Melbourne No. 2 Bed (Pleistocene of the United States)

Where: Brevard County, Florida (28.1° N, 80.6° W: paleocoordinates 28.1° N, 80.6° W)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

• small collection-level geographic resolution

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

• "probably early-Pleistocene" according to Allen, but Wisconsinan according to later workers

• bed-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: fluvial; siliciclastic sediments

• "stream deposits... [comprise] an upper, somewhat barren layer (No. 3 bed) lying uncomforably upon an older deposit rather in rich in fossil bones (the 'bone bed', No. 2). Below these is a layer of coquina (No. 1 bed) believed to be of Pleistocene age."

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by C. P. Singleton, J. W. Gildley, F. B. Loomis in 1922 - 1923; reposited in the MCZ

Collection methods: quarrying

Primary reference: G. M. Allen. 1932. A Pleistocene bat from Florida. Journal of Mammalogy 13(3):256-259 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 74292: authorized by John Alroy, entered by John Alroy on 01.08.2007, edited by Richard Hulbert

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• a long English-language list is given by Allen, who also mentions that "elephant and mastodon still persisted" in the No. 3 bed
Show authors, comments, and common names
Mammalia
 Chiroptera - Molossidae
"Molossides floridanus n. gen. n. sp." = Eumops glaucinus
"Molossides floridanus n. gen. n. sp." = Eumops glaucinus Wagner 1843 Wagner's bonneted bat
 Soricomorpha - Soricidae
Blarina brevicauda3
Blarina brevicauda3 Say 1823 northern short-tailed shrew
 Soricomorpha - Talpidae
Scalopus aquaticus3
Scalopus aquaticus3 Linnaeus 1758 eastern mole
 Carnivora - Canidae
"Vulpes palmaria" = Vulpes vulpes3, "Aenocyon cf. ayersi" = Aenocyon dirus3, Urocyon cf. cinereoargenteus3, Canis cf. latrans3, Canis cf. lupus3
"Vulpes palmaria" = Vulpes vulpes3 Linnaeus 1758 red fox
"Aenocyon cf. ayersi" = Aenocyon dirus3 Leidy 1858 dire wolf
Urocyon cf. cinereoargenteus3 Schreber 1775 gray fox
Canis cf. latrans3 Say 1823 coyote
Canis cf. lupus3 Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
 Carnivora - Phocidae
"Monachus tropicalis" = Neomonachus tropicalis3
"Monachus tropicalis" = Neomonachus tropicalis3 Gray 1850 Hawaiian monk seal
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
"Lutra canadensis" = Lontra canadensis3
"Lutra canadensis" = Lontra canadensis3 Schreber 1776 North American river otter
 Carnivora - Mephitidae
Mephitis mephitis3, "Spilogale ambarvalis" = Spilogale putorius3
Mephitis mephitis3 Schreber 1776 striped skunk
"Spilogale ambarvalis" = Spilogale putorius3 Linnaeus 1758 Florida spotted skunk
 Carnivora - Procyonidae
Procyon lotor3
Procyon lotor3 Linnaeus 1758 raccoon
 Carnivora - Ursidae
Ursus sp.3, Ursus americanus3, Tremarctos floridanus3
Ursus sp.3 Linnaeus 1758 bear
Ursus americanus3 Pallas 1780 black bear
Tremarctos floridanus3 Gidley 1928 Florida cave bear
 Carnivora - Felidae
"Felis rufus" = Lynx rufus3, "Felis cf. inexpectata" = Miracinonyx inexpectatus3, Felis (Herpailurus) sp.3, "Panthera augusta" = Panthera onca3, "Smilodon cf. floridanus" = Smilodon fatalis3
"Felis rufus" = Lynx rufus3 Schreber 1777 bobcat
"Felis cf. inexpectata" = Miracinonyx inexpectatus3 Cope 1895 American cheetah
Felis (Herpailurus) sp.3 Linnaeus 1758 cat
"Panthera augusta" = Panthera onca3 Linnaeus 1758 jaguar
"Smilodon cf. floridanus" = Smilodon fatalis3 Leidy 1868 saber-toothed cat
 Artiodactyla - Tayassuidae
Platygonus sp.3, Mylohyus sp.3
Platygonus sp.3 Leconte 1848 peccary
Mylohyus sp.3 Cope 1869 peccary
 Artiodactyla - Bovidae
Bison sp.3
Bison sp.3 Hamilton-Smith 1827 bison
 Artiodactyla - Cervidae
Odocoileus virginianus3
Odocoileus virginianus3 Zimmermann 1780 white-tailed deer
 Artiodactyla - Camelidae
"Tanupolama mirifica" = Palaeolama mirifica3
"Tanupolama mirifica" = Palaeolama mirifica3 Simpson 1929 stout-legged llama
 Perissodactyla - Equidae
Equus sp.3
Equus sp.3 Linnaeus 1758 horse
 Perissodactyla - Tapiridae
"Tapirus veroensis" = Tapirus (Helicotapirus) veroensis3
"Tapirus veroensis" = Tapirus (Helicotapirus) veroensis3 Sellards 1918 tapir
 Primates - Hominidae
Homo sapiens3
Homo sapiens3 Linnaeus 1758 human
 Lagomorpha - Leporidae
Sylvilagus floridanus3, Sylvilagus palustris3
Sylvilagus floridanus3 Allen 1890 eastern cottontail
Sylvilagus palustris3 Bachman 1837 marsh rabbit
 Rodentia - Cricetidae
Synaptomys australis3, Neotoma floridana3, Neofiber alleni3, Oryzomys palustris3, Peromyscus gossypinus3, Sigmodon hispidus3
Synaptomys australis3 Simpson 1928 rodent
Neotoma floridana3 Ord 1818 eastern woodrat
Neofiber alleni3 True 1884 round-tailed muskrat
Oryzomys palustris3 Harlan 1837 marsh rice rat
Peromyscus gossypinus3 Le Conte 1853 cotton mouse
Sigmodon hispidus3 Say and Ord 1825 hispid cotton rat
 Rodentia - Geomyidae
Geomys pinetis3
Geomys pinetis3 Rafinesque 1817 southeastern pocket gopher
 Rodentia - Castoridae
Castoroides cf. ohioensis3
Castoroides cf. ohioensis3 Foster 1838 giant beaver
 Rodentia - Caviidae
Neochoerus pinckneyi3, Hydrochoerus sp.3
Neochoerus pinckneyi3 Hay 1926 caviomorph
Hydrochoerus sp.3 Brisson 1762 capybara
 Cingulata - Dasypodidae
Dasypus bellus3
Dasypus bellus3 Simpson 1929 beautiful armadillo
 Cingulata - Pampatheriidae
"Chlamytherium septentrionalis" = Holmesina septentrionalis3
"Chlamytherium septentrionalis" = Holmesina septentrionalis3 Leidy 1889 edentate
 Cingulata - Glyptodontidae
"Boreostracon floridanus" = Glyptotherium cylindricum3
"Boreostracon floridanus" = Glyptotherium cylindricum3 Brown 1912 Florida glyptodont
  - Mylodontidae
Paramylodon cf. harlani3
Paramylodon cf. harlani3 Owen 1840 Harlan's ground sloth
 Megatherioidea - Megalonychidae
Megalonyx cf. wheatleyi3, Megalonyx jeffersonii3
Megalonyx cf. wheatleyi3 Cope 1871 edentate
Ray's referred specimens more likely represent M. jeffersonii
Megalonyx jeffersonii3 Desmarest 1822 Jefferson's ground sloth
 Proboscidea - Mammutidae
Mammut americanum3
Mammut americanum3 Kerr 1792 American mastodon
 Proboscidea - Elephantidae
"Mammuthus columbi" = Mammuthus columbi3, "cf. Mammuthus imperator" = Mammuthus columbi3
"Mammuthus columbi" = Mammuthus columbi3 Falconer 1857 Columbian mammoth
"cf. Mammuthus imperator" = Mammuthus columbi3 Falconer 1857 imperial mammoth
ID questionable
 Didelphimorphia - Didelphidae
Didelphis marsupialis3
Didelphis marsupialis3 Linnaeus 1758 common opossum
Reptilia
 Theropoda - Phasianidae
Meleagris gallopavo4
Meleagris gallopavo4 Linnaeus 1758 wild turkey
 Theropoda - Odontophoridae
Colinus virginianus4
Colinus virginianus4 Linnaeus 1758 northern bobwhite
Aves
 Cathartiformes - Cathartidae
Cathartes aura4
Cathartes aura4 Linnaeus 1758 turkey vulture
 Procellariiformes - Procellariidae
Puffinus puffinus4
Puffinus puffinus4 Brunnich 1764 Manx shearwater
 Ciconiiformes - Ciconiidae
Jabiru mycteria4
Jabiru mycteria4 Lichtenstein 1819 jabiru
 Suliformes - Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocorax auritus4
Phalacrocorax auritus4 Lesson 1831 double-crested cormorant
 Pelecaniformes - Ardeidae
"Casmerodius albus" = Ardea alba4, Ardea herodias4, Nyctanassa violacea4
"Casmerodius albus" = Ardea alba4 Linnaeus 1758 great egret
Ardea herodias4 Linnaeus 1758 great blue heron
Nyctanassa violacea4 Linnaeus 1758 yellow-crowned night heron
 Strigiformes - Strigidae
Strix varia4
Strix varia4 Barton 1799 barred owl
 Gruiformes - Gruidae
"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis4, Grus americana4
"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis4 Linnaeus 1758 Sandhill crane
Grus americana4 Linnaeus 1758 Whooping crane
 Anseriformes - Anatidae
"Querquedula floridana" = Querquedula floridiana4, Branta hutchinsii4
"Querquedula floridana" = Querquedula floridiana4 Shufeldt 1917 duck
Branta hutchinsii4 Richardson 1832 cackling goose
Branta canadensis hutchinsi
 Falconiformes - Falconidae
"Polyborus cheriway" = Caracara cheriway4
"Polyborus cheriway" = Caracara cheriway4 Jacquin 1784 crested caracara
 Accipitriformes - Accipitridae
Buteo lineatus4, Buteo jamaicensis4, Haliaeetus leucocephalus4
Buteo lineatus4 Gmelin 1788 red-shouldered hawk
Buteo jamaicensis4 Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk
Haliaeetus leucocephalus4 Linnaeus 1766 bald eagle
Reptilia
 Testudines - Emydidae
Terrapene carolina1
Terrapene carolina1 Linnaeus 1758 common box turtle
subspecies T. carolina putnami
Amphibia
 Caudata - Urodela
Siren lacertina2
Siren lacertina2 Linnaeus 1766 greater siren
1Auffenberg 1958; 2Goin and Auffenberg 1955; 3Ray 1958; 4Wetmore 1931