Where: Los Angeles County, California (34.1° N, 118.4° W)
When: Late/Upper Pleistocene (0.1 - 0.0 Ma)
• Specimens at La Brea mostly range from 11,500 to 35,000 years old. One of the older pits, pit 77, has a mean calibrated age of 35,370, while a younger pit, pits 61/67, has a mean calibrated age of 11,581 before present. Many other pits fall in between these dates, however, most seem to occur between 20,000–29,000 years ago
Environment/lithology: tar; black tar
Size class: macrofossils
Primary reference: D. B. Jones and L. R. G. Desantis. 2017. Dietary ecology of ungulates from the La Brea tar pits in southern California: A multi-proxy approach. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 465(15):110-127 [M. Uhen/J. So/P. Holroyd]more details
Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis
PaleoDB collection 190077: authorized by Mark Uhen, entered by Jeankyong So on 27.11.2017, edited by Mark Uhen
Creative Commons license: CC0 (CC0)
Taxonomic list
unclassified | |
Reptilia | |
Colymbus sp. Linnaeus 1758 avialan | |
"Lophortyx californica" = Callipepla californica
"Lophortyx californica" = Callipepla californica Shaw 1798 California quail | |
"Parapavo californicus" = Meleagris californica
"Parapavo californicus" = Meleagris californica Miller 1909 turkey | |
Aves | |
Charadriiformes indet. Huxley 1867 shorebird | |
Rissa ? tridactyla Linnaeus 1758 black-legged kittiwake | |
Limnodromus griseus, "Capella delicata" = Gallinago delicata, Limosa ? fedoa, "Totanus melanoleucus" = Tringa melanoleuca, Numenius americanus
Limnodromus griseus Gmelin 1789 short-billed dowitcher
"Capella delicata" = Gallinago delicata Ord 1825 Wilson's snipe
Limosa ? fedoa Linnaeus 1758 marbled godwit
"Totanus melanoleucus" = Tringa melanoleuca Gmelin 1789 greater yellowlegs
Numenius americanus Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew | |
"Squatarola squatarola" = Pluvialis squatarola, "Oxyechus vociferus" = Charadrius vociferus, "Eupoda montana" = Charadrius montanus
"Squatarola squatarola" = Pluvialis squatarola Linnaeus 1758 black-bellied plover
"Oxyechus vociferus" = Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus 1758 killdeer
"Eupoda montana" = Charadrius montanus Townsend 1837 mountain plover | |
Cathartornis gracilis Miller 1910 teratorn
Teratornis merriami Miller 1909 Merriam's teratorn | |
Falco sp., Falco peregrinus, Falco columbarius, Falco mexicanus, Falco sparverius, "Polyborus prelutosus" = Caracara cheriway
Falco sp. Linnaeus 1758 falcon
Falco peregrinus Tunstall 1771 Peregrine falcon
Falco columbarius Linnaeus 1758 merlin
Falco mexicanus Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon
Falco sparverius Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel | |
Anas platyrhynchos, "Nettion carolinense" = Anas crecca carolinensis, Querquedula sp., "Nyroca ? valisineria" = Aythya valisineria, "Chaulelasmus streperus" = Mareca strepera, "Anabernicula miniscula" = Branta minuscula, Branta canadensis, "Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens, "Chen ? rossi" = Anser rossii, Anser albifrons, Cygnus columbianus, Spatula clypeata
Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus 1758 mallard
"Nettion carolinense" = Anas crecca carolinensis Gmelin 1789 green-winged teal
Querquedula sp. Stephens 1826 duck
"Nyroca ? valisineria" = Aythya valisineria Wilson 1814 canvasback
"Chaulelasmus streperus" = Mareca strepera Linnaeus 1758 gadwall
"Anabernicula miniscula" = Branta minuscula Wetmore 1924 goose
Branta canadensis Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose
"Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens Linnaeus 1758 snow goose
"Chen ? rossi" = Anser rossii Cassin 1861 Ross's goose
Anser albifrons Scopoli 1769 greater white-fronted goose
Cygnus columbianus Ord 1815 tundra swan
Spatula clypeata Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler | |
Tyrannus sp. Linnaeus 1766 tyrant flycatcher | |
Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike | |
Sialia sp. Swainson 1827 bluebird | |
Spizella passerina Bechstein 1798 chipping sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata Cassin 1850 black-throated sparrow | |
Oreoscoptes montanus Townsend 1837 sage thrasher
Toxostoma redividum American thrashers | |
"Otocoris alpestris" = Eremophila alpestris
"Otocoris alpestris" = Eremophila alpestris Linnaeus 1759 horned lark | |
Fringillidae indet. Vigors 1825 finch
Spinus tristis Linnaeus 1758 American goldfinch
Spinus pinus Wilson 1810 pine siskin | |
Pica nuttalli, Aphelocoma californica, Cyanocitta stelleri, Corvus corax, "Corvus brachyrhynchos" = Corvus brachyrhynchos, "Corvus caurinus" = Corvus brachyrhynchos, Corvus cryptoleucus
Pica nuttalli Audubon 1837 yellow-billed magpie
Aphelocoma californica Vigors 1839 California scrub-jay
Cyanocitta stelleri Gmelin 1788 Steller's jay
Corvus corax Linnaeus 1758 common raven
"Corvus brachyrhynchos" = Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm 1822 American crow
"Corvus caurinus" = Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm 1822 American crow
Corvus cryptoleucus Couch 1854 crow | |
? Xanthocephalus sp. Bonaparte 1850 perching bird
Sturnella neglecta Audubon 1844 western meadowlark
Agelaius sp. Vieillot 1816 perching bird
Icterus sp. Brisson 1760 New World oriole
Euphagus magnirostris Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird | |
Podilymbus podiceps Linnaeus 1758 pied-billed grebe | |
Fulica americana Gmelin 1789 American coot | |
"Plegadis guarauna" = Aramus guarauna
"Plegadis guarauna" = Aramus guarauna Linnaeus 1762 limpkin | |
"Grus americanus" = Grus americana, "Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis
"Grus americanus" = Grus americana Linnaeus 1758 Whooping crane
"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis Linnaeus 1758 Sandhill crane | |
Tyto alba Scopoli 1769 barn owl | |
"Strix brea" = Oraristrix brea, "Cryptoglaux acadica" = Aegolius acadicus, "Asio wilsonianus" = Asio otus wilsonianus, Asio flammeus, Glaucidium gnoma, "Otus asio" = Megascops asio, "Speotyto cunicularia" = Athene cunicularia, Bubo virginianus
"Strix brea" = Oraristrix brea Howard 1933 Brea owl
"Cryptoglaux acadica" = Aegolius acadicus Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl
"Asio wilsonianus" = Asio otus wilsonianus Lesson 1830 long-eared owl
Asio flammeus Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl
Glaucidium gnoma Wagler 1832 northern pygmy-owl
"Otus asio" = Megascops asio Linnaeus 1758 eastern screech-owl
"Speotyto cunicularia" = Athene cunicularia Molina 1782 burrowing owl
Bubo virginianus Gmelin 1788 great horned owl | |
"Asyndesmus lewis" = Melanerpes lewis, "Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer, Ceophloeus plicatus
"Asyndesmus lewis" = Melanerpes lewis Gray 1849 Lewis's woodpecker
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer Gmelin 1788 northern flicker
Ceophloeus plicatus woodpecker | |
"Columba fasciata" = Patagioenas fasciata, "Zenaidura macroura" = Zenaida macroura, Ectopistes migratorius
"Columba fasciata" = Patagioenas fasciata Say 1822 band-tailed pigeon
"Zenaidura macroura" = Zenaida macroura Linnaeus 1758 mourning dove
Ectopistes migratorius Linnaeus 1758 passenger pigeon | |
Geococcyx californianus Lesson 1829 Greater roadrunner | |
"Ajaia ajaja" = Platalea ajaja
"Ajaia ajaja" = Platalea ajaja Linnaeus 1758 roseate spoonbill | |
"Casmerodius albus" = Ardea alba, Ardea herodias, "Florida ? caerulea" = Egretta caerulea, Egretta ? thula, Butorides virescens
"Casmerodius albus" = Ardea alba Linnaeus 1758 great egret
Ardea herodias Linnaeus 1758 great blue heron
"Florida ? caerulea" = Egretta caerulea Linnaeus 1758 little blue heron
Egretta ? thula Molina 1782 snowy egret
Butorides virescens Linnaeus 1758 green heron | |
Ciconia maltha Miller 1910 asphalt stork
Mycteria wetmorei Howard 1935 stork | |
Breagyps clarki Miller 1910 New World vulture
Gymnogyps californianus Shaw 1797 California condor
Cathartes aura Linnaeus 1758 turkey vulture
Coragyps occidentalis Miller 1909 New World vulture | |
Elanus leucurus, Morphnus woodwardi, Circus hudsonius, Buteo sp., Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo lagopus, Buteo regalis, Buteo swainsoni, Neophrontops americanus, Neogyps errans, "Hypomorphnus fragilis" = Buteogallus fragilis, "Wetmoregyps daggetti" = Buteogallus (Wetmoregyps) daggetti, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Aquila chrysaetos, Accipiter striatus velox, Accipiter cooperii, Astur atricapillus, Spizaetus grinnelli
Elanus leucurus Vieillot 1818 white-tailed kite
Morphnus woodwardi Miller 1911 crested eagle
Circus hudsonius Linnaeus 1766 Northern harrier
Buteo sp. de Lacepède 1799 hawk
Buteo jamaicensis Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk
Buteo lagopus Pontoppidan 1763 rough-legged hawk
Buteo regalis Gray 1844 ferruginous hawk
Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte 1838 Swainson's hawk
Neophrontops americanus Miller 1916 Old World vulture
Neogyps errans Miller 1916 Old World vulture
"Hypomorphnus fragilis" = Buteogallus fragilis Miller 1911 black-hawks
"Wetmoregyps daggetti" = Buteogallus (Wetmoregyps) daggetti Miller 1915 black-hawks
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Linnaeus 1766 bald eagle
Aquila chrysaetos Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle
Accipiter striatus velox Wilson 1812 sharp-shinned hawk
Accipiter cooperii Bonaparte 1828 Cooper's hawk
Astur atricapillus Wilson 1812 hawk
Spizaetus grinnelli Miller 1911 hawk-eagle | |
Mammalia | |
Bison antiquus Leidy 1852 bison | |
Camelops hesternus Leidy 1873 camel | |
"Equus occidentalis" = Equus mexicanus
"Equus occidentalis" = Equus mexicanus Hibbard 1955 horse |