List of the prehistoric life of Hawaii facts for kids

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

Precambrian-Mesozoic

Since the oldest of the Hawaiian islands is a little more than 5 million years old, the Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian, Paleozoic, or Mesozoic fossils in Hawaii.

Cenozoic

This list of the Cenozoic life of Hawaii contains the various prehistoric life-forms whose fossilized remains have been reported from within the US state of Hawaii and are between 66 million and 10,000 years of age.

A

• Acar
  • †Acar plicata
• Acropora
  • †Acropora cerealis – tentative report
• Acrosterigma
  • †Acrosterigma orbita
• Amphisorus
• Amphistegina
  • †Amphistegina lessonii
• †Aplodon
  • †Aplodon tectus
• 

  Restorative model of an Apteribis flightless ibis
  †Apteribis
  • †Apteribis glenos
• Arca
  • †Arca ventricosa
  • †Arca vetula
• Astrea
  • †Astrea curta – or unidentified comparable form

B

• 

  Shell of a Barbatia, or bearded ark clam
  Barbatia
  • †Barbatia hawaia
  • †Barbatia hendersoni
  • †Barbatia oahua
  • †Barbatia tenella
• Bostrycapulus
  • †Bostrycapulus gravispinosa
• Brachidontes
  • †Brachidontes crebristriatus
• Branta
  • †Branta hylobadistes – or unidentified related form
• Bulla
  • †Bulla peasei
• Bursa
  • †Bursa bufonia
  • 

    Shell of a Bursa corrugata frog shell sea snail
    †Bursa corrugata

C

• Calcarina – or unidentified comparable form
• Calliotrochus
  • †Calliotrochus marmoreus
• 

  Foliage of a living Canarium tree
  †Canarium
  • †Canarium maculatus
  • †Canarium mutabilis
• Cancilla
  • †Cancilla granatina
• Carcharodon
• Casmaria
  • †Casmaria cernica
  • †Casmaria erinaceus
  • †Casmaria ponderosa
• Cellana
  • †Cellana argentata
  • †Cellana exarata
  • †Cellana melanostoma
• Cerithiopsis
  • †Cerithiopsis radicula
• Cerithium
  • †Cerithium columna
  • †Cerithium echinatum
  • †Cerithium interstria
  • †Cerithium mutatum
• 

  Illustration of a Chaetoptila angustipluma, or kioea
  †Chaetoptila
• Chama
  • †Chama limbula
• Charonia
  • †Charonia triton
• Cheilea
  • †Cheilea cicatricosa
  • †Cheilea dillwyni
• Chlamys
  • †Chlamys cookei
  • †Chlamys hawaiensis
• Circus
  • †Circus dossenus – type locality for species
• 

  Illustration of a CiridopsHawaiian honeycreeper
  †Ciridops
• Clava
  • †Clava atromarginatum
  • †Clava nesioticus
• Clypeomorus
  • †Clypeomorus graniferum
  • †Clypeomorus obeliscus
• Codakia
  • †Codakia thaanumi
• Columbella
  • †Columbella varians
• Conus
  • †Conus abbreviatus
  • †Conus aulicus
  • †Conus catus
  • †Conus chaldaeus
  • †Conus ebraeus
  • †Conus flavidus
  • 

    A living Conus geographus, or the geography cone sea snail
    †Conus geographus
  • †Conus granifer – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Conus imperialis
  • †Conus kahiko – type locality for species
  • †Conus litoglyphus
  • †Conus lividus
  • †Conus moreleti – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Conus nanus
  • †Conus nussatella
  • †Conus obscura
  • †Conus planorbis
  • †Conus plicarius
  • †Conus praelatus
  • †Conus pulicarius
  • †Conus rattus
  • †Conus retifer
  • †Conus sponsalis
  • †Conus striatus
  • †Conus tulipa
  • †Conus vexillum
• Coralliobia
  • †Coralliobia fimbriatus
• Coralliophila
  • †Coralliophila madreporarum
  • †Coralliophila violacea
• Corvus
• Cribrarula
  • †Cribrarula gaskoini
• Ctena
  • †Ctena bella
• Cycloseris
• Cymatium
  • †Cymatium gemmatum
  • †Cymatium mundum
• Cyphastrea
  • †Cyphastrea ocellina
• 

  Multiple views of a shell of a Cypraea cowrie sea snail
  Cypraea

D

• Daphnella
  • †Daphnella ornata
• Dendropoma
  • †Dendropoma maximus
• Diodora
  • †Diodora granifera
• 

  Shell of a Dolicholatirus sea snail
  †Dolicholatirus
  • †Dolicholatirus acus
• Drupa
  • †Drupa albolabris
  • †Drupa morum
  • †Drupa ricina
  • †Drupa rubusidaeus

E

• Erosaria
  • 

    A living Monetaria caputserpentis, or snakehead cowry
    †Erosaria caputserpentis
  • †Erosaria erosa
  • †Erosaria helvola
  • †Erosaria labrolineata
  • †Erosaria poraria

F

• Favia
• 

  Living Favites stony coral
  Favites
  • †Favites chinensis – or unidentified comparable form
• Flabellipecten
  • †Flabellipecten stearnsii
• Fungia
  • †Fungia scutaria
• Fusinus

G

• 

  Living Galaxea stony coral
  †Galaxea
  • †Galaxea haligena – or unidentified comparable form
• Gardineroseris
  • †Gardineroseris planulata
• Gastrochaena
  • †Gastrochaena hawaiensis
• Globulina
• †Grallistrix
  • †Grallistrix geleches – type locality for species
  • †Grallistrix orion – type locality for species
• Gutturinium
  • †Gutturinium muricinum
• Gypsina

H

• 

  A living Haliaeetus, or sea eagle
  Haliaeetus
• †Halimeda
• Haminoea
  • †Haminoea curta
• Harpa
  • †Harpa amouretta
  • †Harpa armouret – or unidentified comparable form
• Hastula
  • †Hastula confusa
  • †Hastula mera
  • †Hastula verreauxi
• Heliacus
  • †Heliacus variegata
• 

  A living Heterocentrotus mamillatus, or red slate pencil urchin
  Heterocentrotus
  • †Heterocentrotus mammillatus
• Heterostegina
• Hipponix
  • †Hipponix foliacea
  • †Hipponix pilosa
• Hydrolithon
  • †Hydrolithon munitum
  • †Hydrolithon onkodes
  • †Hydrolithon rupestre

I

• Isognomon
  • †Isognomon marspiallis

L

• 

  A modern Lamna mackerel shark
  Lamna
• Leptastrea
  • †Leptastrea purpurea
• Leptoseris
  • †Leptoseris hawaiiensis
• Linatella
  • †Linatella succinta – or unidentified comparable form
• Liocerithium
  • †Liocerithium thaanumi
• †Litharium
  • †Litharium oceanida
• Lithophaga
  • †Lithophaga hawaia
• 

  Lithophyllum red algae
  Lithophyllum
  • †Lithophyllum acrocamptum
  • †Lithophyllum incrassatum
  • †Lithophyllum insipidum
  • †Lithophyllum pustulatum
• †Lithoporella
  • †Lithoporella melobesiodes
• Lithothamnion
  • †Lithothamnion muelleri
  • †Lithothamnion prolifer
  • †Lithothamnion pulchrum
• Littoraria
  • †Littoraria pintado
• Luria
  • †Luria isabella
  • †Luria tessellata
• Lyncina
  • †Lyncina carneola
  • †Lyncina leviathan
  • †Lyncina schilderorum
  • 

    Shell in multiple views of a Lyncina vitellus, or calf cowry
    †Lyncina vitellus

M

• Mauritia
  • †Mauritia maculifera
  • †Mauritia mauritiana
  • †Mauritia scurra
• 

  Living Mesophyllum red algae
  Mesophyllum
• †Micromelo
  • †Micromelo guamensis
• †Miripecten
  • †Miripecten amaliae – or unidentified comparable form
• Mitra
  • †Mitra ambigua
  • †Mitra assimilis
  • †Mitra astricta
  • †Mitra brunnea
  • †Mitra chrysalis
  • †Mitra crassa
  • †Mitra fulvescens
  • †Mitra limbifera
  • †Mitra litterata
  • †Mitra lutea
  • †Mitra mitra
  • †Mitra pellisserpentis
  • 

    Shell in multiple views of a Mitra stictica, or pontifical mitre shell sea snail
    †Mitra stictica
  • †Mitra tabanula
• Monoplex
  • †Monoplex nicobaricus
  • †Monoplex pilearis
• Montipora
  • †Montipora hispida
• Morula
• †Morulina
  • †Morulina chrysostoma
  • †Morulina morus
  • †Morulina ochrostoma

N

• Nassa
  • †Nassa francolinus
• 

  A living Nassarius, or nassa mud snail
  Nassarius
  • †Nassarius crematus
  • †Nassarius hirtus
  • †Nassarius pauperus
  • †Nassarius pictus
• Natica
  • †Natica lurida
• †Neogoniolithon
  • †Neogoniolithon fosliei
• Nerita
  • †Nerita neglecta
  • †Nerita picea
• Neritina
  • †Neritina turrita
• Numenius
  • 

    A living Numenius tahitiensis, or bristle-thighed curlew
    †Numenius tahitiensis

O

• Oliva
  • †Oliva sandwicensis
• 

  Shell of an Ostrea, or oyster
  Ostrea
  • †Ostrea kamehameha
  • †Ostrea retusa
  • †Ostrea sandvichensis
  • †Ostrea thaanumi
• †Oxyrhina

P

• Pavona
  • 

    Living Pavona duerdeni, or porkchop coral
    †Pavona duerdeni
  • †Pavona varians
• Peneroplis
• Periglypta
  • †Periglypta reticulata
• Peristernia
  • †Peristernia chlorostoma
• Peyssonnelia
• †Phaeornis
  • †Phaeornis obscurus
• Pinctada
  • †Pinctada margaritifera
• Pisania
  • †Pisania ignea
  • †Pisania marmorata
• †Planorbinella
• Platygyra
• Plesiotrochus
  • †Plesiotrochus exilis
• Pocillopora
  • †Pocillopora damicornis
  • †Pocillopora eydouxi
  • †Pocillopora ligulata
  • †Pocillopora molekensis
  • 

    Living Pocillopora verrucosa, or cauliflower coral
    †Pocillopora verrucosa
• Polinices
  • †Polinices opaca
• Porites
  • †Porites compressa
  • †Porites lobata
• †Porolithon
  • †Porolithon gardineri
• Porzana
  • †Porzana ralphorum – type locality for species
  • †Porzana ziegleri – type locality for species
• Proterato
  • †Proterato sandwichensis
• Psammocora
• 

  A living Pterodroma, or gadfly petrel
  Pterodroma
  • †Pterodroma hypoleuca
  • †Pterodroma jugabilis – type locality for species
  • †Pterodroma phaeopygia
• Purpura
  • †Purpura intermedia
• †Purpuradusta
  • †Purpuradusta fimbriata
• Pustularia
  • †Pustularia cicercula
• Pyrene
  • †Pyrene moleculina

Q

• Quidnipagus
  • †Quidnipagus palatum
• Quinqueloculina

R

• Rhinoclavis
  • †Rhinoclavis articulata
• Rissoina
  • 

    Shell in multiple views of a Rissoina ambigua sea snail
    †Rissoina ambigua
  • †Rissoina triticea

S

• †Scutarcopagia
  • †Scutarcopagia scobinata
• Semele
  • †Semele tita
• Septifer
  • †Septifer excisus
• Seriatopora
  • 

    Living Seriatopora hystrix, or thin birdsnest coral
    †Seriatopora hystrix – or unidentified comparable form
• Spondylus
  • †Spondylus mimus
• †Spongites
• †Sporolithon
  • †Sporolithon episoredion
  • †Sporolithon molle
  • †Sporolithon ptychoides
• Staphylaea
  • †Staphylaea granulata
• Stilifer
  • †Stilifer speciosa
• Strombus
  • †Strombus aurisdianae
  • †Strombus chiragra
  • †Strombus erythrinus
  • †Strombus gibberulus
  • †Strombus helli
  • †Strombus oostergaardi
• Stylophora
  • †Stylophora gemmans
  • 

    Living Stylophora pistillata, or hood coral
    †Stylophora pistillata

T

• Talostolida
  • †Talostolida teres
• Talparia
  • †Talparia talpa
• Tellina
  • †Tellina dispar
• 

  Shell of a Terebra augur sea snail
  Terebra
  • †Terebra affinis
  • †Terebra babylon – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Terebra cerithina
  • †Terebra chlorata
  • †Terebra colume – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Terebra crenulata
  • †Terebra felina
  • †Terebra flavescens
  • †Terebra funiculata
  • †Terebra gouldi
  • †Terebra kilburnii
  • †Terebra maculata
  • †Terebra nodularis
  • †Terebra peasei
  • †Terebra undulata
• Textularia
• †Thambetochen
  • 

    Life restoration of a pair of Thambetochen chauliodous, or Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo
    †Thambetochen chauliodous
  • †Thambetochen xanion – type locality for species
• †Titanoderma
  • †Titanoderma prototypum
• Tonna
  • †Tonna perdix
• Trapezium
  • †Trapezium oblongum
• †Tridentarius
  • †Tridentarius dentatus
• Triphora
  • †Triphora cingulifera
• †Tritonoturris
  • †Tritonoturris cumingii
• Trivirostra
  • †Trivirostra hordacea
  • †Trivirostra pellucidula
• Trochus
  • †Trochus sandwichensis
• Turbo
  • †Turbo intercostalis
  • †Turbo sandwicensis
  • †Turbo setosus
• †Turridrupa
  • †Turridrupa astricta
• Turris
  • †Turris amicta
• Tutufa
  • †Tutufa bubo

V

• Vanikoro
  • †Vanikoro semiplicata
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Jurassic-modern Vermetus, or worm shell sea snail
  Vermetus
• Vexillum
  • †Vexillum approxima
  • †Vexillum aureolata
  • †Vexillum bellum
  • †Vexillum consanguinea
  • †Vexillum nodosa
  • †Vexillum semifasciata
• Vitularia
  • †Vitularia miliaris
  • †Vitularia sandwichensis

X

• Xenoturris
  • †Xenoturris gemmuloides – or unidentified comparable form

Z

• 

  Shell in multiple views of a Zebina sea snail
  Zebina
  • †Zebina affinis