List of the prehistoric life of North Dakota facts for kids

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

Precambrian

The Paleobiology Database records no known occurrences of Precambrian fossils in North Dakota.

Paleozoic

• †Acrotreta
  • †Acrotreta attica – or unidentified comparable form
• †Amphipora
• †Apatokephalus
• †Apheoorthis
  • †Apheoorthis ocha
• †Arthroclema
  • †Arthroclema brevis
  • †Arthroclema pentagonalis
• †Arthrotrypa
  • †Arthrotrypa ovata
• †Aulacoparia
• †Benthamaspis
• †Bucanella
  • †Bucanella nana – or unidentified related form
• †Ceratopea
  • †Ceratopea sinclairensis
• †Drepanodus
• †Euconia
  • †Euconia conicus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Finkelnburgia
• †Hystricurus
  • †Hystricurus crassilimbatus
• †Kainella
• †Lecanospira
• †Licnocephala
• 

  Illustration of a fossilized shell of the Cambrian-Late Ordovician brachiopod Lingulella
  †Lingulella
  • †Lingulella ibicus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Lloydia
  • †Lloydia formosa
• †Macluritella – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †Macluritella ornata – type locality for species
• †Nanorthis
  • †Nanorthis putilla
• †Nematoporella
  • †Nematoporella falcata
  • †Nematoporella ulrichi
• †Psalikilus
• †Raphistomina
• †Reubenella
• †Sceptropora
  • †Sceptropora facula
  • †Sceptropora florida
• †Schizambon
  • †Schizambon discoidea
• †Strigigenalis
• †Syntrophina
  • †Syntrophina nana
• †Thamnopora
• †Tropidodiscus
• †Ulrichostylus
  • †Ulrichostylus costatus
  • †Ulrichostylus dakotensis

Mesozoic

• Acipenser
• †Adocus
• †Aletridelphys
  • †Aletridelphys florencae
• 

  Restorative model of the Late Cretaceous mammal Alphadon
  †Alphadon
  • †Alphadon marshi
• †Altacreodus
  • †Altacreodus magnus
• †Amersinia
  • †Amersinia FU082 – informal
  • †Amersinia FU82 – informal
• †Amesoneuron
  • †Amesoneuron FU037 – informal
  • †Amesoneuron FU37 – informal
• †Ampelopsis
  • †Ampelopsis acerifolia
• †Anomia
  • †Anomia gryphorhyncha
• †Anzu
  • †Anzu wyliei
• †Araliaephyllum
  • †Araliaephyllum polevoi
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous sea turtle Archelon
  †Archelon
• †Artocarpus
  • †Artocarpus lessigiana
• †Asimina
  • †Asimina knowltonia
• Aspideretes
• Atractosteus
• †Avisaurus – or unidentified comparable form
  • †Avisaurus archibaldi
• †Axestemys
  • †Axestemys splendida
• Azolla
  • †Azolla gigantea – type locality for species
• †Basilemys
  • †Basilemys sinuosa
• †Belonostomus
  • †Belonostomus longirostris
• †Bisonia
  • †Bisonia niemii
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous crocodilian Borealosuchus
  †Borealosuchus
  • †Borealosuchus sternbergii
• †Boremys
• †Brachychampsa
  • †Brachychampsa montana
• Campeloma
  • †Campeloma acroterion
• Carcharias
• †Carpites
  • †Carpites ulmiformis
  • †Carpites verrucosus
• †Cedrobaena
  • †Cedrobaena brinkman
  • †Cedrobaena putorius
• †Celastrus
  • †Celastrus taurenensis
• †Ceratophyllum
  • †Ceratophyllum FU080 – informal
• †Cercidiphyllales
  • †Cercidiphyllales HC355 – informal
• Cercidiphyllum
  • †Cercidiphyllum ellipticum
  • †Cercidiphyllum genetrix
  • †Cercidiphyllum HC124 – informal
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous-Eocene choristoderan reptile Champsosaurus
  †Champsosaurus
  • †Champsosaurus laramiensis
• †Cimolodon
  • †Cimolodon nitidus
• Cinnamomum
  • †Cinnamomum lineafolia
• †Cissites
  • †Cissites acerifolia
  • †Cissites insignis
  • †Cissites lobata
  • †Cissites puilosokensis
• †Clisocolus
  • †Clisocolus moreauensis
• †Cocculus
  • †Cocculus flabella
• †Compsemys – type locality for genus
  • †Compsemys victa – type locality for species
• †Corbulamella
  • †Corbulamella inornata
• †Coriops
  • †Coriops amnicolus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Cornophyllum
  • †Cornophyllum newberryi
• Cornus – or unidentified related form
• †Crassatellina
  • †Crassatellina hollandi
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Cretaceous-modern oyster Crassostrea
  Crassostrea
• †Crenella
  • †Crenella elegantula
• Cucullaea
  • †Cucullaea nebrascensis
• †Cupressinocladus
  • †Cupressinocladus interruptus
• †Cuspidaria
  • †Cuspidaria ventricosa
• †Cyclurus
  • †Cyclurus fragosus
• †Cymbophora
  • †Cymbophora warrenana
• †Cypercites – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• †Dalbergites – or unidentified related form
  • †Dalbergites simplex
• †Dammarites
  • †Dammarites HC257 – informal
• Dicotylophyllum
  • †Dicotylophyllum anomalum
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous marsupial relative Didelphodon
  †Didelphodon
  • †Didelphodon vorax
• †Dosiniopsis
  • †Dosiniopsis deweyi
• †Dryophyllum
  • †Dryophyllum subfalcatum
  • †Dryophyllum tenneseensis
  • †Dryophyllum tennesseensis
  • †Dryophyllum tennessensis
• †Edmontosaurus
  • 

    Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous duck-billed dinosaur Edmontosaurus annectens
    †Edmontosaurus annectens
• †Elasmodus
• †Elatides
  • †Elatides longifolia
• †Emarginachelys
  • †Emarginachelys cretacea
• †Enchodus
• †Equisetum
  • †Equisetum FU036 – informal
  • †Equisetum FU36 – informal
• †Erlingdorfia
  • †Erlingdorfia montana
• †Essonodon
  • †Essonodon browni
• †Ethmocardium
  • †Ethmocardium whitei
• Ficus
  • †Ficus planicostata
• †Fokieniopsis
  • †Fokieniopsis catenulata
• †Gamerabaena – type locality for genus
  • †Gamerabaena sonsalla – type locality for species
• †Gilmoremys
  • †Gilmoremys lancensis
• 

  Fossilized leaf of the Permian-modern tree Ginkgo
  Ginkgo
  • †Ginkgo adiantoides
• †Glasbius
  • †Glasbius twitchelli
• Glyptostrobus
  • †Glyptostrobus europaeus
  • †Glyptostrobus HC9 – informal
• †Goniomya
  • †Goniomya americana
• †Grammatodon
  • †Grammatodon sulcatinus
• †Grewiopsis
  • †Grewiopsis saportana
• †Gypsonictops
  • †Gypsonictops illuminatus
• †Gyrostrea
  • †Gyrostrea subtrigonalis
• †Habrosaurus
  • †Habrosaurus dilatus
• †Harmsia
  • †Harmsia hydrocotyloidea
• †Helopanoplia
  • †Helopanoplia distincta
• †Hoplochelys
  • †Hoplochelys clark – type locality for species
• 

  Fossilized shell of the Late Cretaceous ammonoid cephalopod Hoploscaphites
  †Hoploscaphites
  • †Hoploscaphites nicolletii
• †Hummelichelys
  • †Hummelichelys foveatus
• †Humulus
  • †Humulus HC243 – informal
• †Hydropteris
  • †Hydropteris pinnata
• †Hypoxytoma
  • †Hypoxytoma nebrascana
• †Inoceramus – tentative report
• †Ischyodus
  • †Ischyodus rayhaasi – type locality for species
• †Ischyrhiza
  • †Ischyrhiza avonicola
• †Judithemys
  • †Judithemys backmani
• Juglans – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †Juglans arctica
• 

  A modern Lamna mackerel shark
  Lamna
  • †Lamna mediavia
• †Laurophyllum
  • †Laurophyllum lanceolatum
  • †Laurophyllum wardiana
• †Leepierceia
  • †Leepierceia preartocarpoides
• †Lemnaceae
  • †Lemnaceae scutatum
• Lepisosteus
  • †Lepisosteus occidentalis
• Limopsis
  • †Limopsis striatopunctatus
• †Lioplacodes
• †Liriodendrites
  • †Liriodendrites bradacii
• 

  Foliage and flower of a living Liriodendron tulipifera, or American Tulip-tree
  †Liriodendron – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †Liriodendron laramiense
• †Lisserpeton
  • †Lisserpeton bairdi – or unidentified comparable form
• †Lonchidion
  • †Lonchidion selachos
• †Macclintockia – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
  • †Macclintockia electilis
• Malletia
  • †Malletia evansi
• Marchantia
  • †Marchantia pealii
• †Marmarthia
  • †Marmarthia johnsonii
  • †Marmarthia pearsonii
  • †Marmarthia trivalis
  • †Marmarthia trivialis
• †Melvius
  • †Melvius thomasi
• 

  Fossilized skull of the Late Cretaceous multituberculate mammal Meniscoessus
  †Meniscoessus
  • †Meniscoessus robustus
• †Mesocyparis
  • †Mesocyparis borealis
• †Mesodma
  • †Mesodma thompsoni
• Metasequoia
  • †Metasequoia HC035 – informal
  • †Metasequoia HC35 – informal
  • †Metasequoia occidentalis
• †Modiolus
  • †Modiolus galpinianus
• †Myledaphus
  • †Myledaphus bipartitus
• Myliobatis
• Myrica
  • †Myrica torreyi
• 

  A living Nelumbo lotus
  †Nelumbo
  • †Nelumbo FU062 – informal
  • †Nelumbo FU085 – informal
  • †Nelumbo FU62 – informal
  • †Nelumbo HC202 – informal
• †Neurankylus
• †Nilsonia
  • †Nilsonia yukonensis
• †Nilssoniocladus
  • †Nilssoniocladus comtula
  • †Nilssoniocladus yukonensis
• †Nordenskioldia
  • †Nordenskioldia borealis
• 

  Interior of a fossilized shell of the Early Ordovician-modern marine bivalve Nucula
  Nucula
  • †Nucula obsoletastriata
  • †Nucula planomarginata
• Nuculana
  • †Nuculana scitula
  • †Nuculana tarensis
• †Nyssidium
  • †Nyssidium arcticum
• Odontaspis
  • †Odontaspis macrota
• †Ophiomorpha
• †Opisthotriton
  • †Opisthotriton kayi
• †Osmunda
  • †Osmunda hollicki
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous dome-headed dinosaur Pachycephalosaurus
  †Pachycephalosaurus
  • †Pachycephalosaurus wyomingensis
• †Palaeosaniwa
  • †Palaeosaniwa canadensis
• †Palatobaena
  • †Palatobaena cohen – type locality for species
• †Paleoaster
  • †Paleoaster inquirenda
• †Paloreodoxites
  • †Paloreodoxites plicatus
• Panopea
  • †Panopea occidentalis
• †Paranymphaea
  • †Paranymphaea crassifolia
  • †Paranymphaea hastata
• 

  Electron micrograph of the fossilized teeth in multiple views of the Late Cretaceous theropod dinosaur Paronychodon
  †Paronychodon
  • †Paronychodon lacustris
• Periploma
  • †Periploma subgracile
• †Phelopteria
  • †Phelopteria linguaeformis
• †Philodendron
  • †Philodendron HC201 – informal
• Physa
• †Piceoerpeton
• †Pistia
  • †Pistia corrugata
• †Platanites
  • †Platanites marginata
• Platanus
  • †Platanus raynoldsii
• 

  Restoration of the Late Cretaceous mosasaur Platecarpus
  †Platecarpus
• †Plesiobaena
  • †Plesiobaena antiqua
  • †Plesiobaena antiquus
• †Plioplatecarpus
• Populus
  • †Populus nebrascensis
• †Protocardia
  • †Protocardia subquadrata
• †Protochelydra
• †Pseudoptera
  • †Pseudoptera subtortuosa
• †Pterospermites
  • †Pterospermites cordata
• †Quereuxia
  • †Quereuxia angulata
• †Rhamnus
  • †Rhamnus cleburni
  • †Rhamnus salicifolius
• †Richardoestesia
  • †Richardoestesia isosceles
• †Salvinia
  • †Salvinia HC312 – informal
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous dromaeosaurid Saurornitholestes preying upon a multituberculate mammal
  †Saurornitholestes
• †Scapanorhynchus – tentative report
• †Scapherpeton
  • †Scapherpeton tectum
• †Scaphites
  • †Scaphites corvensis
  • †Scaphites mariasensis
• †Sequoia
  • †Sequoia HC070 – informal
  • †Sequoia HC70 – informal
  • †Sequoia obovata – or unidentified comparable form
• †Sourimis
  • †Sourimis equilateralis
• 

  Shells in differing orientations of Sphaerium freshwater clams
  Sphaerium
• †Squatirhina
  • †Squatirhina americana
• †Syncyclonema
  • †Syncyclonema halli
• †Tancredia
  • †Tancredia americana
• Taxodium
  • †Taxodium HC071 – informal
  • †Taxodium olrikii
• †Tellinimera
  • †Tellinimera scitula
• 

  Life restoration of the Late Cretaceous herbivorous dinosaur Thescelosaurus
  †Thescelosaurus
  • †Thescelosaurus neglectus
• †Thoracosaurus
  • †Thoracosaurus neocesariensis
• †Torosaurus
  • †Torosaurus latus
• †Trachodon
• †Triceratops
  • †Triceratops horridus
  • †Triceratops prorsus
• †Trochodendroides
  • †Trochodendroides nebrascensis
• †Troodon
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous tyrannosaur Tyrannosaurus
  †Tyrannosaurus
  • †Tyrannosaurus rex
• †Vetericardiella
  • †Vetericardiella crenalirata
• Vitis
  • †Vitis stantonii
• †Zingiberopsis
  • †Zingiberopsis attenuata
  • †Zingiberopsis magnifolia
• Ziziphus
  • †Ziziphus fibrillosus

Cenozoic

Selected Cenozoic taxa of North Dakota

• Acer
• †Aesculus
• †Agnotocastor
• †Aletodon
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Late Cretaceous-Oligocene Alligator relative Allognathosuchus
  †Allognathosuchus – type locality for genus
• Amia
• †Ampelopsis
• †Archaeocyon
• †Archaeotherium
• †Arctocyon
• Azolla
• †Batrachosauroides
• Betula
• †Bisonalveus
• †Borealosuchus
  • †Borealosuchus formidabilis – type locality for species
• †Bothriodon
• 

  Restorative portrait of the Miocene oreodont mammal Brachycrus
  †Brachycrus
• †Cabomba
• †Cantius
  • †Cantius frugivorus
• Carya
• Celtis
• †Ceratophyllum
• Cercidiphyllum
• †Champsosaurus
• Cocculus
• †Coniophis
• Cornus
• 

  A living Corylus, or hazel
  †Corylus
• †Coryphodon
• †Credneria
• Cyclocarya
• †Daphoenus
• †Davidia
• †Dennstaedtia
• †Diacodexis – tentative report
• †Diceratherium
• †dicot
• †Didymictis
• 

  Life restoration of the Eocene-Miocene false saber-toothed cat Dinictis. Robert Bruce Horsfall (1913).
  †Dinictis
• †Dissacus
• †Dombeya
• †Domnina
• †Echmatemys
• †Ectocion
• †Elliptio
• †Elomeryx
• †Equisetum
• †Error
• †Eucommia
• Ficus
• †Fraxinus
• Ginkgo
  • 

    Restored foliage of the Late Cretaceous-Miocene ginkgo tree Ginkgo adiantoides
    †Ginkgo adiantoides
• Glyptostrobus
  • †Glyptostrobus europaeus
• †Helodermoides
• Hemitelia
• †Herpetotherium
  • †Herpetotherium fugax – or unidentified comparable form
• †Hesperocyon
• †Homogalax
• †Hydromystria
• †Hyopsodus
• †Hypertragulus
• †Hyracodon
• 

  Fossilized skeleton of the Eocene-Oligocene rodent Ischyromys
  †Ischyromys
• †Joffrichthys
• Juglans
• †Kalmia – report made of unidentified related form or using admittedly obsolete nomenclature
• †Lemnaceae
• Lepisosteus
• †Leptauchenia
• †Leptictis
• †Leptomeryx
• Lygodium
• Marchantia
• 

  Mounted fossilized skeleton of the Miocene-Pleistocene ground sloth Megalonyx
  †Megalonyx
  • †Megalonyx jeffersonii
• †Meliosma
• †Merychyus
• †Merycochoerus
• †Merycoidodon
• †Mesodma
  • †Mesodma pygmaea
• †Mesohippus
• †Metamynodon
• Metasequoia
  • †Metasequoia occidentalis
• †Miacis
• †Microcosmodon
• †Microsyops
• †Mimetodon
• †Miniochoerus
• †Miohippus
• †Nanotragulus
• 

  A living Nelumbo lotus
  †Nelumbo
  • †Nelumbo aureavallis – type locality for species
• †Neoplagiaulax
  • †Neoplagiaulax hunteri
  • †Neoplagiaulax mckennai
• †Nephrops
• †Nototeredo
• †Nyssa
• †Onoclea
• †Ophiomorpha
• †Oreithyia
• †Osbornodon
• †Osmunda
• †Oxyacodon
• †Palaeolagus
• †Palaeoryctes
• †Palaeosinopa
• †Paramys
• †Parectypodus
  • †Parectypodus lunatus
• 

  Fossilized skull of the Eocene-Oligocene lizard Peltosaurus
  †Peltosaurus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Phenacodus
• †Piceoerpeton
• Pinus
  • †Pinus peregrinus – type locality for species
• Platanus
• Platycarya
• †Plesiadapis
• †Poebrotherium
• Populus
• †Prochetodon
  • †Prochetodon foxi
• 

  Life restoration of a female (left) and male of the Oligocene-Miocene even-toed ungulate Protoceras. Charles R. Knight (1896).
  †Protoceras – tentative report
• †Protochelydra
  • †Protochelydra zangerli
• †Protungulatum
• †Psidium – tentative report
• Pterocarya
• †Ptilodus
  • †Ptilodus kummae
  • †Ptilodus montanus
  • †Ptilodus wyomingensis
• Quercus
• Rhineura – or unidentified comparable form
• Sagittaria
• †Salvinia
• †Saniwa
  • †Saniwa ensidens – or unidentified comparable form
• †Scapherpeton
• †Selaginella
• †Simoedosaurus
• †Sparganium
• †Spathorhynchus – or unidentified comparable form
• †Stillingia
• †Subhyracodon
• Taxodium
• †Teilhardina
• Thamnophis
• †Thuja
• 

  Life restoration of the Paleocene pantodont mammal Titanoides
  †Titanoides
  • †Titanoides primaevus – type locality for species
• †Trapa
• †Trigonias
• †Viburnum
• †Wannaganosuchus – type locality for genus
  • †Wannaganosuchus brachymanus – type locality for species
• †Woodwardia