Fossil Lake (Pleistocene of the United States)

Where: Lake County, Oregon (43.3° N, 120.5° W: paleocoordinates 43.3° N, 120.5° W)

• coordinate stated in text

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Late/Upper Pleistocene (0.1 - 0.0 Ma)

• "early Pleistocene, approximating [the age] of Rancho La Brea" (i.e., late Pleistocene)

Environment/lithology: lacustrine - large; sandstone and claystone

• the deposits "formed on the bottom" of a "large" lake
• "sand and clay"

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by T. Condon, C. H. Sternberg, E. D. Cope, A. M. Alexander, C. Stock, E. L. Furlong in 1876, 1877, 1879, 1901, 1923, 1924; reposited in the AMNH, SDSM, UCMP

• Sternberg and Cope material is at the AMNH; Alexander, Stock, and Furlong material is at the UCMP; Condon collection is at the University of Oregon and was not seen by Elftman. Collections also at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (Material collected by J. Martin).

Primary reference: H. O. Elftman. 1931. Pleistocene mammals of Fossil Lake, Oregon. American Museum Novitates 481:1-21 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 93251: authorized by John Alroy, entered by John Alroy on 09.01.2010, edited by Mark Uhen and Nicholas Famoso

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• revises original descriptions of Cope (1878, 1884, 1889) and Matthew (1902)
Reptilia
 Galliformes - Phasianidae
"Palaeotetrix gillii" = Dendragapus gilli2, Centrocercus urophasianus2, "Dendragapus lucasi" = Pedioecetes lucasi2, Dendragapus nanus2, "Pedioecetes phasianellus" = Tympanuchus phasianellus2
"Palaeotetrix gillii" = Dendragapus gilli2 Shufeldt 1891 pheasant
Centrocercus urophasianus2 Bonaparte 1827 greater sage-grouse
"Dendragapus lucasi" = Pedioecetes lucasi2 Shufeldt 1892 pheasant
Dendragapus nanus2 Shufeldt 1891 pheasant
"Pedioecetes phasianellus" = Tympanuchus phasianellus2 Linnaeus 1758 sharp-tailed grouse
Aves
 Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae
"Lobipes lobatus" = Phalaropus lobatus2, Numenius ? americanus2, Limnodromus ? griseus2, "Totanus melanoleucas" = Tringa melanoleuca2, "Erolia melanotos" = Calidris melanotos4
"Lobipes lobatus" = Phalaropus lobatus2 Linnaeus 1758 red-necked phalarope
Numenius ? americanus2 Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew
Limnodromus ? griseus2 Gmelin 1789 short-billed dowitcher
"Totanus melanoleucas" = Tringa melanoleuca2 Gmelin 1789 greater yellowlegs
"Erolia melanotos" = Calidris melanotos4 Vieillot 1819 pectoral sandpiper
 Charadriiformes - Stercorariidae
 Charadriiformes - Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostra americana2 Gmelin 1789 American avocet
Himantopus mexicanus2 Muller 1776 black-necked stilt
 Charadriiformes - Laridae
Sterna forsteri2 Nuttall 1834 Foster's tern
"Chlidonias nigra" = Chlidonias niger2 Linnaeus 1758 black tern
Larus robustus2 Shufeldt 1891 gull
Larus oregonus2 Shufeldt 1891 gull
Larus californicus2 Lawrence 1854 California gull
"Larus philadelphia" = Chroicocephalus philadelphia2 Ord 1815 Bonaparte's gull
 Phoenicopteriformes - Phoenicopteridae
Phoenicopterus copei2 Shufeldt 1891 flamingo
 Passeriformes - Corvidae
Corvus corax2 Linnaeus 1758 common raven
 Passeriformes - Icteridae
Molothrus ? ater2 Boddaert 1783 brown-headed cowbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus2 Wagler 1829 Brewer's blackbird
Sturnella sp.2 Vieillot 1816 meadowlark
or Xanthocephalus
? Agelaius sp.2 Vieillot 1816 perching bird
 Gruiformes - Rallidae
Rallus limicola2 Vieillot 1819 Virginia rail
Fulica americana2 Gmelin 1789 American coot
subspecies minor
 Piciformes - Picidae
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer2
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer2 Gmelin 1788 northern flicker
 Strigiformes - Strigidae
Bubo virginianus2 Gmelin 1788 great horned owl
 Podicipediformes - Podicipedidae
"Colymbus parvus" = Podiceps parvus2, "Colymbus nigricollis" = Podiceps nigricollis2, Aechmophorus occidentalis2, Podilymbus podiceps2
"Colymbus parvus" = Podiceps parvus2 Schufeldt 1913 grebe
"Colymbus nigricollis" = Podiceps nigricollis2 Brehm 1831 black-necked grebe
Aechmophorus occidentalis2 Lawrence 1858 western grebe
subspeceis lucasi
Podilymbus podiceps2 Linnaeus 1758 pied-billed grebe
 Anseriformes - Anatidae
Mareca americana2, "Anas cyanoptera" = Spatula cyanoptera2, Spatula clypeata2, "Erismatura jamaicensis" = Oxyura jamaicensis2, "Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens2, Anser albifrons2, "Chen rossii" = Anser rossii2, Branta bernicla2, Branta ? hypsibata2, Branta canadensis2, Branta propinqua2, "Sthenelides paloregonus" = Cygnus paloregonus2, Cygnus buccinator2, Anas acuta2, Anas platyrhynchos2, "Anas carolinensis" = Anas crecca carolinensis2, Anabernicula sp.2, Anabernicula oregonensis n. sp.3, "Melanitta deglandi" = Melanitta fusca deglandi4, Melanitta perspicillata2, "Charitonetta albeola" = Bucephala2, Clangula hyemalis2, Mergus serrator2, Mergus merganser2, "Nyroca americana" = Aythya americana2, "Nyroca ? collaris" = Aythya collaris2, "Nyroca affinis" = Aythya affinis2
Mareca americana2 Gmelin 1789 American wigeon
"Anas cyanoptera" = Spatula cyanoptera2 Viellot 1816 cinnamon teal
Spatula clypeata2 Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler
"Erismatura jamaicensis" = Oxyura jamaicensis2 Gmelin 1789 Ruddy duck
"Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens2 Linnaeus 1758 snow goose
Anser albifrons2 Scopoli 1769 greater white-fronted goose
"Chen rossii" = Anser rossii2 Cassin 1861 Ross's goose
Branta bernicla2 Linnaeus 1758 brant
Branta ? hypsibata2 Cope 1878 goose
Branta canadensis2 Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose
Branta propinqua2 Shufeldt 1891 goose
"Sthenelides paloregonus" = Cygnus paloregonus2 Cope 1878 swan
Cygnus buccinator2 Richardson 1832 trumpeter swan
Anas acuta2 Linnaeus 1758 northern pintail
Anas platyrhynchos2 Linnaeus 1758 mallard
"Anas carolinensis" = Anas crecca carolinensis2 Gmelin 1789 green-winged teal
Anabernicula sp.2 Ross 1935 dabbling duck
Anabernicula oregonensis n. sp.3 Howard 1964 dabbling duck
"Melanitta deglandi" = Melanitta fusca deglandi4 Bonaparte 1850 white-winged scoter
Melanitta perspicillata2 Linnaeus 1758 surf scoter
"Charitonetta albeola" = Bucephala2 seaduck
Clangula hyemalis2 Linnaeus 1758 long-tailed duck
Mergus serrator2 Linnaeus 1758 red-breasted merganser
Mergus merganser2 Linnaeus 1758 common merganser
"Nyroca americana" = Aythya americana2 Eyton 1838 redhead
"Nyroca ? collaris" = Aythya collaris2 Donovan 1809 ring-necked duck
"Nyroca affinis" = Aythya affinis2 Eyton 1838 lesser scaup
 Pelecaniformes - Ardeidae
Botaurus lentiginosus2 Rackett 1813 American bittern
Ardea herodias2 Linnaeus 1758 great blue heron
 Pelecaniformes - Pelecanidae
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos2 Gmelin 1789 American white pelican
 Suliformes - Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocorax macropus2 Cope 1878 cormorant
Phalacrocorax ? auritus2 Lesson 1831 double-crested cormorant
 Falconiformes - Falconidae
Falco oregonus n. sp.2 Howard 1946 falcon
 Accipitriformes - Accipitridae
Circus cyaneus2, "Hypomorphnus ? sodalis" = Aquila sodalis2, "Spizaetus pliogryps" = Aquila pliogryps2, Aquila chrysaetos2, Haliaeetus leucocephalus2
Circus cyaneus2 Linnaeus 1766 Hen harrier
"Hypomorphnus ? sodalis" = Aquila sodalis2 Shufeldt 1891 eagle
"Spizaetus pliogryps" = Aquila pliogryps2 Shufeldt 1891 eagle
Aquila chrysaetos2 Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus2 Linnaeus 1766 bald eagle
Mammalia
  - Mylodontidae
"Mylodon cf. harlani" = Paramylodon harlani
"Mylodon cf. harlani" = Paramylodon harlani Owen 1840 Harlan's ground sloth
"Mylodon, near harlani" (includes M. sodalis type of Cope)
 Proboscidea - Elephantidae
"Elephas ? columbi" = Mammuthus columbi
"Elephas ? columbi" = Mammuthus columbi Falconer 1857 Columbian mammoth
includes E. primigenius and E. imperator of previous authors
 Rodentia - Cricetidae
Microtus montanus, "Fiber oregonus n. sp." = Ondatra annectens
Microtus montanus Peale 1848 montane vole
"Fiber oregonus n. sp." = Ondatra annectens Brown 1908 muskrat
 Rodentia - Castoridae
Castor sp. Linnaeus 1758 beaver
said to be new
 Rodentia - Geomyidae
Thomomys sp.7, "Thomomys townsendi" = Thomomys townsendii, "Thomomys townsendii" = Thomomys townsendii7, Thomomys talpoides7
Thomomys sp.7 Wied-Neuwied 1839 pocket gopher
"Thomomys townsendi" = Thomomys townsendii Bachman 1839 Townsend's pocket gopher
includes T. near clusius, T. talpoides, T. bulbivorus, T. sp., and T. scudderi type of previous authors
"Thomomys townsendii" = Thomomys townsendii7 Bachman 1839 Townsend's pocket gopher
Thomomys talpoides7 Richardson 1828 northern pocket gopher
 Lagomorpha - Leporidae
Lepus sp. Linnaeus 1758 hare
 Carnivora - Canidae
Canis latrans, "Canis cf. occidentalis" = Canis lupus, "Canis cf. dirus" = Aenocyon dirus, Vulpes sp.
Canis latrans Say 1823 coyote
"Canis cf. occidentalis" = Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
"Canis cf. dirus" = Aenocyon dirus Leidy 1858 dire wolf
Vulpes sp. Frisch 1775 fox
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
Taxidea sp. Waterhouse 1839 badger
said to be new; includes Lutra of Matthew
 Carnivora - Ursidae
Arctodus sp.1 Leidy 1854 bear
 Carnivora - Felidae
Felinae indet.5 Trouessart 1885 cat
large and small forms
 Perissodactyla - Equidae
Equus sp., "Equus pacificus" = Equus mexicanus
Equus sp. Linnaeus 1758 horse
small
"Equus pacificus" = Equus mexicanus Hibbard 1955 horse
 Artiodactyla - Camelidae
"? Tanupolama sp." = Hemiauchenia Gervais and Ameghino 1880 camel
includes Eschatius vitakeriana type of Cope
Eschatius sp. Cope 1884 camel
includes E. conidens (referred specimen) and E. longirostris (type) of Cope
Camelops hesternus Leidy 1873 camel
 Artiodactyla - Antilocapridae
Antilocapra cf. americana Ord 1815 pronghorn
 Artiodactyla - Bovidae
Ovis canadensis6 Shaw 1804 bighorn sheep
SDSM 86931
 Artiodactyla - Tayassuidae
Platygonus sp. Leconte 1848 peccary
small
Platygonus cf. vetus Leidy 1882 peccary