Where: Los Angeles County, California (34.5° N, 118.2° W: paleocoordinates 34.5° N, 118.2° 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. 465(15):110-127 [M. Uhen/J. So]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: CC BY (attribution)
Taxonomic list
unclassified | |
Aves | |
Morphnus woodwardi, "Hypomorphnus fragilis" = Buteogallus fragilis, "Wetmoregyps daggetti" = Buteogallus (Wetmoregyps) daggetti, Accipiter striatus, Astur atricapillus, Accipiter cooperii, Elanus leucurus, Circus hudsonius, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Spizaetus grinnelli, Aquila chrysaetos, Neophrontops americanus, Neogyps errans, Buteo sp., Buteo lagopus, Buteo swainsoni, Buteo regalis, Buteo jamaicensis
Morphnus woodwardi Miller 1911 crested eagle
"Hypomorphnus fragilis" = Buteogallus fragilis Miller 1911 black-hawks
"Wetmoregyps daggetti" = Buteogallus (Wetmoregyps) daggetti Miller 1915 black-hawks
Astur atricapillus Wilson 1812 hawk
Accipiter cooperii Bonaparte 1828 Cooper's hawk
Elanus leucurus Vieillot 1818 white-tailed kite
Circus hudsonius Linnaeus 1766 Northern harrier
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Linnaeus 1766 bald eagle
Spizaetus grinnelli Miller 1911 hawk-eagle
Aquila chrysaetos Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle
Neophrontops americanus Miller 1916 Old World vulture
Neogyps errans Miller 1916 Old World vulture
Buteo sp. de Lacepède 1799 hawk
Buteo lagopus Pontoppidan 1763 rough-legged hawk
Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte 1838 Swainson's hawk
Buteo regalis Gray 1844 ferruginous hawk
Buteo jamaicensis Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk | |
Coragyps occidentalis Miller 1909 New World vulture
Gymnogyps californianus Shaw 1797 California condor
Breagyps clarki Miller 1910 New World vulture
Cathartes aura Linnaeus 1758 turkey vulture | |
Podilymbus podiceps Linnaeus 1758 pied-billed grebe | |
"Zenaidura macroura" = Zenaida macroura, Ectopistes migratorius, "Columba fasciata" = Patagioenas fasciata
"Zenaidura macroura" = Zenaida macroura Linnaeus 1758 mourning dove
Ectopistes migratorius Linnaeus 1758 passenger pigeon
"Columba fasciata" = Patagioenas fasciata Say 1822 band-tailed pigeon | |
Geococcyx californianus Lesson 1829 Greater roadrunner | |
"Asyndesmus lewis" = Melanerpes lewis, Ceophloeus plicatus, "Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer
"Asyndesmus lewis" = Melanerpes lewis Gray 1849 Lewis's woodpecker
Ceophloeus plicatus woodpecker
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer Gmelin 1788 northern flicker | |
Tyto alba Scopoli 1769 barn owl | |
"Strix brea" = Oraristrix brea, Glaucidium gnoma, "Otus asio" = Megascops asio, "Speotyto cunicularia" = Athene cunicularia, "Cryptoglaux acadica" = Aegolius acadicus, Bubo virginianus, "Asio wilsonianus" = Asio otus wilsonianus, Asio flammeus
"Strix brea" = Oraristrix brea Howard 1933 Brea 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
"Cryptoglaux acadica" = Aegolius acadicus Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl
Bubo virginianus Gmelin 1788 great horned owl
"Asio wilsonianus" = Asio otus wilsonianus Lesson 1830 long-eared owl
Asio flammeus Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl | |
"Plegadis guarauna" = Aramus guarauna
"Plegadis guarauna" = Aramus guarauna Linnaeus 1762 limpkin | |
Fulica americana Gmelin 1789 American coot | |
"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis, "Grus americanus" = Grus americana
"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis Linnaeus 1758 Sandhill crane
"Grus americanus" = Grus americana Linnaeus 1758 Whooping crane | |
"Chaulelasmus streperus" = Mareca strepera, "Nettion carolinense" = Anas crecca carolinensis, Anas platyrhynchos, "Nyroca ? valisineria" = Aythya valisineria, Querquedula sp., "Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens, "Chen ? rossi" = Anser rossii, Anser albifrons, "Anabernicula miniscula" = Branta minuscula, Branta canadensis, Cygnus columbianus, Spatula clypeata
"Chaulelasmus streperus" = Mareca strepera Linnaeus 1758 gadwall
"Nettion carolinense" = Anas crecca carolinensis Gmelin 1789 green-winged teal
Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus 1758 mallard
"Nyroca ? valisineria" = Aythya valisineria Wilson 1814 canvasback
Querquedula sp. Stephens 1826 duck
"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
"Anabernicula miniscula" = Branta minuscula Wetmore 1924 goose
Branta canadensis Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose
Cygnus columbianus Ord 1815 tundra swan
Spatula clypeata Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler | |
Cyanocitta stelleri, Pica nuttalli, Corvus caurinus, Corvus cryptoleucus, Corvus corax, Corvus brachyrhynchos, Aphelocoma californica
Cyanocitta stelleri Gmelin 1788 Steller's jay
Pica nuttalli Audubon 1837 yellow-billed magpie
Corvus caurinus Baird 1858 crow
Corvus cryptoleucus Couch 1854 crow
Corvus corax Linnaeus 1758 common raven
Corvus brachyrhynchos Brehm 1822 American crow
Aphelocoma californica Vigors 1839 California scrub-jay | |
Fringillidae indet. Vigors 1825 finch
Spinus tristis Linnaeus 1758 American goldfinch
Spinus pinus Wilson 1810 pine siskin | |
Oreoscoptes montanus Townsend 1837 sage thrasher
Toxostoma redividum American thrashers | |
Tyrannus sp. Linnaeus 1766 tyrant flycatcher | |
"Otocoris alpestris" = Eremophila alpestris
"Otocoris alpestris" = Eremophila alpestris Linnaeus 1759 horned lark | |
Amphispiza bilineata Cassin 1850 black-throated sparrow
Spizella passerina Bechstein 1798 chipping sparrow | |
Sturnella neglecta Audubon 1844 western meadowlark
Agelaius sp. Vieillot 1816 perching bird
? Xanthocephalus sp. Bonaparte 1850 perching bird
Euphagus magnirostris Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird
Icterus sp. Brisson 1760 New World oriole | |
Sialia sp. Swainson 1827 bluebird | |
Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike | |
"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 | |
Teratornis merriami Miller 1909 Merriam's teratorn
Cathartornis gracilis Miller 1910 teratorn | |
Falco sp., Falco columbarius, Falco sparverius, Falco peregrinus, Falco mexicanus, "Polyborus prelutosus" = Caracara cheriway
Falco sp. Linnaeus 1758 falcon
Falco columbarius Linnaeus 1758 merlin
Falco sparverius Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel
Falco peregrinus Tunstall 1771 Peregrine falcon
Falco mexicanus Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon | |
Charadriiformes indet. Huxley 1867 shorebird | |
Limosa ? fedoa, Limnodromus griseus, "Totanus melanoleucus" = Tringa melanoleuca, Numenius americanus, "Capella delicata" = Gallinago delicata
Limosa ? fedoa Linnaeus 1758 marbled godwit
Limnodromus griseus Gmelin 1789 short-billed dowitcher
"Totanus melanoleucus" = Tringa melanoleuca Gmelin 1789 greater yellowlegs
Numenius americanus Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew
"Capella delicata" = Gallinago delicata Ord 1825 Wilson's snipe | |
Rissa ? tridactyla Linnaeus 1758 black-legged kittiwake | |
"Squatarola squatarola" = Pluvialis squatarola, "Eupoda montana" = Charadrius montanus, "Oxyechus vociferus" = Charadrius vociferus
"Squatarola squatarola" = Pluvialis squatarola Linnaeus 1758 black-bellied plover
"Eupoda montana" = Charadrius montanus Townsend 1837 mountain plover
"Oxyechus vociferus" = Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus 1758 killdeer | |
Colymbus sp. Linnaeus 1758 bird | |
Parapavo californicus Miller 1909 turkey | |
"Lophortyx californica" = Callipepla californica
"Lophortyx californica" = Callipepla californica Shaw 1798 California quail | |
Mammalia | |
"Equus occidentalis" = Equus mexicanus
"Equus occidentalis" = Equus mexicanus Hibbard 1955 horse | |
Bison antiquus Leidy 1852 bison | |
Camelops hesternus Leidy 1873 camel |