Life Before Us: Prehistoric Plants & Animals In Nevada

Long before humans ever considered calling Nevada home, this desert state was drastically different from how it is today. Millions of years ago, much of the American west and southwest was submerged under water. However, as the waves receded and land began to take shape, something closer to what we see today emerged and with it came a variety of flora and fauna to call it home. The combination of dry climate and the still large body of water during this period created the ideal environment for a wide array of prehistoric creatures. Today we live upon fossil-rich land that acts as a time capsule of sorts–providing a fragmented glimpse into the life of the creatures that once ruled the land and sea. 

Marine Marvels

Modern day Nevada is undoubtedly known for its humid, desert climate–but once upon a time this arid site was completely submerged under water, and home to many sea-dwelling creatures. Evidence of this can be found in the large amount of fossils scientists find scattered throughout across the state–each telling its own tale of the most prominent sea-bound creatures to call Nevada its home. 

1. Shonisaurus – A genus of very large Ichthyosaurs, the Shonisaurus was the dominant marine predator of the late Triassic period. The eerily Tahoe-Tessie-like beast was named after the Shoshone Mountains in western Nevada, where its bones were discovered in 1920. As central Nevada is believed to have still been under water during the early Mesozoic era, there has been a prolific discovery in the valleys of Nevada,as many fossils were preserved in the limestone rocks. Around 37 remains of ichthyosaurs have been found since 1954, when paleontologists started excavating Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park
2. Aleosteus – Dating back almost 400 million years to the Early Devonian period, the Aleosteus was an armored, jawless prehistoric fish. Its extinction is believed to be in part due to the evolution of one of the sea’s most giant predators, the Shonisaurus.
3. Ammonoids – A small, shelled creature, the Ammonoid is distantly related to modern sea animals such as the squid and cuttlefish. As one of the most common marine animals of the Mesozoic Era it is believed that they made up a large part of the undersea food chain. Today their signature spiraling shells are littered throughout Nevada, dating back as far as the Triassic period. 

On-Land Giants

Megafauna is the term most popularly used to describe overly large animals, something that was certainly in no short supply in ancient Nevada. While perhaps none can be more traceable than that of the under-water species, the on-land giants also left behind much to be discovered

1. Columbian Mamamoth – In 1979, an explorer in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert discovered the fossilized tooth of a Wallman Mammoth, or the Columbian Mammoth. Much larger than the more well-known Wooly Mammoth, the two species are actually believed to have lived alongside each other and eventually hybridised. 
2. Dire Wolf – Much larger than the modern day wolf, the dire wolf was once a dominant predator of Nevada. Feeding on ancient horses, ground sloths, and other megaherbivores, its closest competitor of the time was the similarly large and fierce saber-toothed cat–both of which would eventually succumb to extinction around the time of the Last Ice Age. 

Plants

As is to be expected, where ancient animals once thrived, so too did plants. Far beyond the largest of what we can find today, all encompassing groves filled with giant Sequoias oak, and willow trees covered what we now know as Storey, Washoe, Mineral, and Esmeralda counties. Among these botanical giants also stood the Bristlecone pine, one of Nevada’s state trees, which are also believed to be some of the longest-living trees in existence. Today we walk among the descendants of such botanical behemoths and often forget just how deep their roots truly go in the history of our state.

Despite all we have uncovered, much of our state’s prehistoric past remains relatively unknown. Due to extreme tectonic activity in California and Nevada during the Mesozoic era, many fossils were destroyed leaving only fragments scattered for scientists to attempt to piece together the full extent of these creatures. Yet, with each new fossil fragment brings us a step closer to unlocking the secrets of our past and the creatures that came before us. As scientists continue their diligent work, we can still stand where they once stood–exploring the land that was once home to creatures beyond our wildest imaginations.

Explore Fallon today to roam the very same land the giants once called home!