Dinosaurs and other fossils found in California

What dinosaurs have been found in California?

The Paleobiology Database records 6 dinosaur genera from California. Those with the most fossil records there are Ichthyornis.

Dinosaurs found in California (6 genera)

Ichthyornis and 5 more genera without a page here: Aletopelta, Anchisauripus, Augustynolophus, Grallator, Navahopus.

Prehistoric birds (199 genera)

Phalacrocorax, Buteo, Gavia, Anas, Puffinus, Corvus, Larus, Melanitta, Podiceps, Uria, Branta, Aythya, Synthliboramphus, Phoebastria, Aechmophorus, Fratercula, Numenius, Mancalla, Pelecanus, Morus, Antigone, Callipepla, Haliaeetus, Tyto, Ardenna, Asio, Bucephala, Grus, Ardea, Limosa, Tringa, Gymnogyps, Bubo, Charadrius, Diomedea, Fulica, Sula, Brachyramphus, Calidris, Spatula, Mergus, Cerorhinca, Athene, Limnodromus, Cepphus, Aquila, Rissa, Oxyura, Neophrontops, Phoenicopterus, Agelaius, Buteogallus, Pelagornis, Turdus, Ciconia, Podilymbus, Spizaetus, Mareca, Avipeda, Cygnus, Recurvirostra, Miomancalla, Junco, Megapaloelodus, Gallinago, Sterna, Egretta, Actitis, Plegadis, Bonasa, Tadorna, Mycteria, Butorides, Pandion, Cyrtonyx, Geranoaetus, Stercorarius, Aramus, Vultur, Lithornis, Palaeoscinis, Plotopterum, Hadrogyps, Megalodytes · 115 more genera recorded.

Pterosaurs (1 genera)

Pteraichnus.

Ichthyosaurs (4 genera)

Ichthyosaurus · 3 more genera recorded.

Plesiosaurs & kin (6 genera)

Morenosaurus, Nothosaurus, Hydrotherosaurus, Fresnosaurus, Aphrosaurus, Plesiosaurus.

Mosasaurs (4 genera)

Prognathodon · 3 more genera recorded.

Crocodile relatives (1 genera)

Tomistoma.

Pre-mammals (synapsids) (1 genera)

1 more genera recorded.

Ice Age & later mammals (550 genera)

Equus, Dipodomys, Thomomys, Sylvilagus, Sigmodon, Hypolagus, Camelops, Pliohippus, Arctocephalus, Mammuthus, Mammut, Perognathus, Hemiauchenia, Desmostylus, Leptoreodon, Peradectes, Odocoileus, Acritohippus, Herpetotherium, Uintasorex, Scaphohippus, Scapanus, Protoreodon, Megalonyx, Dinohippus, Lepus, Bison, Protylopus, Herpetocetus, Batodonoides, Imagotaria, Gomphotherium, Borophagus, Archaeohippus, Paramylodon, Dusisiren, Capromeryx, Hipparion, Brachycrus, Plesippus, Sorex, Tamias, Reithrodontomys, Enhydra, Merycodus, Pithanotaria, Allodesmus, Merychyus, Leptocyon, Paratomarctus, Aenocyon, Puma, Platygonus, Aphelops, Callorhinus, Neohipparion, Microtomarctus, Phenacodus, Aelurodon, Hydrodamalis, Nothrotherium, Tetrameryx, Metarhinus, Amynodon, Spermophilus, Otospermophilus, Paleoparadoxia, Hypohippus, Erethizon, Ustatochoerus, Smilodon, Epicyon, Megahippus, Apatemys, Dusignathus, Omomys, Nototamias, Vulpes, Balaenoptera, Antilocapra, Euceratherium, Duchesneodus, Protolabis, Sespia, Michenia, Paracosoryx, Castor, Zalophus, Merychippus, Titanotylopus, Tomarctus, Pontolis, Procyon, Arctodus, Notiosorex, Parahippus, Pseudaelurus, Neotamias, Cormohipparion, Valenictus, Amynodontopsis, Repomys, Mustela, Amphicyon, Aplodontia, Hippotherium, Thalassoleon, Ischyrocyon, Nothrotheriops, Phlaocyon, Scaldicetus, Lycophocyon, Tanymykter, Triplopus, Microsyops, Nannocetus, Paronychomys, Ammospermophilus, Plesiadapis, Barbourofelis, Miacis, Menoceras, Neogale, Kentriodon, Parapontoporia, Peraceras, Cynarctus, Achaenodon, Felis, Ovis, Cervus, Mesoplodon, Tamiasciurus, Tapocyon, Semirostrum, Balaenula, Merriamoceros, Osbornodon, Serbelodon, Ramoceros, Messapicetus, Liolithax, Pseudotomus, Ticholeptus, Zarhinocetus, Tursiops, Homotherium, Hyaenodon, Enaliarctos, Eschrichtius, Stegomastodon, Subhyracodon, Nimravides, Cynelos, Miotapirus, Cantius, Dioplotherium, Plithocyon, Cynarctoides, Mesocyon, Hypertragulus, Neoparadoxia, Mimomys, Pelagiarctos, Brachypsalis, Martinogale, Protomarctus, Mixocetus, Osodobenus, Parvicornus, Metalopex, Monosaulax, Nanotragulus, Trigonictis, Marmota, Sciurus, Eubalaena, Uintatherium, Microdipodops, Baiomys, Chaetodipus, Geomys, Cryptotis, Tremarctos, Oreamnos, Miohippus, Hippidion, Nimravus, Epihippus, Hyopsodus, Stenomylus, Diceratherium, Metaxytherium, Odobenus, Plionarctos, Gomphotaria, Megatylopus, Pliometanastes, Pliopedia, Allodelphis, Cranioceras, Desmatippus, Ignacius, Plesiogulo, Aletomeryx, Macrodelphinus, Metatomarctus, Dipoides, Diprionomys, Miotylopus, Paracynarctus, Stockoceros, Neoplagiaulax, Pinnarctidion, Titanotaria, Cuyamacamelus, Desmatochoerus, Homo, Lontra, Hydrochoerus, Berardius, Mesohippus, Eptesicus, Machairodus, Tadarida, Desmodus, Livyatan, Moropus, Cetotherium, Urocitellus, Callospermophilus, Hoplophoneus, Anchitherium, Hyrachyus, Palaeolagus, Ptilodus, Indarctos, Amphimachairodus, Archaeocyon, Elomeryx, Trogosus, Chrysocyon, Meniscotherium, Mesodma, Daphoenus, Harpagolestes, Ilingoceros, Mylohyus, Palaeolama, Rhynchotherium, Apataelurus, Dissacus, Eutamias, Limnocyon, Aulophyseter, Daphoenodon, Leptomeryx, Megacamelus, Protohippus, Carpocyon, Diegoaelurus, Ischyromys, Kalobatippus, Leptauchenia, Mesoreodon, Parietobalaena, Peratherium, Protitanops, Temnocyon, Tetraclaenodon, Eomellivora, Eporeodon, Poebrodon, Prosthennops, Alforjas, Alopecocyon, Cophocetus, Cosoryx, Desmocyon, Parabalaenoptera, Phoberogale, Pliocyon, Poabromylus, Atopotarus, Eucastor, Euoplocyon, Promartes, Alilepus, Anchitheriomys, Bretzia, Huracan, Idiophyseter, Lambertocyon, Lophocetus, Microcosmodon, Neoliotomus, Peripolocetus, Hoplictis, Norrisanima, Panolax, Salishicetus, Archaeoparadoxia, Basirepomys, Hemiacodon, Macrotarsius, Mediochoerus · 244 more genera recorded.

Ancient fish & sharks (73 genera)

Carcharodon, Otodus, Dunkleosteus, Helicoprion · 69 more genera recorded.

Ammonites & nautiloids (324 genera)

Baculites, Orthoceras, Parapuzosia, Dactylioceras · 320 more genera recorded.

Trilobites & sea scorpions (62 genera)

Ampyx, Lachnostoma · 60 more genera recorded.

Ediacaran & Cambrian life (127 genera)

Olenellus, Cloudina, Ethmophyllum, Salterella · 123 more genera recorded.

Fossil occurrences: Paleobiology Database (CC0 as reported by the API; CC BY 4.0 policy), downloaded 23 October 2026. Genus pages quote Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).