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 | |
Breagyps clarki Miller 1910 New World vulture
Coragyps occidentalis Miller 1909 New World vulture
Cathartes aura Linnaeus 1758 turkey vulture
Gymnogyps californianus Shaw 1797 California condor | |
Ciconia maltha Miller 1910 asphalt stork
Mycteria wetmorei Howard 1935 stork | |
"Florida ? caerulea" = Egretta caerulea, Egretta ? thula, Ardea herodias, "Casmerodius albus" = Ardea alba, Butorides virescens
"Florida ? caerulea" = Egretta caerulea Linnaeus 1758 little blue heron
Egretta ? thula Molina 1782 snowy egret
Ardea herodias Linnaeus 1758 great blue heron
"Casmerodius albus" = Ardea alba Linnaeus 1758 great egret
Butorides virescens Linnaeus 1758 green heron | |
"Ajaia ajaja" = Platalea ajaja
"Ajaia ajaja" = Platalea ajaja Linnaeus 1758 roseate spoonbill | |
Podilymbus podiceps Linnaeus 1758 pied-billed grebe | |
Tyto alba Scopoli 1769 barn owl | |
Glaucidium gnoma, "Asio wilsonianus" = Asio otus wilsonianus, Asio flammeus, Bubo virginianus, "Strix brea" = Oraristrix brea, "Speotyto cunicularia" = Athene cunicularia, "Otus asio" = Megascops asio, "Cryptoglaux acadica" = Aegolius acadicus
Glaucidium gnoma Wagler 1832 northern pygmy-owl
"Asio wilsonianus" = Asio otus wilsonianus Lesson 1830 long-eared owl
Asio flammeus Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl
Bubo virginianus Gmelin 1788 great horned owl
"Strix brea" = Oraristrix brea Howard 1933 Brea owl
"Speotyto cunicularia" = Athene cunicularia Molina 1782 burrowing owl
"Otus asio" = Megascops asio Linnaeus 1758 eastern screech-owl
"Cryptoglaux acadica" = Aegolius acadicus Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl | |
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer, Ceophloeus plicatus, "Asyndesmus lewis" = Melanerpes lewis
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer Gmelin 1788 northern flicker
Ceophloeus plicatus woodpecker
"Asyndesmus lewis" = Melanerpes lewis Gray 1849 Lewis's woodpecker | |
Geococcyx californianus Lesson 1829 Greater roadrunner | |
"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 | |
"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 | |
Fulica americana Gmelin 1789 American coot | |
Sturnella neglecta Audubon 1844 western meadowlark
? Xanthocephalus sp. Bonaparte 1850 perching bird
Icterus sp. Brisson 1760 New World oriole
Agelaius sp. Vieillot 1816 perching bird
Euphagus magnirostris Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird | |
Oreoscoptes montanus Townsend 1837 sage thrasher
Toxostoma redividum American thrashers | |
Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike | |
Tyrannus sp. Linnaeus 1766 tyrant flycatcher | |
Spizella passerina Bechstein 1798 chipping sparrow
Amphispiza bilineata Cassin 1850 black-throated sparrow | |
Fringillidae indet. Vigors 1825 finch
Spinus pinus Wilson 1810 pine siskin
Spinus tristis Linnaeus 1758 American goldfinch | |
Cyanocitta stelleri, Aphelocoma californica, Pica nuttalli, Corvus caurinus, Corvus cryptoleucus, Corvus corax, Corvus brachyrhynchos
Cyanocitta stelleri Gmelin 1788 Steller's jay
Aphelocoma californica Vigors 1839 California scrub-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 | |
"Otocoris alpestris" = Eremophila alpestris
"Otocoris alpestris" = Eremophila alpestris Linnaeus 1759 horned lark | |
Sialia sp. Swainson 1827 bluebird | |
Cygnus columbianus, "Anabernicula miniscula" = Branta minuscula, Branta canadensis, "Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens, Anser albifrons, "Chen ? rossi" = Anser rossii, "Nyroca ? valisineria" = Aythya valisineria, Anas platyrhynchos, "Nettion carolinense" = Anas crecca carolinensis, Querquedula sp., Spatula clypeata, "Chaulelasmus streperus" = Mareca strepera
Cygnus columbianus Ord 1815 tundra swan
"Anabernicula miniscula" = Branta minuscula Wetmore 1924 goose
Branta canadensis Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose
"Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens Linnaeus 1758 snow goose
Anser albifrons Scopoli 1769 greater white-fronted goose
"Chen ? rossi" = Anser rossii Cassin 1861 Ross's goose
"Nyroca ? valisineria" = Aythya valisineria Wilson 1814 canvasback
Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus 1758 mallard
"Nettion carolinense" = Anas crecca carolinensis Gmelin 1789 green-winged teal
Querquedula sp. Stephens 1826 duck
Spatula clypeata Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler
"Chaulelasmus streperus" = Mareca strepera Linnaeus 1758 gadwall | |
Spizaetus grinnelli, Astur atricapillus, Accipiter striatus, Accipiter cooperii, Elanus leucurus, Aquila chrysaetos, Neophrontops americanus, Neogyps errans, Circus hudsonius, "Wetmoregyps daggetti" = Buteogallus (Wetmoregyps) daggetti, "Hypomorphnus fragilis" = Buteogallus fragilis, Morphnus woodwardi, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Buteo sp., Buteo lagopus, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo swainsoni, Buteo regalis
Spizaetus grinnelli Miller 1911 hawk-eagle
Astur atricapillus Wilson 1812 hawk
Accipiter cooperii Bonaparte 1828 Cooper's hawk
Elanus leucurus Vieillot 1818 white-tailed kite
Aquila chrysaetos Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle
Neophrontops americanus Miller 1916 Old World vulture
Neogyps errans Miller 1916 Old World vulture
Circus hudsonius Linnaeus 1766 Northern harrier
"Wetmoregyps daggetti" = Buteogallus (Wetmoregyps) daggetti Miller 1915 black-hawks
"Hypomorphnus fragilis" = Buteogallus fragilis Miller 1911 black-hawks
Morphnus woodwardi Miller 1911 crested eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus Linnaeus 1766 bald eagle
Buteo sp. de Lacepède 1799 hawk
Buteo lagopus Pontoppidan 1763 rough-legged hawk
Buteo jamaicensis Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk
Buteo swainsoni Bonaparte 1838 Swainson's hawk
Buteo regalis Gray 1844 ferruginous hawk | |
"Polyborus prelutosus" = Caracara cheriway, Falco sp., Falco sparverius, Falco peregrinus, Falco columbarius, Falco mexicanus
Falco sp. Linnaeus 1758 falcon
Falco sparverius Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel
Falco peregrinus Tunstall 1771 Peregrine falcon
Falco columbarius Linnaeus 1758 merlin
Falco mexicanus Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon | |
Cathartornis gracilis Miller 1910 teratorn
Teratornis merriami Miller 1909 Merriam's teratorn | |
Charadriiformes indet. Huxley 1867 shorebird | |
"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 | |
Numenius americanus, "Capella delicata" = Gallinago delicata, "Totanus melanoleucus" = Tringa melanoleuca, Limosa ? fedoa, Limnodromus griseus
Numenius americanus Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew
"Capella delicata" = Gallinago delicata Ord 1825 Wilson's snipe
"Totanus melanoleucus" = Tringa melanoleuca Gmelin 1789 greater yellowlegs
Limosa ? fedoa Linnaeus 1758 marbled godwit
Limnodromus griseus Gmelin 1789 short-billed dowitcher | |
Rissa ? tridactyla Linnaeus 1758 black-legged kittiwake | |
Parapavo californicus Miller 1909 turkey | |
"Lophortyx californica" = Callipepla californica
"Lophortyx californica" = Callipepla californica Shaw 1798 California quail | |
Colymbus sp. Linnaeus 1758 bird | |
Mammalia | |
"Equus occidentalis" = Equus mexicanus
"Equus occidentalis" = Equus mexicanus Hibbard 1955 horse | |
Camelops hesternus Leidy 1873 camel | |
Bison antiquus Leidy 1852 bison |