List of the prehistoric life of Mississippi facts for kids

This is a list of amazing prehistoric animals and plants whose fossils have been found in the state of Mississippi. Fossils are like clues from the past, showing us what life was like millions of years ago!

Ancient Times: Precambrian and Paleozoic Eras

Scientists haven't found any fossils from the very oldest times, the Precambrian and Paleozoic Eras, in Mississippi.

Mesozoic Era: Age of Dinosaurs

The Mesozoic Era, often called the Age of Dinosaurs, lasted from about 252 to 66 million years ago. Even though no dinosaur bones have been officially confirmed in Mississippi, many other fascinating creatures lived here!

• Acesta
• Acirsa
• Acmaea
• 

  A living Acteon barrel bubble sea snail
  †Acteon – a type of sea snail.
• †Aenona
• †Agerostrea
• Alvania
• †Ampullina
• Anatina
• †Ancilla
• †Anomia – a type of oyster.
• †Anomoeodus
• †Arca – a type of ark clam.
• Architectonica
• Arrhoges
• Astarte
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the gar Atractosteus
  Atractosteus – a type of gar fish.
• †Baculites – a straight-shelled ammonite.
  • †Baculites arculus
  • †Baculites capensis
  • †Baculites grandis
  • †Baculites tippahensis
• Barbatia
• †Belemnitella – an ancient squid-like creature.
  • †Belemnitella americana
• Bernaya
• 

  Illustration of the shell of a Bittium sea snail
  Bittium – a small sea snail.
• Botula
  • †Botula carolinensis
  • †Botula ripleyana
• Brachidontes
• Bulla – a bubble snail.
• Cadulus
• Caestocorbula
  • †Caestocorbula crassaplica
  • †Caestocorbula crassiplica
  • †Caestocorbula suffalciata
  • †Caestocorbula terramaria
• †Calliomphalus
  • †Calliomphalus americanus
  • †Calliomphalus nudus
• Calyptraea – a slipper snail.
• Cantharus
• Capulus – a cap snail.
• 

  A living Carcharias sand tiger shark
  Carcharias – a sand tiger shark.
• Caryophyllia – a type of coral.
• †Catopygus
• †Caveola
• Ceratia
• Cerithiella
  • †Cerithiella nodoliratum
  • †Cerithiella semirugatum
• Cerithium – a sea snail.
• Chlamys – a scallop.
• †Chondrites
• Cidaris – a sea urchin.
• Clavagella
• Cliona – a boring sponge.
• Corbula – a basket clam.
• Crenella
  • †Crenella elegantula
  • †Crenella serica
• 

  Fossil of the shark Cretolamna
  †Cretolamna – an ancient shark.
  • †Cretolamna appendiculata
• Crucibulum – a cup-and-saucer snail.
• Cucullaea – a type of ark clam.
  • †Cucullaea capax
  • †Cucullaea littlei
• Cuspidaria – a spoon clam.
  • †Cuspidaria grandis
  • †Cuspidaria jerseyensis
• Cylichna – a barrel bubble snail.
  • †Cylichna diversilirata
  • †Cylichna incisa
• †Cymella
• Dasmosmilia – a type of coral.
  • †Dasmosmilia kochii
• 

  Shell of a Dentalium tusk shell
  †Dentalium – a tusk shell.
  • †Dentalium leve
• Dimya
• †Discoscaphites – an ammonite.
  • †Discoscaphites conradi
  • †Discoscaphites iris
• †Dolicholatirus
• †Ecphora – a sea snail.
• 

  Restoration of the bony fish Enchodus, or "saber-toothed herring"
  †Enchodus – a bony fish known as the "saber-toothed herring."
  • †Enchodus petrosus
• †Eothoracosaurus – a type of alligator-like reptile, first found here.
  • †Eothoracosaurus mississippiensis – this species was also first found here.
• †Epitonium – a wentletrap snail.
  • †Epitonium sillimani
• †Eryma – a type of lobster.
• †Eulima
  • †Eulima gracilistylis
  • †Eulima monmouthensis
• †Euspira – a moon snail.
• †Eutrephoceras – a nautilus.
• 

  Fossilized shell of the foam oyster Exogyra
  †Exogyra – a type of foam oyster.
  • †Exogyra costata
  • †Exogyra ponderosa
  • †Exogyra upatoiensis
• Fusinus – a spindle snail.
• †Gegania
• Gemmula
• †Gervillia
• Ginglymostoma – a nurse shark.
• Glossus – a heart clam.
• Glycymeris – a dog cockle.
  • †Glycymeris rotundata
• †Gryphaea – a type of oyster.
• †Gyrineum
• †Hadrosaurus – a duck-billed dinosaur.
• †Hamites – an ammonite with a hook shape.
• †Hamulus
• †Helicoceras – a spiral-shelled ammonite.
• Hemiscyllium – a bamboo shark.
• †Hoploparia – a type of lobster.
• Hyala
• †Hybodus – an ancient shark.
• 

  Fossilized shell of the marine bivalve Inoceramus
  †Inoceramus – a giant clam.
• †Ischyrhiza – a sawfish.
  • †Ischyrhiza mira
• Lepisosteus – a gar fish.
• Lima – a file clam.
• Limatula
• †Linearis
• †Linthia
• Linuparus – a slipper lobster.
• Lithophaga – a date mussel.
• Lopha – a type of oyster.
  • †Lopha falcata
  • †Lopha mesenterica
• †Lucina – a clam.
• †Mathilda
• Meretrix – a venus clam.
• †Micraster – a sea urchin.
• Modiolus – a horse mussel.
  • †Modiolus sedesclaris
  • †Modiolus sedesclarus
• †Morea
• 

  Life restoration of two Mosasaurus mosasaurs
  †Mosasaurus – a giant marine reptile.
• †Mytilus – a mussel.
• †Neithea – a scallop.
  • †Neithea bexarensis
• Nerita – a nerite snail.
• Neritina – a nerite snail.
• †Nostoceras – a spiral-shelled ammonite.
• Nozeba
• Nucula – a nut clam.
  • †Nucula camia
  • †Nucula cuneifrons
  • †Nucula percrassa
• 

  Shell of an Ostrea, or oyster
  Ostrea – an oyster.
• †Pachydiscus – a large ammonite.
• †Pachymelania
• Panopea – a geoduck clam.
• †Paranomia
• Pecten – a scallop.
• Pholadomya – a clam.
  • †Pholadomya occidentalis
• Pinna – a pen shell.
• †Placenticeras – an ammonite.
• †Plagiostoma
• 

  Restoration of the mosasaur Platecarpus
  †Platecarpus – a mosasaur, first found here.
  • †Platecarpus tympaniticus – this species was also first found here.
• †Plesiotriton
• Plicatula – a kittenpaw clam.
• Polinices – a moon snail.
• †Protocardia
• †Pseudocorax – a shark.
• †Pteria – a wing oyster.
• †Pterotrigonia – a clam.
  • †Pterotrigonia angulicostata
  • †Pterotrigonia eufalensis
  • †Pterotrigonia eufaulensis
  • †Pterotrigonia thoracica
• †Ptychodus – a shark with crushing teeth.
  • †Ptychodus mortoni
• †Ptychotrygon – a ray.
• Pycnodonte – a type of oyster.
  • †Pycnodonte belli
  • †Pycnodonte mutabilis
  • †Pycnodonte vesicularis
• Ringicula – a barrel bubble snail.
  • †Ringicula clarki
  • †Ringicula pulchella
• †Sargana
• †Sassia
• 

  Restoration of several Scapanorhynchus sharks
  †Scapanorhynchus – a goblin shark.
  • †Scapanorhynchus texanus
• †Scaphites – an ammonite.
  • †Scaphites leei
• †Sclerorhynchus – a sawfish.
• Seila
• Serpula – a tube worm.
• †Sphenodiscus – an ammonite.
  • †Sphenodiscus beecheri
  • †Sphenodiscus lobatus
  • †Sphenodiscus pleurisepta
• Spondylus – a spiny oyster.
• Squalicorax – a crow shark.
  • †Squalicorax kaupi
• Stosicia
• Teinostoma
• Tellina – a tellin clam.
• †Tenea
• Thracia – a clam.
• †Tornus – a sea snail.
• 

  Fossilized shell of a Trachycardium cockle
  Trachycardium – a cockle clam.
  • †Trachycardium eufaulensis
• Trichotropis
• †Trigonia – a clam.
• †Trigonostoma
• †Turrilites – a spiral-shelled ammonite.
• Turritella – a sea snail.
  • †Turritella bilira
  • †Turritella chalybeatensis
  • †Turritella hilgardi
  • †Turritella paravertebroides
  • †Turritella tippana
  • †Turritella trilira
  • †Turritella vertebroides
• †Tympanotonus
• 

  Life restoration of the bony fish Xiphactinus
  †Xiphactinus – a large bony fish.
  • †Xiphactinus audax

Cenozoic Era: Age of Mammals

The Cenozoic Era began about 66 million years ago and continues to today. This is when mammals became very important, and many modern animals started to appear.

• Abra – a clam.
• 

  Shell of an Acanthocardia cockle
  Acanthocardia – a cockle clam.
• Acar
• Acirsa
• Aclis
• †Acra
• Acteocina
• Acteon – a sea snail.
• Aequipecten – a scallop.
• Aetobatus – an eagle ray.
• Agaronia
• Agatrix
• Alaba
• Alabina
• Albula – a bonefish.
• Alligator
  • 

    A living Alligator mississippiensis, or American alligator
    †Alligator mississippiensis – the American alligator.
• †Altrix
• Americardia – a cockle.
• Ammonia – a tiny single-celled organism.
• †Amonia
• Anadara – an ark clam.
• Ancilla – a sea snail.
• Anodontia – a clam.
• Anomia – an oyster.
• †Anomotodon – a shark.
• Antalis – a tusk shell.
• Apiotoma
• 

  Multiple views of a shell of an Aporrhais pelican foot sea snail
  Aporrhais – a pelican foot sea snail.
• †Arbia
• †Archaeomanta – an ancient manta ray.
• Architectonica – a sundial snail.
• Arene
• Arius – a sea catfish.
• Astarte – a clam.
• Asthenotoma
• Astrangia – a coral.
• Athleta – a sea snail.
• Atrina – a pen shell.
• †Aturia – a nautilus.
• Atys – a bubble snail.
• Axelella
• Balanophyllia – a coral.
• †Baluchicardia
• Barbatia – an ark clam.
• 

  Life restoration of the whale Basilosaurus
  †Basilosaurus – a very long, snake-like ancient whale.
  • †Basilosaurus cetoides
• Bathytoma
• †Belosaepia – an ancient cuttlefish.
• Bison – a bison.
• Bittium – a sea snail.
• †Bonellitia
• Bos – a cow.
• Brachidontes – a mussel.
• Bregmaceros – a codlet fish.
• †Brychaetus – a bony fish.
• Bulla – a bubble snail.
• Bullia – a plough snail.
• †Burnhamia – a devil ray.
• Busycon – a whelk snail.
• Cadulus – a tusk shell.
• Caecum – a tiny sea snail.
• Caestocorbula – a clam.
• Callianassa – a ghost shrimp.
• Calliostoma – a top snail.
• Callista – a venus clam.
• Calotrophon
  • †Calotrophon ostrearum
• Calyptraea – a slipper snail.
• Cantharus
• Capulus – a cap snail.
• Carcharhinus – a requiem shark.
• Carcharias – a sand tiger shark.
• 

  A living Carcharodon shark
  Carcharodon – a great white shark.
• Cassis – a helmet snail.
• Cerithiella
• Cervus – a deer.
• Chama – a jewel box clam.
• Chamelea – a venus clam.
• Chaoborus – a phantom midge.
• Chelonibia – a barnacle.
• Chicoreus – a murex snail.
• Chione – a venus clam.
• Chiton – a chiton.
• Chlamys – a scallop.
• Circulus
• Cirsotrema – a wentletrap snail.
• Clathurella
• Clava – a hydroid.
• Clavilithes
• Clio – a sea butterfly.
• Closia
• Clypeaster – a sand dollar.
• Cochlespira
• Codakia – a clam.
• Columbellopsis
• Conger – a conger eel.
• Conomitra
• †Conorbis
• Conus – a cone snail.
• Coralliophila – a coral snail.
• Corbula – a basket clam.
• Cordieria
• †Corvina – a croaker fish.
• 

  Life restoration of the mammal Coryphodon
  †Coryphodon – a large, ancient mammal.
• †Coupatezia – a ray.
• Crassispira
• Crassostrea – an oyster.
• Crenella – a mussel.
• Crepidula – a slipper snail.
• †Cretolamna – a shark.
• Crisia – a bryozoan.
• †Crommium
• Cuna
• Cuspidaria – a spoon clam.
• Cylichna – a barrel bubble snail.
• †Cylindracanthus – a bony fish.
• Cymatium – a triton snail.
• Cymatosyrinx
• Cymia
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the whale Cynthiacetus
  †Cynthiacetus – an ancient whale, first found here.
• Cypraea – a cowrie snail.
• Cypraedia
• Daphnella
• Dasyatis – a stingray.
• Dendrophyllia – a coral.
• Dentalium – a tusk shell.
• Dermomurex
• †Diacodexis – an early hoofed mammal.
• Dimya
• Dinocardium – a cockle.
• Diodon – a porcupinefish.
• Diodora – a keyhole limpet.
• Discopsis
• Distorsio – a distorted triton snail.
• †Dolicholatirus
• Donax – a coquina clam.
• †Dorudon – an ancient whale.
• 

  Fossilized skull of the mammal Ectocion
  †Ectocion – an ancient hoofed mammal.
• †Egertonia – a fish.
• Elphidium – a tiny single-celled organism.
• Emydoidea – a turtle.
  • †Emydoidea blandingii
• Enaeta
• †Eosurcula
• Epitonium – a wentletrap snail.
• Equus – a horse.
• Ervilia
• Erycina
• Eulima
• Eulimella
• Eumetula
• Eunaticina
• †Eunicella – a gorgonian coral.
• Euspira – a moon snail.
• †Exilia
• †Fedora
• †Ficopsis
• 

  A living Ficus, or fig tree
  Ficus – a fig tree.
• Flabellum – a coral.
• Fulgurofusus
• Fusinus – a spindle snail.
• Fustiaria – a tusk shell.
• Galeocerdo – a tiger shark.
• Galeodea – a helmet snail.
• Galeorhinus – a houndshark.
• Galeus – a catshark.
• Gari – a clam.
• Gastrochaena – a clam.
• Gegania
• Gemmula
• Genota
• Geochelone – a tortoise.
• 

  Life restoration of the whale Georgiacetus
  †Georgiacetus – an ancient whale.
  • †Georgiacetus vogtlensis
• †Gigantostrea – a giant oyster.
• Ginglymostoma – a nurse shark.
• Globigerina – a tiny single-celled organism.
• Globularia
• Glycymeris – a dog cockle.
• Glyptemys – a turtle.
  • †Glyptemys insculpta
• Glyptoactis
• †Gracilocyon – an ancient carnivore.
• Graptemys – a map turtle.
• Harpa – a harp snail.
• †Harpactocarcinus – a crab.
• Hastula
• Haustator
• †Hemiauchenia – an ancient llama.
  • †Hemiauchenia macrocephala
• Hemipristis – a snaggletooth shark.
• †Hemisurcula
• †Hesperotestudo – a tortoise.
• Heterodontus – a horn shark.
• Hexaplex – a murex snail.
• Hipponix – a hoof snail.
• Homo – humans.
• 

  Fossilized skull of the mammal Hyracotherium
  †Hyracotherium – an early horse-like mammal.
• Isurus – a mako shark.
• †Jefitchia – a fish.
• Kellia
• Kuphus – a shipworm.
• Laevicardium – a cockle.
• Lamna – a mackerel shark.
• Latirus
• Lepisosteus – a gar fish.
• Lima – a file clam.
• Limacina – a sea butterfly.
• 

  Living Limaria, or file shells
  Limaria – a file shell.
• Linga
• Litiopa
• Lopha – an oyster.
• Lophius – an anglerfish.
• Lucina – a clam.
• Lunularia – a bryozoan.
• Lyria – a lyre snail.
• Macrocallista – a venus clam.
• Mactra – a surf clam.
• †Mammut – a mastodon.
  • 

    Restoration of a Mammut americanum, or American mastodon
    †Mammut americanum – the American mastodon.
• Maretia
• Margaretta – a bryozoan.
• Marginella
• †Mastigophora – a bryozoan.
• Mathilda
• Megalonyx – a giant ground sloth.
  • †Megalonyx jeffersonii
• Melanella
• Mesalia
• 

  Restoration of the swamp rhinoceros Metamynodon
  †Metamynodon – a swamp rhinoceros.
  • †Metamynodon planifrons
• Metula
• †Miacis – an early carnivore.
• †Michela
• Microdrillia
• †Mimoperadectes – an opossum-like mammal.
• Mitra – a miter snail.
• Mitrella
• Modiolus – a horse mussel.
• Mulinia – a surf clam.
  • †Mulinia lateralis
• Murex – a murex snail.
• Murexiella
• Mustelus – a smooth-hound shark.
• Myliobatis – an eagle ray.
• 

  Life restoration of the ground sloth Mylodon
  †Mylodon – a ground sloth.
• †Nannippus – a small horse.
• Nassarius – a dog whelk.
• †Natchitochia – a fish.
• Natica – a moon snail.
• Naticarius – a moon snail.
• Nebrius – a nurse shark.
• Neverita – a moon snail.
• Niso
• Norrisia
• †Notiotitanops – a large, ancient mammal, first found here.
• Nucula – a nut clam.
• Oculina – a coral.
• Odontaspis – a sand tiger shark.
• Odostomia
• Oliva – an olive snail.
• †Ophiomorpha – fossil burrows made by shrimp.
• Ostrea – an oyster.
• †Otodus – a giant shark.
• †Oxyrhina – a mackerel shark.
• †Pachecoa
• 

  Restoration of the sea snake Palaeophis
  †Palaeophis – a giant sea snake.
• †Palaeosinopa – an ancient mammal.
• Panopea – a geoduck clam.
• Panthera – a big cat.
  • †Panthera leo – a lion.
• †Paramys – an early rodent.
• Pecten – a scallop.
• Penion
• †Peratherium – an opossum-like mammal.
• Petaloconchus – a worm snail.
• Phalium – a helmet snail.
• Philine
• Pholadomya – a clam.
• Pholas – a piddock clam.
• Phos
• Phyllodus – a fish.
• Phyllonotus – a murex snail.
• †Physogaleus – a shark.
• Pitar – a venus clam.
• 

  A living Platyrhina ray
  Platyrhina – a ray.
• Pleurofusia
  • †Pleurofusia fluctuosa
  • †Pleurofusia longirostropsis
• Pleuromeris
• †Pleurostoma
• Plicatula – a kittenpaw clam.
• Poirieria
• Polinices – a moon snail.
• Polyschides – a tusk shell.
• Porella – a bryozoan.
• †Potamides
• 

  A living Pristis sawfish
  Pristis – a sawfish.
• Prunum
• †Pseudolatirus
• Pseudoliva
• Pteria – a wing oyster.
• †Pterochelus
• Pterynotus
• Puncturella – a keyhole limpet.
• Pycnodonte – an oyster.
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the bony fish Pycnodus
  Pycnodus – a bony fish.
• Pyramidella
• Rangia – a clam.
• Raphitoma
• Reteporella – a bryozoan.
• Retusa – a bubble snail.
• Rhinobatos – a guitarfish.
• Rhinoptera – a cow-nosed ray.
• Rhynchoconger – a conger eel.
• Rictaxis
• Ringicula – a barrel bubble snail.
• Rissoina
• Sassia
• Scaphander – a bubble snail.
• Scapharca – an ark clam.
• Scaphella
• Schizaster – a sea urchin.
• Sconsia – a helmet snail.
• Scyliorhinus – a catshark.
• Seila
• Semele – a clam.
• 

  A living Semicassis helmet sea snail
  Semicassis – a helmet sea snail.
• †Seraphs
• Serpulorbis – a worm snail.
• Sigatica
• †Sinistrella
• Sinum – a ear snail.
• Siphonalia
• Siphonochelus
• Skena
• Solariella
• Solecurtus – a razor clam.
• Sphyraena – a barracuda.
• Spisula – a surf clam.
• Spondylus – a spiny oyster.
• †Striatolamia – a shark.
• Strioterebrum
• Strombiformis
• 

  Life restoration of the rhinoceros Subhyracodon
  †Subhyracodon – a cow-sized rhinoceros.
• Sveltella
• Syntomodrillia
  • †Syntomodrillia tantula
• †Teilhardina – a tiny primate.
  • †Teilhardina magnoliana
• Teinostoma
• Tellina – a tellin clam.
• Tenagodus – a worm snail.
• Terebra – an auger snail.
• Teredo – a shipworm.
• Terrapene – a box turtle.
  • †Terrapene carolina
• Thracia – a clam.
• Tornus – a sea snail.
• 

  Fossilized shell of a Trachycardium cockle
  Trachycardium – a cockle.
• Trigonostoma
• †Trinacria – a diatom (tiny algae).
• Triphora
• Trochita – a cup-and-saucer snail.
• †Trygon – a stingray.
• Turbonilla
  • †Turbonilla major
• Turricula
• Turris
• Turritella – a sea snail.
• Typhina
• Typhis
• †Uintacyon – an early carnivore.
• Umbraculum – a parasol snail.
• †Unitas
• Urosalpinx – an oyster drill snail.
• Ursus – a bear.
  • 

    A living Ursus americanus, or American black bear
    †Ursus americanus – the American black bear.
• †Vassacyon – an ancient carnivore.
• Vasum
• Venericardia – a clam.
• Venus – a clam.
• Verticordia
• Vexillum – a miter snail.
• Vitrinella
• †Viverravus – an early carnivore.
• Volema
• Xenophora – a carrier snail.
• †Xiphiorhynchus – a swordfish.
• Xylophaga – a wood-boring clam.
• Yoldia – a nut clam.
• 

  Life restoration of the whale Zygorhiza
  †Zygorhiza – an ancient whale.
  • †Zygorhiza kochii