PBDB Collection

Mene de Inciarte Tar Seep: Late/Upper Pleistocene, Venezuela

List of taxa

Where & when

Geology

Taphonomy & methods

Metadata & references

Taxonomic list

Amphibia - Temnospondyli

	Anura indet. (Fischer von Waldheim 1813)	Rincón et al. 2006
	"ranas"
Reptilia - Squamata

	Squamata indet. Oppel 1811	Rincón et al. 2006
	"lagartos"
Reptilia - Serpentes

	Serpentes indet. Linnaeus 1758	Rincón et al. 2006
	"serpientes"
Reptilia - Boidae

	Epicrates sp. Wagler 1830	Onary et al. 2018
Reptilia - Charadriiformes - Charadriidae

	Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus 1758	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae

	Phalaropus lobatus (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Phalaropus tricolor (Vieillot 1819)	Steadman et al. 2015	4 specimens

	Gallinago informal sp. 2 Brisson 1760	Steadman et al. 2015	4 specimens

	Gallinago informal sp. 3 Brisson 1760	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens

	Gallinago paraguaiae (Vieillot 1816)	Steadman et al. 2015	5 specimens

	Tringa flavipes (Gmelin 1789)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Tringa melanoleuca (Gmelin 1789)	Steadman et al. 2015	5 specimens

	Tringa solitaria Wilson 1813	Steadman et al. 2015	8 specimens

	Calidris sp. Gmelin 1789	Steadman et al. 2015	6 specimens

	Calidris canutus (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Calidris fuscicollis (Vieillot 1819)	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens
Reptilia - Charadriiformes - Burhinidae

	Burhinus sp. Illiger 1811	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Pelecaniformes - Ardeidae

	Ardeidae indet. Leach 1820	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Tigrisoma sp. Swainson 1827	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Ciconiiformes - Ciconiidae

	Ciconiidae indet. Sundevall 1836	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens
Reptilia - Cathartiformes - Cathartidae

	Coragyps cf. atratus (Bechstein 1793)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Vulturidae indet. Illiger 1811	Steadman et al. 2015	6 specimens
	spelled with current rank as Vulturinae

	Wingegyps informal new sp.	Steadman et al. 2015	6 specimens

	Cathartes sp. Illiger 1811	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Sarcoramphus informal new sp.	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Galbuliformes - Bucconidae

	Malacoptila sp. Gray 1841	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Anseriformes - Anatidae

	Sarkidiornis melanotos (Pennant 1769)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Anas bahamensis Linnaeus 1758	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens

	Dendrocygna autumnalis (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Dendrocygna bicolor (Vieillot 1816)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Nomonyx dominica (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
	recombined as Nomonyx dominicus

	Cairina moschata (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Netta erythrophthalma (zu Wied 1833)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Anas discors Linnaeus 1766	Steadman et al. 2015	7 specimens
	recombined as Spatula discors

	Anas clypeata Linnaeus 1758	Steadman et al. 2015	4 specimens
	recombined as Spatula clypeata
Reptilia - Cuculiformes - Cuculidae

	Coccyzus americanus (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Columbiformes - Columbidae

	Zenaida cf. auriculata (Des Murs 1847)	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens

	Columbina sp. Spix 1825	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Patagioenas sp. Reichenbach 1852	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens
Reptilia - Strigiformes - Strigidae

	Athene cunicularia (Molina 1782)	Steadman et al. 2015	7 specimens

	Asio stygius (Wagler 1832)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Strix virgata (Cassin 1849)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
	recombined as Ciccaba virgata

	Bubo sp. Dumeril 1806	Steadman et al. 2015	6 specimens
Reptilia - Strigiformes - Tytonidae

	Tyto alba (Scopoli 1769)	Steadman et al. 2015	12 specimens
Reptilia - Gruiformes - Rallidae

	Aramides cajanea (Statius Muller 1776)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
	recombined as Aramides cajaneus
Reptilia - Gruiformes - Aramidae

	Aramus guarauna (Linnaeus 1762)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens
Reptilia - Caprimulgiformes - Trochilidae

	Trochilidae indet. Vigors 1825	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens
Reptilia - Caprimulgiformes - Caprimulgidae

	Caprimulgus sp. Linnaeus 1758	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens
Reptilia - Passeriformes - Furnariidae

	Furnariidae indet. Gray 1840	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Passeriformes - Tyrannidae

	Pitangus lictor (Lichtenstein 1823)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Pitangus sulphuratus (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Arundinicola leucocephala (Linnaeus 1764)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Myiozetetes similis (von Spix 1825)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Tyrannus melancholicus Vieillot 1819	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Tyrannus dominicensis (Gmelin 1788)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Passeriformes - Vireonidae

	Hylophilus flavipes Lafresnaye 1845	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Passeriformes - Hirundinidae

	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (Vieillot 1816)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Passeriformes - Thraupidae

	Sicalis flaveola (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Volatinia jacarina (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Passeriformes - Icteridae

	Euphagus cf. magnirostris Miller 1929	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Gymnomystax mexicanus (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Chrysomus icterocephalus (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Quiscalus lugubris Swainson 1838	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Icterus spurius (Linnaeus 1766)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Sturnella magna (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Accipitriformes - Accipitridae

	Accipitridae informal sp. 7 Viellot 1816	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Accipitridae informal sp. 8 Viellot 1816	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Geranoaetus melanoleucus (Vieillot 1819)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Buteo sp. de Lacepède 1799	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Gypaetinae indet. Vieillot 1816	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Buteogallus informal new sp.	Steadman et al. 2015	4 specimens

	Buteogallus meridionalis (Latham 1790)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen

	Buteogallus aequinoctialis (Gmelin 1788)	Steadman et al. 2015	1 specimen
Reptilia - Odontophoridae

	Colinus cristatus (Linnaeus 1758)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens
Reptilia - Falconidae

	Falco sparverius Linnaeus 1758	Steadman et al. 2015	3 specimens

	Falco peregrinus Tunstall 1771	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens

	Caracara cheriway (Jacquin 1784)	Steadman et al. 2015	2 specimens
Reptilia - Crocodylia

	Crocodylia indet. (Owen 1842)	Rincón et al. 2006
	"cocodrilos"
Reptilia - Testudines

	Testudines indet. Batsch 1788	Rincón et al. 2006
	"tortugas"
Mammalia - Notoungulata - Toxodontidae

	Mixotoxodon larensis Van Frank 1957	Rincón 2011
Mammalia - Chiroptera - Vespertilionidae

	Eptesicus fuscus (Beauvois 1796)

	Rhogeessa sp. Allen 1866
Mammalia - Chiroptera - Phyllostomidae

	Phyllostomidae indet. Gray 1825

	Trachops cirrhosus (Spix 1823)

	cf. Micronycteris sp. Gray 1866

	Lophostoma cf. silvicolum d'Orbigny 1836
Mammalia - Primates

	Primates indet. Linnaeus 1758	Rincón et al. 2006
Mammalia - Rodentia - Muridae

	Heteromys anomalus	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Rodentia - Cricetidae

	Sigmodon hispidus Say and Ord 1825	Rincón et al. 2008

	Holochilus sciureus Wagner 1842	Rincón et al. 2008

	Calomys hummelinki	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Rodentia - Caviidae

	Neochoerus sp. Hay 1926	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Rodentia

	Proechimys cf. poliopus	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Rodentia - Echimyidae

	Dactylomyinae indet. Tate 1935	Rincón et al. 2008
	said to be new

	Echimys sp. Cuvier 1809	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Carnivora - Felidae

	Smilodon populator Lund 1842	Rincón R 2006
Mammalia - Carnivora - Canidae

	Canidae indet. Fischer de Waldheim 1817	Prevosti and Rincón 2007

	Caninae indet. Gill 1872	Ruiz-Ramoni et al. 2022
	IVICP 3533, right dP3. IVICP 3534, rightdP4. IVICP 3587 right dp4. IVICP 3540, left m2.

	Protocyon sp. Giebel 1855	Prevosti and Rincón 2007

	Protocyon troglodytes (Lund 1938)	Prevosti and Rincón 2007
	original and current combination Canis troglodytes
	MBLUZ P 2221; 2337; 2393; 2541; 2579; 2626; 3896; 3953; 4351; 4498; 4726; 4727

	Protocyon aff. troglodytes (Lund 1938)	Ruiz-Ramoni et al. 2022
	original and current combination Canis troglodytes
	IVICP 3521, left M1

	Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Schreber 1775)	Rincón et al. 2008
	IVICP 3531, left M1; IVICP 3528, a nearly complete right hemimandible; IVICP 3530, left c; IVICP 3529, a fragment of right hemimandible

	Urocyon cf. cinereoargenteus (Schreber 1775)	Prevosti and Rincón 2007

	Canis dirus Leidy 1858	Prevosti and Rincón 2007
	recombined as Aenocyon dirus
Mammalia - Cervidae

	Odocoileus sp. Rafinesque 1832	Rincón et al. 2006

	Mazama sp. Rafinesque 1817	Rincón et al. 2006
Mammalia - Camelidae

	Palaeolama (Palaeolama) sp. Churcher 1965	Rincón et al. 2006
	"Paleolama (Paleolama)"
Mammalia - Perissodactyla - Equidae

	Equus (Amerhippus) santaeelenae (Spillmann 1938)	Rincón et al. 2006
Mammalia - Cingulata - Pampatheriidae

	Holmesina occidentalis (Hoffstetter 1952)	Rincón et al. 2006
	= Pampatherium humboldtii Lund 1839	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Cingulata - Glyptodontidae

	Glyptodon cf. clavipes Owen 1839	Rincón et al. 2006
	see also Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Cingulata - Dasypodidae

	Dasypus sp. Linnaeus 1758	Rincón et al. 2006
	= Dasypus sabanicola Mondolfi 1967	Rincón et al. 2008
	recombined as Dasypus (Dasypus) sabanicola

	Propraopus sulcatus (Lund 1838)	Rincón et al. 2008
Mammalia - Megatheriidae

	Eremotherium sp. Spillmann 1948	Rincón et al. 2006
Mammalia - Didelphimorphia

	Didelphis sp. Linnaeus 1758	Rincón et al. 2006
see common names

Geography

Country:	Venezuela	State/province:	Zulia
Coordinates:	10.8° North, 72.2° West (view map)
Paleocoordinates:	10.8° North, 72.2° West
Basis of coordinate:	stated in text
Altitude:	115 meters
Geographic resolution:	outcrop

Time

Period:	Quaternary	Epoch:	Pleistocene
Stage:	Late/Upper Pleistocene	10 m.y. bin:	Cenozoic 6
Key time interval:	Late/Upper Pleistocene
Age range of interval:	0.12900 - 0.01170 m.y. ago
Age estimate:	27980 ± 370 to 25500 ± 600 YBP (14C (calibrated))

Stratigraphy

Stratigraphic resolution:	group of beds
Stratigraphy comments: Two geochemically defensible accelerator-mass spectrometer (AMS) radiocarbon (14C) dates exist for the vertebrate fauna from Mene de Inciarte, namely 25,500 ± 600 14C yr BP (28,456–30,878 cal yr BP) and 27,980 ± 370 14C yr BP (31,165–32,843 cal yr BP) for different collagenous fractions of a single specimen of G. clavipes (Jull et al., 2004). Three older and less precise AMS 14C dates (from 41,000 ± 1300 to 46,900 ± 2600 14C yr BP, or 42,440–46,776 to 45,655–[50,000] cal yr BP) were based on non-collagenous fractions of a single specimen of H. occidentalis, and thus are likely to be contaminated with old (“dead”) carbon from the asphalt.

Lithology and environment

Primary lithology:	unlithified sandy tar
Includes fossils?	Y
Lithology description: the "middle level [yielding most of the fossils] is composed of 80% tar and 20% sand" (Rincon et al. 2008)
Environment:	tar
Glacial or sequence phase:	high glacial

Taphonomy

Modes of preservation:	body
Size of fossils:	macrofossils,mesofossils
Preservation of anatomical detail:	excellent
Abundance in sediment:	few
Articulated whole bodies:	none
Associated major elements:	many
Disassociated major elements:	many
Temporal resolution:	time-averaged
Spatial resolution:	parautochthonous

Collection methods and comments

Collection methods:	bulk,chemical,field collection
Reason for describing collection:	taxonomic analysis
Collection method comments: Specimens are curated at the Museo de Biología, La Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Metadata

Also known as:	Pozo; Inciarte localidad 185; Inciarte localidad 198
Database number:	63515
Authorizer:	C. Bell, M. Uhen, M. Clapham, P. Mannion, J. Alroy, C. Jaramillo	Enterer:	C. Bell, G. Varnham, O. Alfaro, J. Carrillo, J. Alroy, M. Clapham
Modifier:	B. Allen	Research group:	vertebrate
Created:	2006-08-15 15:20:24	Last modified:	2023-08-02 09:50:51
Access level:	the public	Released:	2006-08-15 15:20:24
Creative Commons license:	CC BY

Reference information

Primary reference:

18256.

N. J. Czaplewski, A. D. Rincón, and G. S. Morgan. 2005. Fossil bat (Mammalia: Chiroptera) remains from Inciarte tar pit, Sierra de Perijá, Venezuela. Caribbean Journal of Science 41(4):768-781 [C. Bell/C. Bell]

Secondary references:

82781		S. Onary, A. D. Rincón, and A. S. Hisou. 2018. Fossil snakes (Squamata, Serpentes) from the tar pits of Venezuela: taxonomic, palaeoenvironmental, and palaeobiogeographical implications for the North of South America during the Cenozoic/Quaternary boundary. PeerJ 6:e5402 [M. Uhen/O. Alfaro]
46993		F. J. Prevosti and A. D. Rincón. 2007. A new fossil canid assemblage from the late Pleistocene of Northern South America: the canids of the Inciarte asphalt pit (Zulia, Venezuela), fossil record and biogeography. Journal of Paleontology 81(5):1053-1065 [C. Jaramillo/C. Suarez-Gomez/A. Rincon]
64953		A. D. Rincón. 2011. New remains of Mixotoxodon larensis Van Frank 1957 (Mammalia: Notoungulata) from Mene de Inciarte Tar Pit, north-western Venezuela. Interciencia 36(12):894-899 [C. Jaramillo/J. Carrillo]
26437		A. D. Rincón, M. T. Alberdi, and J. L. Prado. 2006. Nuevo registro de Equus (Amerhippus) santaeelenae (Mammalia, Perissodactyla) del pozo de asfalto de Inciarte (Pleistoceno Superior), estado Zulia, Venezuela. Ameghiniana 43(3):529-538 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
31501		A. D. Rincón, R. S. White, and H. G. McDonald. 2008. Late Pleistocene cingulates (Mammalia: Xenarthra) from Mene de Inciarte tar pits, Sierra de Perijá, western Venezuela. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 28(1):197-207 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]
18348		A. D. Rincón R. 2006. A first record of the Pleistocene saber-toothed cat Smilodon populator Lund, 1842 (Carnivora: Felidae: Machairodontinae) from Venezuela. Ameghiniana 43(2):499-501 [C. Bell/C. Bell]
82549		D. Ruiz-Ramoni, X. Wang, and A. D. Rincón. 2022. Canids (Caninae) from the past of Venezuela. Ameghiniana 59(1):97-116 [M. Uhen/M. Uhen]
66087		D. W. Steadman, J. A. Oswald, and A. D. Rincón. 2015. The diversity and biogeography of late Pleistocene birds from the lowland Neotropics. Quaternary Research 83:555-564 [M. Clapham/M. Clapham]