Pennsylvania State Fossil: Phacops rana

Pennsylvania's state fossil is Phacops rana, adopted in 1988.

Symbol names and dates are taken from primary state sources linked below. Informal or proposed symbols are not listed unless adopted.

Senate Bill 829 (2025–26) would replace Phacops rana with Hynerpeton bassetti as the state fossil and add other state symbols, but as of October 21, 2026 it had passed both chambers with House amendments and was in the Senate Rules and Executive Nominations Committee for concurrence — it is not yet law. Act 138 of 1988 still designates Phacops rana. Senate Bill 829 (2025–2026), state fossil and related designations.

Trilobite specimen — Trilobite (not necessarily from Pennsylvania). Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

State fossil: Phacops rana

Adopted:: 1988
Law:: Act of Dec. 5, 1988, P.L. 1113, No. 138
Variety:: Phacops rana

It is a kind of trilobite. Trilobite is a fossil with a Mohs hardness of about 3–4 and a dull to vitreous luster, usually black, gray or brown.

How to identify trilobite →

Often confused with: Brachiopod, Eurypterid

Also an official symbol of: Ohio, Rhode Island, Wisconsin

Pennsylvania state symbols FAQ

What is the state fossil of Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania's state fossil is Phacops rana, adopted in 1988 (Act of Dec. 5, 1988, P.L. 1113, No. 138).

Is Pennsylvania changing its state fossil?

Not yet. Senate Bill 829 (2025–26) would designate Hynerpeton bassetti as the state fossil and repeal Act 138 of 1988. It passed the House on October 21, 2026 and was referred back to the Senate Rules and Executive Nominations Committee for concurrence; until it is enacted, Phacops rana remains the state fossil under Act 138 of 1988.

Sources

We cite primary sources (statutes, state government pages, federal regulations, and land-manager sites). Third-party listicles are not used as citations.

Act of Dec. 5, 1988, P.L. 1113, No. 138, Official State fossil (Phacops rana) — Pennsylvania General Assembly (accessed 2026-10-26).

Last verified 2026-10-26. Corrections welcome: if a statute has changed, tell us and we'll re-verify.

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