Most American states have made a state fossil designation, in many cases during the 1980s. It is common to designate one species in which fossilization has occurred, rather than a single specimen, or a category of fossils not limited to a single species.
Some states that lack an explicit state fossil have nevertheless singled out a fossil for formal designation as a state dinosaur, rock, gem or stone.
Table of state fossils
Candidate or considered fossils
For fossils that were candidates or were considered for states.
State federal district or territory |
Age | Common name | Binomial nomenclature |
Image | Adoption date |
---|
States lacking a state fossil and candidates
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Giant beaver (Castoroides ohioensis)[27]
- Brachiopod (Rynchotrema)
- Bison occidentalis
- Trilobite[27]
- New Hampshire
- American mastodon (Mammut americanum)[28]
- Rhode Island
See also
- List of U.S. state dinosaurs
- List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, and gemstones
- Lists of U.S. state insignia
References
- ^ "Official State of Alabama Fossil". Alabama Emblems, Symbols and Honors. Alabama Department of Archives & History. August 2, 2005. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
- ^ "Georgia State Fossil". State Symbols, State Fossil. e-Reference Desk. March 30, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ Illinois State Symbols, Department of Natural Resources, retrieved May 20, 2019
- ^ https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/state-fossils/18626
- ^ "List of State Fossils". State Symbols, State Fossil. Fossilera. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ "Kentucky State Symbols". Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives. March 30, 2007. Archived from the original on January 28, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
- ^ "Louisiana State Fossil". State Symbols, State Fossil. e-Reference Desk. March 8, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
- ^ "Maryland's Official State Fossil Shell". Maryland Geological Survey. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
- ^ Fossil whale: State Fossil of Mississippi (PDF), Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, 1991, retrieved May 9, 2019
- ^ https://statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/nevada/state-dinosaur-fossil/ichthyosaur
- ^ http://www.ereferencedesk.com/resources/state-fossil/nevada.html
- ^ "Fossil, Fossilized Teeth of the Megalodon Shark | NCpedia". ncpedia.org. Retrieved March 17, 2016.
- ^ "5.071 State invertebrate fossil", Ohio Revised Code, retrieved February 9, 2021
- ^ "5.078 Official fossil fish of the state", Ohio Revised Code, retrieved February 9, 2021
- ^ "Oklahoma State Fossil | Saurophaganax Maximus". statesymbolsusa.org. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ^ "South Carolina Fossil". WLTX. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
- ^ Utah State Fossil - Allosaurus from pioneer.utah.gov "Pioneer - Utah's Online Library" page. Retrieved on September 8, 2008
- ^ Vermont has both a state terrestrial fossil and a state marine fossil.
- ^ a b "Vermont State Terrestrial Fossil". E Reference Desk. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ "Mammoth Tusk Discovered 1865". Brattleboro History. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
- ^ http://leg.wa.gov/Symbols/ WA State Symbols
- ^ http://www.herald-dispatch.com/homepage/x112312085 Manchins signs bills involving snakes, fossils, research into law
- ^ "Wisconsin State Symbols". State of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on January 12, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2011.
- ^ "Indiana State Fossil". 500 Earth Sciences CLub. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ Polly, D., 2012. Crinoids from Cambrian to Crawfordsville. 500 Earth Sciences Lecture Series.
- ^ "Iowa to consider recognizing official state fossil". The Seattle Times. January 23, 2018.
- ^ a b "Minnesota State Symbols—Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious". Minnesota Legislature.
- ^ Carlson, Brady (January 6, 2015). "Granite Geek: Will The Mastodon Become New Hampshire's Official State Fossil?". New Hampshire Public Radio.
External links
- [1] List of U.S. state fossils, from National Park Service.