▁into ▁neighbor ing ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁To oth ▁foss ils ▁indicate ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁sh arks ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁P li oc ene ▁▁ ▁During ▁the ▁en su ing ▁P li oc ene ▁epo ch , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁in verte br ate ▁fa unas ▁including ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 5 ▁species ▁of ▁g ast rop ods ▁and ▁ 4 6 ▁pe le cy pod s . ▁P li oc ene ▁foss il ▁scal lo ps ▁are ▁known ▁from ▁the ▁York town ▁Form ation ▁of ▁North am pton ▁and ▁H ert ford ▁count ies . ▁In ▁Columb us ▁and ▁On slow ▁count ies ▁P li oc ene ▁foss ils ▁are ▁only ▁known ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁Ne use ▁River . ▁Ver te br ates ▁included ▁horses ▁like ▁Equ us ▁comp lic atus . ▁The ▁presence ▁of ▁wh ales ▁in ▁Hal if ax ▁County ▁is ▁att ested ▁to ▁by ▁a ▁middle ▁ear ▁b one ▁preserved ▁in ▁P li oc ene ▁depos its ▁of ▁the ▁York town ▁Form ation . ▁Near ▁the ▁transition ▁to ▁the ▁Ple ist oc ene , ▁North ▁Carolina ▁was ▁home ▁to ▁verte br ates ▁like ▁buff alo , ▁meg al odon , ▁and ▁wh ales ▁that ▁were ▁preserved ▁in ▁Hal if ax ▁County . ▁ ▁Qu atern ary ▁ ▁Ple ist oc ene ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁en su ing ▁Qu atern ary ▁period ▁sea ▁levels ▁again ▁began ▁to ▁fl uct uate ▁in ▁time ▁with ▁the ▁expansion ▁or ▁mel ting ▁of ▁gla ci ers ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁Marine