Fossils of many kinds are represented among the state fossils, rocks, minerals and gemstones. While most states have selected mammals or dinosaurs, fossil plants and invertebrates are also well represented. There are dinosaurs and shark teeth selected as well. Here is the complete list.
The following state fossils are of mammals:
- Alabama fossil: Basilosaurus whale (Basilosaurus cetoides)
- Alaska fossil: Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius)
- California fossil: Saber-toothed cat (Smilodon fatalis)
- Idaho fossil: Hagerman horse (Equus simplicidens)
- Michigan fossil: American mastodon (Mammut americanum)
- Mississippi fossil: Basilosaurus and Zygorhiza whales (Basilosaurus cetoides, Zygorhiza kochii)
- Nebraska fossil: Woolly Mammoth, Columbian Mammoth, Imperial Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius, Mammuthus columbi, Mammuthus imperator)
- Vermont fossil: Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
- Washington fossil: Columbian Mammoth (Mammuthus columbi)
- West Virginia fossil: Jefferson’s ground sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii)
Dinosaurs are well represented among the state fossils:
- Colorado fossil: Stegosaurus (Stegosaurus stenops)
- New Jersey fossil: duck-billed dinosaur (Hadrosaurus foulkii)
- New Mexico fossil: Coelophysis (Coelophysis bauri) one of earliest dino
- Montana fossil: Duck-billed dinosaur (Maiasaura peeblesorum)
- Oklahoma fossil: Saurophaganax (Saurophaganax maximus) allosaur
- South Dakota fossil: Triceratops (Triceratops horridus)
- Texas dinosaur: Pleurocoelus (Pleurocoelus nanus)
- Washington, D.C. dinosaur: “Capitalsaurus” (nomen nudum only)
- Utah fossil: Allosaurus (Allosaurus fragilis)
Two fish fossils, and shark teeth themselves are among the state fossils:
- Georgia fossil: shark tooth (undetermined)
- Nevada fossil: Shonisaurus (Shonisaurus popularis) an ichthyosaur
- Wyoming fossil: Knightia (Knightia) a fish
Two states have chosen dinosaur sign as their state fossils:
- Connecticut fossil: dinosaur tracks (Eubrontes giganteus)
- Maryland fossil: dinosaur tracks (undetermined)
The following state fossils, gemstone, stone, rocks and mineral are from the plant kingdom:
- Arizona fossil: petrified wood (Araucarioxylon arizonicum)
- Arizona rock: Petrified wood
- Louisiana fossil: petrified palmwood (Palmoxylon)
- Louisiana rock: Petrified palmwood
- Maine fossil: Pertica plant (Pertica quadrifaria)
- Mississippi rock: Petrified wood
- North Dakota fossil: shipworm-bored petrified wood (Teredo petrified wood)
- North Dakota mineral: Teredo Wood
- Oregon fossil: Dawn redwood (Metasequoia occidentalis)
- Texas stone: Oligocene petrified palmwood
- Washington gemstone: Petrified wood
The remains of invertebrates are included among the state fossils:
- Delaware fossil: Belemnite (Belemnitella americana)
- Illinois fossil: Tully Monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium) invertebrate
- Kentucky fossil: brachiopod (undetermined)
- Maryland fossil: murex snail / gastropod (Ecphora gardnerae Massachusetts)
- Michigan stone: Petoskey stone fossilized coral
- Missouri fossil: Sea lily (Delocrinus missouriensis)
- New York fossil: sea scorpion (Eurypterus remipes)
- Ohio fossil: trilobite (Isotelus maximus)
- Pennsylvania fossil: trilobite (Phacops rana)
- Tennessee fossil: bivalve (Pterotrigonia thoracica)
- Virginia fossil: scallop (Chesapecten jeffersonius)
- West Virginia gemstone: Silicified Mississippian fossil coral
- Wisconsin fossil: trilobite (Calymene celebra)
If you travel to these states, you should be able to pick up examples of many of the smaller fossils and petrified wood at rock shops or in tourist areas. For the rarer and larger state fossils and dinosaurs, you should at least be able to find postcards picturing these fossils.