Thomas Farm (Miocene of the United States)

Where: Gilchrist County, Florida (29.7° N, 82.6° W: paleocoordinates 30.0° N, 78.9° W)

• coordinate based on political unit

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

When: Alachua Formation, Hemingfordian (20.4 - 16.0 Ma)

• member-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: terrestrial; calcareous sandstone and blue claystone

• fossils are from multiple horizons including a "joint clay"; a "layer of clayballs"; a "lime sand"; a bed of limestone "boulders" with "gravel and lime sand" matrix; and a "laminated bluish clay"; most of the material is from the "lime sand"

Size classes: macrofossils, mesofossils

Collected by C. Simpson, T. Barbour. P. Brodkorb in (Simpson), 1938 - 1942 (MCZ), 1959 (Brodkorb); reposited in the FLMNH, MCZ

Collection methods: bulk, quarrying, sieve,

Primary reference: T. E. White. 1942. The Lower Miocene mammal fauna of Florida. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology 92(1):1-49 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 18597: authorized by John Alroy, entered by John Alroy on 18.02.1993, edited by John Hunter, Jonathan Marcot, Jason Head, Matthew Carrano, Brian Beatty, Richard Hulbert, Terri Cleary and Mark Uhen

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• six fossiliferous levels, but no detectable faunal turnover: Pratt 1990
NISP 2445, based on Pratt 1990, but this excludes small mammals (NISP 82+) and includes 250 specimens that may be specifically indeterminate; total about 2527; Pratt and Morgan 1989 report 81 specimens of two species for which Black 1963a reported 5, hence his 105 specimens in three other species may now be represented by about 1700, for a rough total of 1783 small mammals and 4310 overall
Show authors, comments, and common names
unclassified
  -
Mephitaxus ancipidens n. sp., Compsothlypidae indet.27
Mammalia
 Carnivora - Amphicyonidae
Amphicyon longiramus n. sp., "Cynelos caroniavorus" = Cynelos caroniavorus24, "Parictis bathygenus n. sp." = Cynelos caroniavorus31
Amphicyon longiramus n. sp. White 1942 bear-dog
includes "A. intermedius" type of White 1940
"Cynelos caroniavorus" = Cynelos caroniavorus24 White 1942 bear-dog
"Parictis bathygenus n. sp." = Cynelos caroniavorus31 White 1942 bear-dog
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
Leptarctus ancipidens20, Mustelinae indet.24, Oligobunis floridanus n. sp.31, Zodiolestes freundi n. sp.14
Leptarctus ancipidens20 White 1941 mustelid carnivore
Mustelinae indet.24 Fischer 1817 mustelid carnivore
Oligobunis floridanus n. sp.31 White 1947 mustelid carnivore
Zodiolestes freundi n. sp.14 Labs Hochstein 2007 mustelid carnivore
 Carnivora - Ursidae
"Aelurodon johnhenryi n. sp." = Phoberocyon johnhenryi31
"Aelurodon johnhenryi n. sp." = Phoberocyon johnhenryi31 White 1947 bear
 Carnivora - Canidae
"Paradaphoenus tropicalis n. sp." = Osbornodon iamonensis, Phlaocyon sp.12, "Tomarctus canavus n. sp." = Metatomarctus canavus, "Nothocyon insularis" = Metatomarctus canavus31, "Aelurocyon spissidens n. sp." = Euoplocyon spissidens31
"Paradaphoenus tropicalis n. sp." = Osbornodon iamonensis Sellards 1916 canid
includes "P. nobilis" of White 1942
Phlaocyon sp.12 Matthew 1899 bone-crushing dog
new material
"Tomarctus canavus n. sp." = Metatomarctus canavus Simpson 1932 bone-crushing dog
"Nothocyon insularis" = Metatomarctus canavus31 Simpson 1932 bone-crushing dog
"Aelurocyon spissidens n. sp." = Euoplocyon spissidens31 White 1947 bone-crushing dog
 Perissodactyla - Rhinocerotidae
Floridaceras whitei33, Menoceras barbouri33
Floridaceras whitei33 Wood 1964 rhinoceros
"Rhinocerotidae, Gen. et. sp. nov."
Menoceras barbouri33 Wood 1964 rhinoceros
 Perissodactyla - Equidae
Archaeohippus blackbergi1, Parahippus leonensis, Anchitherium clarencei
Archaeohippus blackbergi1 Hay 1924 anchitheriine horse
Parahippus leonensis Sellards 1916 anchitheriine horse
includes "P. barbouri" type of White 1942, and apparently "Merychippus gunteri" of White 1942
Anchitherium clarencei Simpson 1932 anchitheriine horse
may include "Miohippus sp." of White 1942
 Artiodactyla - Protoceratidae
"Synthetoceras australis" = Prosynthetoceras texanus20, "Synthetoceras (Prosynthetoceras) douglasi n. sp." = Prosynthetoceras texanus31
"Synthetoceras australis" = Prosynthetoceras texanus20 Hay 1924 protoceratid
"Synthetoceras (Prosynthetoceras) douglasi n. sp." = Prosynthetoceras texanus31 Hay 1924 protoceratid
 Artiodactyla - Moschidae
Parablastomeryx floridanus n. sp., Machaeromeryx gilchristensis n. sp.
Parablastomeryx floridanus n. sp. White 1940 musk deer
Machaeromeryx gilchristensis n. sp. White 1941 musk deer
 Artiodactyla - Palaeomerycidae
Diabolocornis simonsi5
Diabolocornis simonsi5 Beatty 2010 ruminant
UF 216543 (holotype)
 Artiodactyla - Tayassuidae
Floridachoerus olseni n. sp.29
Floridachoerus olseni n. sp.29 White 1941 peccary
 Artiodactyla - Merycoidodontidae
Merycoidodontidae indet.21
Merycoidodontidae indet.21 Cook 1912 oreodont
"cf. Merychyus" of Maglio 1966, MacFadden 1982, "Merycoidodon sp." of Pratt 1990
 Artiodactyla - Camelidae
"Oxydactylus floridanus n. sp." = Nothokemas floridanus, "Nothokemas grandis n. gen. n. sp." = Nothokemas floridanus31, "Floridatragulus dolichanthereus n. sp." = Floridatragulus dolichanthereus, "Floridatragulus barbouri n. sp." = Floridatragulus dolichanthereus31
"Oxydactylus floridanus n. sp." = Nothokemas floridanus Simpson 1932 camel
see Simpson 1932;
"Nothokemas grandis n. gen. n. sp." = Nothokemas floridanus31 Simpson 1932 camel
"Floridatragulus dolichanthereus n. sp." = Floridatragulus dolichanthereus White 1940 camel
includes "Hypermekops olseni" type of White 1942; see also Patton 1967
"Floridatragulus barbouri n. sp." = Floridatragulus dolichanthereus31 White 1940 camel
 Soricomorpha - Soricidae
Limnoecus sp.19
Limnoecus sp.19 Stirton 1930 shrew
said to be a new species; NISP not clear; "Soricidae indet."
 Rodentia - Sciuridae
cf. Miospermophilus sp.22, Petauristodon pattersoni22, Nototamias hulberti22
cf. Miospermophilus sp.22 Black 1963 squirrel
Petauristodon pattersoni22 Pratt and Morgan 1989 squirrel
includes "Prosciurus? sp." of Black 1963a (1 specimen)
Nototamias hulberti22 Pratt and Morgan 1989 squirrel
(Black 1963a lists 4)
 Rodentia -
cf. Texomys sp.4
cf. Texomys sp.4 Slaughter 1981 rodent
 Rodentia - Mylagaulidae
Mylagaulidae indet.1
Mylagaulidae indet.1 Cope 1881 rodent
 Rodentia - Heteromyidae
Proheteromys floridanus20, "Proheteromys magnus" = Harrymys magnus20
Proheteromys floridanus20 Wood 1932 rodent
Black 1963a
"Proheteromys magnus" = Harrymys magnus20 Wood 1932 rodent
 Chiroptera -
Chiroptera indet.20
Chiroptera indet.20 Blumenbach 1779 bat
several species of bats
 Chiroptera - Natalidae
Primonatalus prattae n. gen. n. sp.18
Primonatalus prattae n. gen. n. sp.18 Morgan and Czaplewski 2003 funnel-eared bat
natalid bat
 Chiroptera - Vespertilionidae
Karstala silva n. gen. n. sp.9, Suaptenos whitei n. gen. n. sp.15, Miomyotis floridanus n. gen. n. sp.15
Karstala silva n. gen. n. sp.9 Czaplewski and Morgan 2001 vesper bat
vespertilionid bat
Suaptenos whitei n. gen. n. sp.15 Lawrence 1943 vesper bat
Miomyotis floridanus n. gen. n. sp.15 Lawrence 1943 vesper bat
Reptilia
 Testudines - Emydidae
Pseudemys sp.32
Pseudemys sp.32 Gray 1856 cooter
compared to P. floridana group
 Testudines - Testudinidae
Testudo tedwhitei n. sp.32
Testudo tedwhitei n. sp.32 Williams 1953 turtle
 Crocodylia - Alligatoridae
Alligator olseni n. sp.30
Alligator olseni n. sp.30 White 1942 alligator
MCZ 1887 - type (skull)
 Galliformes - Cracidae
Boreortalis laesslei n. gen. n. sp.7
Boreortalis laesslei n. gen. n. sp.7 Brodkorb 1954 chachalaca
Aves
 Charadriiformes - Rhegminornithidae
Rhegminornis calobates n. gen. n. sp.27
Rhegminornis calobates n. gen. n. sp.27 Wetmore 1943 shorebird
 Accipitriformes - Accipitridae
? Buteo sp.6
? Buteo sp.6 de Lacepède 1799 hawk
 Falconiformes - Falconoidae
Promilio epileus n. sp.28, Promilio brodkorbi n. sp.28, "Proictinia floridana n. sp." = Promilio floridanus8
Promilio epileus n. sp.28 Wetmore 1958 raptor
MCZ 2719
Promilio brodkorbi n. sp.28 Wetmore 1958 raptor
Brodkorb Coll. 1775
"Proictinia floridana n. sp." = Promilio floridanus8 Brodkorb 1956 raptor
 Suliformes - Anhingidae
"Phalacrocorax subvolans n. sp." = Anhinga subvolans8
"Phalacrocorax subvolans n. sp." = Anhinga subvolans8 Brodkorb 1956 darter
 Columbiformes - Columbidae
Columbidae indet.27
Columbidae indet.27 Illiger 1811 dove
 Cuculiformes - Cuculidae
Cuculidae indet.23, Thomasococcyx philohippus n. gen. n. sp.23
Cuculidae indet.23 Leach 1820 cuckoo
Thomasococcyx philohippus n. gen. n. sp.23 Steadman 2008 cuckoo
 Coraciiformes -
Coraciiformes indet.6
 Piciformes - Capitonidae
Capitonidae indet.6
Capitonidae indet.6 Bonaparte 1840 barbet
 Passeriformes - Parulidae
Parulidae indet.6
Parulidae indet.6 Wetmore et al. 1947 perching bird
Reptilia
 Squamata - Gekkonidae
sensu lato Gekkonidae indet.10
sensu lato Gekkonidae indet.10 Gray 1825 gecko
MCZ 3382, a right dentary
 Squamata -
Scolecophidia indet.16
Scolecophidia indet.16 snake
UF 268700-01, 271962-67, 12 trunk vertebrae
 Squamata - Boidae
Pterygoboa sp.17, Anilioides minuatus n. gen. n. sp.3, Calamagras floridanus n. sp.3, "Neurodromicus stanolseni n. sp." = Boa constrictor26, "Neurodromicus barbouri n. sp." = Boa constrictor26
Pterygoboa sp.17 Holman 1976 sand boa
Anilioides minuatus n. gen. n. sp.3 Auffenberg 1963 boa
Calamagras floridanus n. sp.3 Auffenberg 1963 dwarf boa
"Neurodromicus stanolseni n. sp." = Boa constrictor26 Linnaeus 1758 boa
"Neurodromicus barbouri n. sp." = Boa constrictor26 Linnaeus 1758 boa
 Squamata - Loxocemidae
Ogmophis pauperrimus n. sp.26
Ogmophis pauperrimus n. sp.26 Vanzolini 1952 Mexican burrowing snake
 Squamata - Colubridae
Pseudocemophora antiqua n. gen. n. sp.3, Paraoxybelis floridanus n. gen. n. sp.3
Pseudocemophora antiqua n. gen. n. sp.3 Auffenberg 1963 colubrid snake
Paraoxybelis floridanus n. gen. n. sp.3 Auffenberg 1963 colubrid snake
 Squamata -
Peltosaurus floridanus n. sp.26
Peltosaurus floridanus n. sp.26 Vanzolini 1952 squamates
Amphibia
 Salientia - Pelobatidae
"Scaphiopus cf. holbrooki" = Scaphiopus (Scaphiopus) holbrooki2
"Scaphiopus cf. holbrooki" = Scaphiopus (Scaphiopus) holbrooki2 Harlan 1835 Eastern spadefoot toad
 Salientia - Hylidae
Hyla goini n. sp.2, Proacris mintoni n. gen. n. sp.13
Hyla goini n. sp.2 Auffenberg 1956 tree frog
Proacris mintoni n. gen. n. sp.13 Holman 1961 tree frog
 Salientia - Ranidae
Rana sp.2
Rana sp.2 Linnaeus 1758 frog
 Salientia - Microhylidae
Microhyla sp.2
Microhyla sp.2 Tschudi 1838 frog
 Salientia - Bufonidae
Bufo praevius25
Bufo praevius25 Tihen 1951 toad
 Caudata - Urodela
Siren hesterna n. sp.11
Siren hesterna n. sp.11 Goin and Auffenberg 1955 siren
1Alroy 2002; 2Auffenberg 1956; 3Auffenberg 1963; 4Baskin 1986; 5Beatty 2010; 6Becker 1987; 7Brodkorb 1954; 8Brodkorb 1956; 9Czaplewski and Morgan 2001; 10Daza et al. 2014; 11Goin and Auffenberg 1955; 12Hayes 2000; 13Holman 1961; 14Labs Hochstein 2007; 15Lawrence 1943; 16Mead 2013; 17Mead and Schubert 2013; 18Morgan and Czaplewski 2003; 19Morgan and Pratt 1988; 20Olsen 1962; 21Pratt 1990; 22Pratt and Morgan 1989; 23Steadman 2008; 24Tedford and Frailey 1976; 25Tihen 1951; 26Vanzolini 1952; 27Wetmore 1943; 28Wetmore 1958; 29White 1941; 30White 1942; 31White 1947; 32Williams 1953; 33Wood 1964