PBDB Collection

Little Box Elder Cave (Pleistocene of the United States)

Also known as LBEC

Where: Converse County, Wyoming (42.8° N, 105.7° W: paleocoordinates 42.8° N, 105.7° W)

• coordinate estimated from map

• small collection-level geographic resolution

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

• "late Pleistocene (Wisconsin)"

Environment/lithology: cave; lithology not reported

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by H. G. Rodeck in 1948, 1949, 1952, 1956; reposited in the UCM

Primary reference: C. A. Long. 1971. Significance of the late Pleistocene fauna from the Little Box Elder Cave, Wyoming, to studies of zoogeography of recent mammals. Great Basin Naturalist 31(2):93-105 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: general faunal/floral analysis

PaleoDB collection 93277: authorized by John Alroy, entered by John Alroy on 12.01.2010, edited by Richard Hulbert

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• "Remains of at least 60 species of mammals, five of which are extinct, have been reported from the cave"

Show authors, comments, and common names

Aves
Falconiformes - Falconidae	Falco sparverius³, Falco mexicanus³, Falco columbarius³, Falco rusticolus³, Polyborus plancus³ Falco sparverius³ Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel Falco mexicanus³ Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon Falco columbarius³ Linnaeus 1758 merlin Falco rusticolus³ Linnaeus 1758 gyrfalcon Polyborus plancus³ Miller 1777 southern caracara
Accipitriformes - Accipitridae	Neophrontops americanus², Buteogallus sp.³, Buteo sp.³, Buteo cf. regalis³, Buteo jamaicensis³, Buteo lagopus³, Aquila chrysaetos³, Circus cyaneus³, Accipiter gentilis³, Accipiter striatus³ Neophrontops americanus² Miller 1916 Old World vulture Buteogallus sp.³ Lesson 1830 black-hawks Buteo sp.³ de Lacepède 1799 hawk Buteo cf. regalis³ Gray 1844 ferruginous hawk Buteo jamaicensis³ Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk Buteo lagopus³ Pontoppidan 1763 rough-legged hawk Aquila chrysaetos³ Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle Circus cyaneus³ Linnaeus 1766 Hen harrier Accipiter gentilis³ Linnaeus 1758 northern goshawk Accipiter striatus³ Vieillot 1897 sharp-shinned hawk
Caprimulgiformes - Caprimulgidae	Chordeiles minor³, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³ Chordeiles minor³ Forster 1771 common nighthawk Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³ Audubon 1844 common poorwill
Passeriformes - Troglodytidae	cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ Say 1822 rock wren
Passeriformes - Passerellidae	Calamospiza melanocorys³, Zonotrichia albicollis³, cf. Junco hyemalis³, Pipilo chlorurus³ Calamospiza melanocorys³ Stejneger 1885 lark bunting Zonotrichia albicollis³ Gmelin 1789 white-throated sparrow cf. Junco hyemalis³ Linnaeus 1758 dark-eyed junco Pipilo chlorurus³ Audubon 1839 green-tailed towhee
Passeriformes - Laniidae	Lanius ludovicianus³ Lanius ludovicianus³ Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike
Passeriformes - Fringillidae	Carduelis sp.³, Leucosticte arctoa³, Coccothraustes vespertinus³ Carduelis sp.³ Brisson 1760 finch Leucosticte arctoa³ Pallas 1811 Asian rosy-finch Coccothraustes vespertinus³ Cooper 1825 evening grosbeak
Passeriformes - Corvidae	Pica pica³, Nucifraga columbiana³, Corvus brachyrhynchos³, Corvus corax³ Pica pica³ Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian magpie Nucifraga columbiana³ Wilson 1811 Clark's nutcracker Corvus brachyrhynchos³ Brehm 1822 American crow Corvus corax³ Linnaeus 1758 common raven
Passeriformes - Hirundinidae	"cf. Hirundo pyrrhonota" = Petrochelidon pyrrhonota³, cf. Tachycineta bicolor³ "cf. Hirundo pyrrhonota" = Petrochelidon pyrrhonota³ Vieillot 1816 cliff swallow cf. Tachycineta bicolor³ Vieillot 1808 tree swallow
Passeriformes - Cardinalidae	Spiza americana³ Spiza americana³ Gmelin 1789 dickcissel
Passeriformes - Turdidae	Sialia sp.³, cf. Turdus migratorius³ Sialia sp.³ Swainson 1827 bluebird cf. Turdus migratorius³ Linnaeus 1758 American robin
Passeriformes - Icteridae	Sturnella sp.³, Sturnella neglecta³, cf. Quiscalus sp.³, Agelaius phoeniceus³, Euphagus magnirostris³, Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Sturnella sp.³ Vieillot 1816 meadowlark Sturnella neglecta³ Audubon 1844 western meadowlark cf. Quiscalus sp.³ Vieillot 1816 grackle Agelaius phoeniceus³ Linnaeus 1766 red-winged blackbird Euphagus magnirostris³ Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Wagler 1829 Brewer's blackbird
Passeriformes - Alaudidae	Eremophila alpestris³ Eremophila alpestris³ Linnaeus 1759 horned lark
Anseriformes - Anatidae	Branta canadensis², "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata², Mergus merganser², Anas sp.², Anas platyrhynchos², Anas crecca², Anas acuta², Anas schneideri n. sp.², Aythya collaris² Branta canadensis² Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata² Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler Mergus merganser² Linnaeus 1758 common merganser Anas sp.² Linnaeus 1758 dabbling duck "A. discors or A. cyanoptera" plus "Anas spp." Anas platyrhynchos² Linnaeus 1758 mallard Anas crecca² Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian teal Anas acuta² Linnaeus 1758 northern pintail Anas schneideri n. sp.² Emslie 1985 dabbling duck Aythya collaris² Donovan 1809 ring-necked duck
Podicipediformes - Podicipedidae	Podiceps nigricollis³ Podiceps nigricollis³ Brehm 1831 black-necked grebe
Gruiformes - Gruidae	"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis³ "Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis³ Linnaeus 1758 Sandhill crane
Gruiformes - Rallidae	Porzana carolina³ Porzana carolina³ Linnaeus 1758 sora
Strigiformes - Strigidae	Bubo virginianus³, "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³, Surnia ulula³, Aegolius funereus³, Aegolius acadicus³, Asio otus³, Asio flammeus³ Bubo virginianus³ Gmelin 1788 great horned owl "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³ Linnaeus 1758 snowy owl Surnia ulula³ Linnaeus 1758 northern hawk owl Aegolius funereus³ Linnaeus 1758 boreal owl Aegolius acadicus³ Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl Asio otus³ Linnaeus 1758 long-eared owl Asio flammeus³ Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl
Columbiformes - Columbidae	Zenaida macroura³, Ectopistes migratorius³ Zenaida macroura³ Linnaeus 1758 mourning dove Ectopistes migratorius³ Linnaeus 1758 passenger pigeon
Piciformes - Picidae	Colaptes auratus³ Colaptes auratus³ Linnaeus 1758 northern flicker
Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae	Numenius americanus³, Numenius borealis³, "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³, Calidris melanotos³ Numenius americanus³ Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew Numenius borealis³ Forster 1772 eskimo curlew "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³ Linnaeus 1758 common snipe Calidris melanotos³ Vieillot 1819 pectoral sandpiper
Charadriiformes - Charadriidae	Charadrius montanus³, Charadrius vociferus³ Charadrius montanus³ Townsend 1837 mountain plover Charadrius vociferus³ Linnaeus 1758 killdeer
Charadriiformes - Laridae	cf. Larus sp.³ cf. Larus sp.³ Linnaeus 1758 gull
Galliformes - Phasianidae	Dendragapus obscurus³, "Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³, Tympanuchus phasianellus³, Centrocercus urophasianus³ Dendragapus obscurus³ Say 1823 dusky grouse "Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³ Richardson 1831 white-tailed ptarmigan Tympanuchus phasianellus³ Linnaeus 1758 sharp-tailed grouse Centrocercus urophasianus³ Bonaparte 1827 greater sage-grouse
Mammalia
Rodentia - Cricetidae	Microtus pennsylvanicus, "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus, Dicrostonyx sp. Microtus pennsylvanicus Ord 1815 meadow vole "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus True 1890 red tree vole Dicrostonyx sp. Gloger 1841 lemming "probably D. torquatus"
Rodentia - Sciuridae	"Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus "Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus Erxleben 1777 rock squirrel
Lagomorpha - Ochotonidae	Ochotona princeps Ochotona princeps Richardson 1828 American pika
Artiodactyla - Bovidae	Ovis canadensis, "Symbos sp." = Bootherium, Oreamnos sp. Ovis canadensis Shaw 1804 bighorn sheep "Symbos sp." = Bootherium Harlan 1825 antelope no species name given Oreamnos sp. Rafinesque 1817 mountain goat no species name given
Artiodactyla - Cervidae	Alces alces Alces alces Linnaeus 1758 moose "questionable specimen"
Artiodactyla - Camelidae	Camelops cf. hesternus², "Tanupolama sp." = Hemiauchenia Camelops cf. hesternus² Leidy 1873 camel referred to by Long as "Camelops" "Tanupolama sp." = Hemiauchenia Gervais and Ameghino 1880 camel
Perissodactyla - Equidae	Equus conversidens¹ Equus conversidens¹ Owen 1869 horse
Carnivora - Felidae	"Felis concolor" = Puma concolor, "Panthera atrox" = Panthera leo atrox "Felis concolor" = Puma concolor Linnaeus 1771 puma "Panthera atrox" = Panthera leo atrox Leidy 1853 lion
Carnivora - Canidae	Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus 1758 red fox Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
Carnivora - Ursidae	Ursus arctos⁴, Arctodus simus⁴ Ursus arctos⁴ Linnaeus 1758 brown bear Arctodus simus⁴ Cope 1879 giant short-faced bear
Carnivora - Mustelidae	Taxidea taxus, Mustela nigripes, "Martes americana" = Martes americana, "Martes nobilis" = Martes americana², Gulo gulo Taxidea taxus Schreber 1778 American badger possibly assigned by Anderson to T. marylandica, discussion makes this unclear Mustela nigripes Audubon and Bachman 1851 black-footed ferret "Martes americana" = Martes americana Kerr 1792 American marten "Martes nobilis" = Martes americana² Kerr 1792 American marten Gulo gulo Linnaeus 1758 wolverine
Theriamorpha - Soricidae	Cryptotis sp., Microsorex hoyi Cryptotis sp. Pomel 1848 small-eared shrew Microsorex hoyi Baird 1858 American pygmy shrew

¹Anderson 1967; ²Emslie 1985; ³Emslie 1985; ⁴Kurtén and Anderson 1974