Life restoration of the Miocene fur seal Thalassoleon
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Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene camel Titanotylopus
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A living Tremarctos, or spectacled bear
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Shell of a Turcica sea snail
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Life restoration of the Eocene mammal Uintatherium
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A living Ursus americanus, or American black bear
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Leaves and fruit of a living Viburnum.
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Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous-modern carrier shell sea snail Xenophora
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Known material diagram depicting the Miocene-Pleistocene mastodon relative Zygolophodon with a human to scale
