List of the prehistoric life of Vermont facts for kids

This article is a list of the amazing prehistoric animals and plants whose fossils have been found in the state of Vermont. These fossils tell us about the ancient life that once lived here, long before humans existed! The `†` symbol next to a name means that the creature is now extinct, meaning it no longer lives on Earth.

Ancient Times: The Precambrian Era

The Paleobiology Database shows that no fossils from the Precambrian Era have been found in Vermont. This era was billions of years ago, and life was mostly very simple, like tiny single-celled organisms.

Life in the Paleozoic Era

The Paleozoic Era, which lasted from about 541 to 252 million years ago, was a time when many different kinds of life first appeared and thrived. Vermont was covered by ancient seas during much of this era, so many of the fossils found are marine (ocean) creatures.

Ancient Arthropods: Trilobites and More

Many fossils from the Paleozoic Era in Vermont belong to arthropods, especially trilobites. These ancient creatures were like distant relatives of modern crabs and insects. They had segmented bodies and hard exoskeletons.

• †Anomalocaris – This large, strange creature was a top predator in the Cambrian seas.

Restorative model of the Cambrian arthropod Anomalocaris

• †Bathynotus – Another type of trilobite found in Vermont.

Illustration of a fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Bathynotus

• †Ceraurus – A common trilobite from the Ordovician period.

Fossil of the Middle-Late Ordovician trilobite Ceraurus

• †Elrathia
• †Genevievella

Fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Genevievella

• †Hemirhodon

Fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Hemirhodon

• †Isotelus – Known for being one of the largest trilobites.

Fossil of the Middle-Late Ordovician giant trilobite Isotelus'.

• †Kootenia

Fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Kootenia

• †Mesonacis

Fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Mesonacis

• †Olenellus – A very important trilobite for dating rocks from the Cambrian period.

Restoration of the Cambrian trilobite Olenellus

• †Protocaris – An ancient crustacean, a type of arthropod.

Illustration of a fossil of the Cambrian crustacean Protocaris

• †Ptychagnostus – A small, blind trilobite.

Fossil of the Cambrian trilobite Ptychagnostus

• †Tuzoia – Another type of ancient arthropod with a large, bivalved shell.

Fossilized shell of the Cambrian arthropod Tuzoia

Ancient Cephalopods: Nautiloids

Cephalopods are a group of molluscs that include modern-day squids and octopuses. In the Paleozoic, many had straight or coiled shells.

• †Baltoceras
• †Cameroceras – A very large, straight-shelled nautiloid.

Restoration of the Middle Ordovician-Silurian nautiloid cephalopod Cameroceras feeding on an Aphetoceras, while a quartet of Cyclostomiceras swim by

• †Cassinoceras
• †Endoceras
• †Gonioceras
• †Orthoceras
• †Tarphyceras
• †Trocholites

Other Marine Life

The ancient seas of Vermont were home to many other fascinating creatures:

• †Constellaria – A type of bryozoan, which are tiny colonial animals that build branching or crust-like structures.

Fossil of the Ordovician bryozoan Constellaria

• †Eocystites – An early echinoderm, related to modern starfish and sea urchins.

Life restoration of the Cambrian echinoderm relative Eocystites

• †Hyolithes – These creatures had cone-shaped shells and are thought to be related to brachiopods or molluscs.

Fossilized shells of the Cambrian-Permian brachiopod relative Hyolitha

• †Lingulella – A type of brachiopod, which are shelled marine animals that look a bit like clams but are different inside.

Illustration of a fossilized shell of the Cambrian-Late Ordovician brachiopod Lingulella

• †Maclurites – A large, coiled snail (gastropod).
• †Scenella – An early mollusc with a simple cap-shaped shell.

Fossils of the Cambrian mollusc Scenella

• †Sphaerocodium – These were ancient blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which formed layered structures.

Assemblage of fossils of the Ordovician-Triassic blue-green alga Sphaerocodium

• †Stromatocerium – A type of stromatoporoid, which were sponge-like colonial animals that built reefs.

Life in the Mesozoic Era

The Paleobiology Database shows that no fossils from the Mesozoic Era have been found in Vermont. This era is famous for dinosaurs, but Vermont's geology at the time didn't preserve many fossils.

Life in the Cenozoic Era

The Cenozoic Era, which began about 66 million years ago and continues today, is sometimes called the "Age of Mammals." In Vermont, many Cenozoic fossils come from the Ice Age, when glaciers covered much of the state.

Ice Age Mammals

During the last Ice Age, large mammals roamed North America, and some of their remains have been found in Vermont.

• †Mammuthus primigenius – This is the famous woolly mammoth, a giant elephant-like animal covered in thick fur. Their fossils tell us about the cold climate of Vermont long ago.

Marine Life from Ancient Seas

After the glaciers melted, a large body of saltwater called the Champlain Sea covered parts of Vermont. This sea was home to many marine animals, some of which are still alive today.

• †Delphinapterus leucas – The beluga whale, a white whale that still lives in cold northern waters.

A living Delphinapterus leucas, or beluga whale

• †Hiatella arctica – A type of clam that lives in cold waters.
• †Macoma balthica and †Macoma calcarea – Different species of small clams.
• †Mya arenaria – The soft-shell clam, a common clam found today.

A modern Mya arenaria, or soft-shell clam

• †Mytilus edulis – The blue mussel, a type of shellfish.
• †Portlandia glacialis – Another clam species, often found in icy waters.
• †Pusa hispida – The ringed seal, a small seal that lives in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters.

A living Pusa hispida, or ringed seal

• †Thyasira gouldii – A small, round clam.

Ancient Plants

Fossils of various plants have also been found, giving us clues about Vermont's ancient forests and environments.

• Alangium
• †Caldesia
• Carya (Hickory)
• Cleyera
• †Gordonia
• Ilex (Holly)
• †Illicium (Star Anise)
• Magnolia
• †Nyssa (Tupelo)
• †Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper)
• Persea (Avocado relative)
• †Phellodendron (Cork Tree)
• Quercus (Oak)
• Rubus (Blackberry/Raspberry)
• †Sargentodoxa barghoorniana
• Symplocos
• †Turpinia
• Vitis (Grape)
• Zanthoxylum (Prickly Ash)