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

Mammalia
Rodentia - Sciuridae	"Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus "Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus Erxleben 1777 rock squirrel
Rodentia - Cricetidae	Microtus pennsylvanicus, Dicrostonyx sp., "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus Microtus pennsylvanicus Ord 1815 meadow vole Dicrostonyx sp. Gloger 1841 lemming "probably D. torquatus" "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus True 1890 red tree vole
Lagomorpha - Ochotonidae	Ochotona princeps Ochotona princeps Richardson 1828 American pika
Carnivora - Canidae	Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus 1758 red fox Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
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
Carnivora - Ursidae	Ursus arctos⁴, Arctodus simus⁴ Ursus arctos⁴ Linnaeus 1758 brown bear Arctodus simus⁴ Cope 1879 giant short-faced bear
Carnivora - Felidae	"Panthera atrox" = Panthera leo atrox, "Felis concolor" = Puma concolor "Panthera atrox" = Panthera leo atrox Leidy 1853 lion "Felis concolor" = Puma concolor Linnaeus 1771 puma
Artiodactyla - Cervidae	Alces alces Alces alces Linnaeus 1758 moose "questionable specimen"
Artiodactyla - Bovidae	Oreamnos sp., Ovis canadensis, "Symbos sp." = Bootherium Oreamnos sp. Rafinesque 1817 mountain goat no species name given Ovis canadensis Shaw 1804 bighorn sheep "Symbos sp." = Bootherium Harlan 1825 antelope no species name given
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
Soricomorpha - Soricidae	Microsorex hoyi, Cryptotis sp. Microsorex hoyi Baird 1858 American pygmy shrew Cryptotis sp. Pomel 1848 small-eared shrew
Aves
Passeriformes - Fringillidae	Leucosticte arctoa³, Carduelis sp.³, Coccothraustes vespertinus³ Leucosticte arctoa³ Pallas 1811 Asian rosy-finch Carduelis sp.³ Brisson 1760 finch Coccothraustes vespertinus³ Cooper 1825 evening grosbeak
Passeriformes - Passerellidae	Zonotrichia albicollis³, cf. Junco hyemalis³, Calamospiza melanocorys³, Pipilo chlorurus³ Zonotrichia albicollis³ Gmelin 1789 white-throated sparrow cf. Junco hyemalis³ Linnaeus 1758 dark-eyed junco Calamospiza melanocorys³ Stejneger 1885 lark bunting Pipilo chlorurus³ Audubon 1839 green-tailed towhee
Passeriformes - Turdidae	cf. Turdus migratorius³, Sialia sp.³ cf. Turdus migratorius³ Linnaeus 1758 American robin Sialia sp.³ Swainson 1827 bluebird
Passeriformes - Cardinalidae	Spiza americana³ Spiza americana³ Gmelin 1789 dickcissel
Passeriformes - Alaudidae	Eremophila alpestris³ Eremophila alpestris³ Linnaeus 1759 horned lark
Passeriformes - Corvidae	Nucifraga columbiana³, Corvus corax³, Corvus brachyrhynchos³, Pica pica³ Nucifraga columbiana³ Wilson 1811 Clark's nutcracker Corvus corax³ Linnaeus 1758 common raven Corvus brachyrhynchos³ Brehm 1822 American crow Pica pica³ Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian magpie
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 - Troglodytidae	cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ Say 1822 rock wren
Passeriformes - Laniidae	Lanius ludovicianus³ Lanius ludovicianus³ Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike
Passeriformes - Icteridae	Agelaius phoeniceus³, Sturnella sp.³, Sturnella neglecta³, cf. Quiscalus sp.³, Euphagus cyanocephalus³, Euphagus magnirostris³ Agelaius phoeniceus³ Linnaeus 1766 red-winged blackbird Sturnella sp.³ Vieillot 1816 meadowlark Sturnella neglecta³ Audubon 1844 western meadowlark cf. Quiscalus sp.³ Vieillot 1816 grackle Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Wagler 1829 Brewer's blackbird Euphagus magnirostris³ Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird
Anseriformes - Anatidae	"Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata², Branta canadensis², Mergus merganser², Anas sp.², Anas crecca², Anas acuta², Anas platyrhynchos², Anas schneideri n. sp.², Aythya collaris² "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata² Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler Branta canadensis² Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose Mergus merganser² Linnaeus 1758 common merganser Anas sp.² Linnaeus 1758 dabbling duck "A. discors or A. cyanoptera" plus "Anas spp." Anas crecca² Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian teal Anas acuta² Linnaeus 1758 northern pintail Anas platyrhynchos² Linnaeus 1758 mallard Anas schneideri n. sp.² Emslie 1985 dabbling duck Aythya collaris² Donovan 1809 ring-necked duck
Caprimulgiformes - Caprimulgidae	Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³, Chordeiles minor³ Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³ Audubon 1844 common poorwill Chordeiles minor³ Forster 1771 common nighthawk
Strigiformes - Strigidae	Aegolius funereus³, Aegolius acadicus³, Surnia ulula³, Asio otus³, Asio flammeus³, Bubo virginianus³, "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³ Aegolius funereus³ Linnaeus 1758 boreal owl Aegolius acadicus³ Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl Surnia ulula³ Linnaeus 1758 northern hawk owl Asio otus³ Linnaeus 1758 long-eared owl Asio flammeus³ Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl Bubo virginianus³ Gmelin 1788 great horned owl "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³ Linnaeus 1758 snowy owl
Piciformes - Picidae	Colaptes auratus³ Colaptes auratus³ Linnaeus 1758 northern flicker
Columbiformes - Columbidae	Ectopistes migratorius³, Zenaida macroura³ Ectopistes migratorius³ Linnaeus 1758 passenger pigeon Zenaida macroura³ Linnaeus 1758 mourning dove
Gruiformes - Rallidae	Porzana carolina³ Porzana carolina³ Linnaeus 1758 sora
Gruiformes - Gruidae	"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis³ "Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis³ Linnaeus 1758 Sandhill crane
Podicipediformes - Podicipedidae	Podiceps nigricollis³ Podiceps nigricollis³ Brehm 1831 black-necked grebe
Accipitriformes - Accipitridae	Buteo sp.³, Buteo lagopus³, Buteo cf. regalis³, Buteo jamaicensis³, Accipiter striatus³, Accipiter gentilis³, Circus cyaneus³, Aquila chrysaetos³, Neophrontops americanus², Buteogallus sp.³ Buteo sp.³ de Lacepède 1799 hawk Buteo lagopus³ Pontoppidan 1763 rough-legged hawk Buteo cf. regalis³ Gray 1844 ferruginous hawk Buteo jamaicensis³ Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk Accipiter striatus³ Vieillot 1897 sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter gentilis³ Linnaeus 1758 northern goshawk Circus cyaneus³ Linnaeus 1766 Hen harrier Aquila chrysaetos³ Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle Neophrontops americanus² Miller 1916 Old World vulture Buteogallus sp.³ Lesson 1830 black-hawks
Falconiformes - Falconidae	Polyborus plancus³, Falco columbarius³, Falco rusticolus³, Falco mexicanus³, Falco sparverius³ Polyborus plancus³ Miller 1777 southern caracara Falco columbarius³ Linnaeus 1758 merlin Falco rusticolus³ Linnaeus 1758 gyrfalcon Falco mexicanus³ Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon Falco sparverius³ Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel
Charadriiformes - Laridae	cf. Larus sp.³ cf. Larus sp.³ Linnaeus 1758 gull
Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae	Numenius americanus³, Numenius borealis³, Calidris melanotos³, "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³ Numenius americanus³ Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew Numenius borealis³ Forster 1772 eskimo curlew Calidris melanotos³ Vieillot 1819 pectoral sandpiper "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³ Linnaeus 1758 common snipe
Charadriiformes - Charadriidae	Charadrius montanus³, Charadrius vociferus³ Charadrius montanus³ Townsend 1837 mountain plover Charadrius vociferus³ Linnaeus 1758 killdeer
Reptilia
Galliformes - Phasianidae	"Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³, Tympanuchus phasianellus³, Dendragapus obscurus³, Centrocercus urophasianus³ "Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³ Richardson 1831 white-tailed ptarmigan Tympanuchus phasianellus³ Linnaeus 1758 sharp-tailed grouse Dendragapus obscurus³ Say 1823 dusky grouse Centrocercus urophasianus³ Bonaparte 1827 greater sage-grouse

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