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)

• 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: CC0 (CC0)

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
Carnivora - Canidae	Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus 1758 red fox Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
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
Carnivora - Mustelidae	"Martes americana" = Martes americana, "Martes nobilis" = Martes americana², Gulo gulo, Taxidea taxus, Mustela nigripes "Martes americana" = Martes americana Kerr 1792 American marten "Martes nobilis" = Martes americana² Kerr 1792 American marten Gulo gulo Linnaeus 1758 wolverine 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
Carnivora - Ursidae	Arctodus simus⁴, Ursus arctos⁴ Arctodus simus⁴ Cope 1879 giant short-faced bear Ursus arctos⁴ Linnaeus 1758 brown bear
Artiodactyla - Bovidae	Ovis canadensis, Oreamnos sp., "Symbos sp." = Bootherium Ovis canadensis Shaw 1804 bighorn sheep Oreamnos sp. Rafinesque 1817 mountain goat no species name given "Symbos sp." = Bootherium Harlan 1825 antelope no species name given
Artiodactyla - Cervidae	Alces alces Alces alces Linnaeus 1758 moose "questionable specimen"
Artiodactyla - Camelidae	"Tanupolama sp." = Hemiauchenia, Camelops cf. hesternus² "Tanupolama sp." = Hemiauchenia Gervais and Ameghino 1880 camel Camelops cf. hesternus² Leidy 1873 camel referred to by Long as "Camelops"
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
Rodentia - Cricetidae	Dicrostonyx sp., "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus, Microtus pennsylvanicus Dicrostonyx sp. Gloger 1841 lemming "probably D. torquatus" "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus True 1890 red tree vole Microtus pennsylvanicus Ord 1815 meadow vole
Rodentia - Sciuridae	"Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus "Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus Erxleben 1777 rock squirrel
Lagomorpha - Ochotonidae	Ochotona princeps Ochotona princeps Richardson 1828 American pika
Reptilia
Galliformes - Phasianidae	Dendragapus obscurus³, Centrocercus urophasianus³, Tympanuchus phasianellus³, "Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³ Dendragapus obscurus³ Say 1823 dusky grouse Centrocercus urophasianus³ Bonaparte 1827 greater sage-grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus³ Linnaeus 1758 sharp-tailed grouse "Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³ Richardson 1831 white-tailed ptarmigan
Aves
Charadriiformes - Laridae	cf. Larus sp.³ cf. Larus sp.³ Linnaeus 1758 gull
Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae	Calidris melanotos³, "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³, Numenius americanus³, Numenius borealis³ Calidris melanotos³ Vieillot 1819 pectoral sandpiper "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³ Linnaeus 1758 common snipe Numenius americanus³ Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew Numenius borealis³ Forster 1772 eskimo curlew
Charadriiformes - Charadriidae	Charadrius montanus³, Charadrius vociferus³ Charadrius montanus³ Townsend 1837 mountain plover Charadrius vociferus³ Linnaeus 1758 killdeer
Accipitriformes - Accipitridae	Accipiter striatus³, Accipiter gentilis³, Buteo sp.³, Buteo jamaicensis³, Buteo cf. regalis³, Buteo lagopus³, Buteogallus sp.³, Neophrontops americanus², Aquila chrysaetos³, Circus cyaneus³ Accipiter striatus³ Vieillot 1897 sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter gentilis³ Linnaeus 1758 northern goshawk Buteo sp.³ de Lacepède 1799 hawk Buteo jamaicensis³ Gmelin 1788 red-tailed hawk Buteo cf. regalis³ Gray 1844 ferruginous hawk Buteo lagopus³ Pontoppidan 1763 rough-legged hawk Buteogallus sp.³ Lesson 1830 black-hawks Neophrontops americanus² Miller 1916 Old World vulture Aquila chrysaetos³ Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle Circus cyaneus³ Linnaeus 1766 Hen harrier
Anseriformes - Anatidae	Aythya collaris², Mergus merganser², Anas sp.², Anas schneideri n. sp.², Anas crecca², Anas platyrhynchos², Anas acuta², "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata², Branta canadensis² Aythya collaris² Donovan 1809 ring-necked duck Mergus merganser² Linnaeus 1758 common merganser Anas sp.² Linnaeus 1758 dabbling duck "A. discors or A. cyanoptera" plus "Anas spp." Anas schneideri n. sp.² Emslie 1985 dabbling duck Anas crecca² Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian teal Anas platyrhynchos² Linnaeus 1758 mallard Anas acuta² Linnaeus 1758 northern pintail "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata² Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler Branta canadensis² Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose
Podicipediformes - Podicipedidae	Podiceps nigricollis³ Podiceps nigricollis³ Brehm 1831 black-necked grebe
Gruiformes - Rallidae	Porzana carolina³ Porzana carolina³ Linnaeus 1758 sora
Gruiformes - Gruidae	"Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis³ "Grus canadensis" = Antigone canadensis³ Linnaeus 1758 Sandhill crane
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
Strigiformes - Strigidae	Aegolius funereus³, Aegolius acadicus³, Surnia ulula³, Bubo virginianus³, "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³, Asio otus³, Asio flammeus³ Aegolius funereus³ Linnaeus 1758 boreal owl Aegolius acadicus³ Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl Surnia ulula³ Linnaeus 1758 northern hawk owl Bubo virginianus³ Gmelin 1788 great horned owl "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³ Linnaeus 1758 snowy owl Asio otus³ Linnaeus 1758 long-eared owl Asio flammeus³ Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl
Caprimulgiformes - Caprimulgidae	Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³, Chordeiles minor³ Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³ Audubon 1844 common poorwill Chordeiles minor³ Forster 1771 common nighthawk
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, Agelaius phoeniceus³, cf. Quiscalus sp.³, Euphagus magnirostris³, Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Sturnella sp.³ Vieillot 1816 meadowlark Sturnella neglecta³ Audubon 1844 western meadowlark Agelaius phoeniceus³ Linnaeus 1766 red-winged blackbird cf. Quiscalus sp.³ Vieillot 1816 grackle Euphagus magnirostris³ Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Wagler 1829 Brewer's blackbird
Passeriformes - Corvidae	Nucifraga columbiana³, Pica pica³, Corvus brachyrhynchos³, Corvus corax³ Nucifraga columbiana³ Wilson 1811 Clark's nutcracker Pica pica³ Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian magpie Corvus brachyrhynchos³ Brehm 1822 American crow Corvus corax³ Linnaeus 1758 common raven
Passeriformes - Laniidae	Lanius ludovicianus³ Lanius ludovicianus³ Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike
Passeriformes - Troglodytidae	cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ Say 1822 rock wren
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 - Alaudidae	Eremophila alpestris³ Eremophila alpestris³ Linnaeus 1759 horned lark
Passeriformes - Cardinalidae	Spiza americana³ Spiza americana³ Gmelin 1789 dickcissel
Passeriformes - Passerellidae	Calamospiza melanocorys³, Pipilo chlorurus³, cf. Junco hyemalis³, Zonotrichia albicollis³ Calamospiza melanocorys³ Stejneger 1885 lark bunting Pipilo chlorurus³ Audubon 1839 green-tailed towhee cf. Junco hyemalis³ Linnaeus 1758 dark-eyed junco Zonotrichia albicollis³ Gmelin 1789 white-throated sparrow
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
Falconiformes - Falconidae	Falco sparverius³, Falco rusticolus³, Falco mexicanus³, Falco columbarius³, Polyborus plancus³ Falco sparverius³ Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel Falco rusticolus³ Linnaeus 1758 gyrfalcon Falco mexicanus³ Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon Falco columbarius³ Linnaeus 1758 merlin Polyborus plancus³ Miller 1777 southern caracara

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