Alaska, US

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Time Scale Legend

State Fossil:
State fossil from Alaska

Mammuthus primigenius
The woolly mammoth first evolved in Eurasia and entered Alaska from Siberia over the Bering Land Bridge around 65,000 years ago. It dominated the grasslands of North America during periods of glaciation, but went extinct around 10,000 years ago.

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Paleontology and geology

The Precambrian: Precambrian rocks are relatively rare in Alaska, and most of these are highly metamorphosed. Stromatolites and fossil bacteria in some Late Precambrian rocks indicate the presence of a shallow sea during this time.

The Paleozoic: During the Paleozoic, most of what would become Alaska was under water. Fossils of trilobites, brachiopods, and many other marine animals indicate the presence of a broad, shallow carbonate platform in the Cambrian. These rocks are particularly well-preserved in the east-central part of the state. Tectonic activity during the Ordovician and Silurian produced a series of volcanic islands in what is now eastern Alaska. Fossil corals and other organisms provide a record of the reefs that built up around these islands. During the Devonian, marine conditions continued in the northern third of the state, while the small slivers of continental crust and pieces of volcanic island arcs that would one day become south-central Alaska were as yet scattered or non-existent. Fossils of corals, brachiopods, ammonites, and gastropods, particularly abundant in the northern third of the state, indicate that a variety of marine environments existed in Alaska during the Carboniferous and Permian.

The Mesozoic: The various pieces of continental crust that would constitute modern Alaska began to assemble during the Mesozoic. Fossils of molluscs, icthyosaurs, bony fish, and other marine organisms record the presence of shallow marine conditions in the southern part of the state during the Triassic; deep marine waters covered the northern third of the state at this time. Volcanic activity was common. The Jurassic began an interval of intense tectonic activity in Alaska, and extensive volcanic eruptions generated igneous rocks that now form a belt through central Alaska. Fossil ammonites and crinoids indicate that the sea still covered parts of the state at this time. Throughout the Cretaceous, a series of continental and oceanic plates slammed into the state, adding to its landmass. The Brooks Range and other mountains rose and erosion of these mountains dumped huge amounts of sediment into low-lying areas. The fossil record indicates the presence of both marine and terrestrial environments. Dinosaur fossils have been found in Cretaceous rocks in Alaska.

The Cenozoic: Tectonic activity continued into the Cenozoic. Volcanism built up the Aleutian Islands during the Tertiary, and fluctuations in sea level intermittently exposed the Bering Land Bridge between Asia and Alaska. Glaciers covered much of Alaska during the Quaternary, but low sea levels exposed a corridor of land along the Bering Land Bridge, enabling migrations of animals and plants between Asia and North America. Volcanic activity continued in the Aleutians and what is now the Alaskan Peninsula.

Links to more on Alaska paleontology

Collecting and Legalities | Organizations | Education and Exhibits | Research and Collections | Resources

Collecting and Legalities

Laws on Fossil Collecting (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Fossil Collecting and Artifact Hunting in Alaska: This site provides a brief overview on the laws governing fossil collecting in Alaska.

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Organizations

Museums (showing 2 of 2 listings)

Alaska Museum of Natural History: Find information about the museum and its exhibits.

University of Alaska Museum of the North--Arctic Dinosaurs and More: This is the principal natural history museum of Alaska and the Arctic. It features collections & exhibits of Arctic dinosaurs, Quaternary mammals, including unequaled mummified remains,Teriary and Mesozoic collections of mollusks. 

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Government Agencies (showing 1 of 1 listings)

US Geological Survey (Alaska): The USGS provides maps, reports, and information to help others manage, develop, and protect Alaska's water, energy, mineral, and land resources.

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Education and Exhibits

Virtual Exhibits (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Alaska Dinosaurs: Pages with general information about Alaska dinosaurs by the United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management.

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Research and Collections

Ongoing Research Projects (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Ice Age Paleontology of Southeast Alaska: This site discusses research by Timothy H. Heaton of the University of South Dakota, which aims to establish a complete chronology of mammals, birds, and fish living in Southeast Alaska before, during, and following the Last Glacial Maximum, and up to the present day.

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Resources

Image Collections (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Dinosaurs of Late Cretaceous Alaska: Find out more about Alaskan dinosaurs on this Alaska Museum of Natural History page.

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Maps (showing 1 of 1 listings)

Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys Publications, Alaska Department of Natural Resources: Maps and text publications from the Department of Natural Resources Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

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Yukon Territory Province Map
British Columbia Province Map

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