DOCSLIB.ORG

Small Vertebrates of the Bidahoghi Formation, White

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Small Vertebrates of the Bidahoghi Formation, White Small vertebrates of the Bidahochi Formation, White Cone, northeastern Arizona Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Baskin, Jon Alan, 1947- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 29/09/2021 06:34:07 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/555052 SMALL VERTEBRATES OF THE BIDAHOGHI FORMATION, WHITE CONE, NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA by Jon Alan Baskin A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES In Partial Fulfillm ent of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 7 5 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has "been submitted in partial ful­ fillm ent of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interest of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the a u th o r . SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown belowi At' A t o r / t. mr EVERETT H .7LINDSA^LINDSAY D a te Associate Professor of Geosciences ACKNOWLEDGMENTS E. H. Lindsay directed this study and provided invaluable help throughout. G. G. Simpson offered many helpful suggestions and criticism s of this work. D. Schumacher made helpful comments concerning the manu­ script. R. Scarborough of the Department of Geosciences provided potassium-argon dates. W. G. Spaulding of the Department of Geosciences identified and analyzed pollen. T. R. VanDevender of the Department of Geosciences assisted in the identification of amphibians and reptiles. E. H. Lindsay, N. Johnson of Dartmouth University, and N. Opdyke of Columbia University provided paleomagnetic data. L. L. Jacobs provided both assistance and stim ulat­ ing discussion concerning Hemphillian rodents. I wish to express my gratitude to the residents of Navajo D istrict Seven for their cooperation in making this study possible. A summer research grant from the Museum of Northern Arizona made it possible to devote the summer of 1974 to field work. My wife, Christine, assisted me in the field, typed the manuscript, and drew Figure 7. I want to thank her for her patience and assistance during this study as well as that of both of our parents, Myer and Beverly Baskin, and Maxime and Vera Fuel. i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS P age LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS....................................... v i LIST OF TABLES ............................................ ........................................... v i i ABSTRACT .......................................................................... ............................. v i i i INTRODUCTION................................... .... .................................................. 1 PREVIOUS WORK.............................................................................................. 3 GEOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY.................... ..... ......................... 6 SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF THE FAUNA ........................................ 13 Class Amphibia Linnaeus, 1758 13 Scaphiopus sp, ................................................................. 13 Bufo cf. Woodhousi Girard, 185^ ...... 13 Class R eptilia Laurenti, 1?68 ......... 13 C ro ta p h y tu s s p . , . 1^ Eumeces sp. ................ In- H e te ro d o n s p .................................................. 14 Pituophis sp. ....................................... 14- Lampropeltis sp, ............. 14- Class^Mammalia Linnaeus, 1758 15 Family Talpidae Vicq d’Azyr, 1792 .................... 15 ?Domninoides sp ......................... ...... 15 Family Soricidae Vicq d’Azyr, 1792 .... 16 Notiosorex sp, ....................................... 16 Family Leporidae Brandt, 1855 ....... 19 Hypolagus vetus (Kellogg), 1910 . 19 Family Mylagaulidae Cope, 1881 ...... 21 Mylagaulus monodon Cope, 1882 , . , 22 Family Sciundae Gray, 1821 ........ 25 S p e rm o p h iiu s s p ....................................................... 25 Subfamily Sciurinae gen. et sp, indet. 27 F a m ily C a s to r id a e G ray . 1825 .......................... 27 Dipoides williamsi Stirton, 1936 . 28 Family Heteromyidae Allen and Chapman, 1893 ................................................................................ 35 iv V TABLE OF CONTENTS— C o n tin u e d Page Perognathus sp ..................................................................... Perognathoides bidahochiensis n. sp. Family Cricetidae Rocheburne," lbS'3 ......................... .... Bensonom ys y a z h i n . s p ............................................ Bensonomys bradyi n. sp .. ......... Copemys s p ............................................. ....... Paronychomys alticusois n. sp. .^.................... Subfamily Cricitinae gen, et sp. indet. Family Procyonidae Bonapart. 1850 ....... 67 o f . P ro c y o n S t o r r . 1780 ............................................. Family M ustelidae Swainson, 1835 ........ 67 Martes (Plionictis) repenningi n. ,sp. 67 Subfamily Mustelinae gen. et sp. indet. 71 Family Camelidae Z ittel. 1893 ......... 72 Subfamily Camelinae indet. A .............................. 72 Subfamily Camelinae indet. B. .................... 72 PALE0EC0L0GY OF THE WHITE CONE FAUNA 73 TAPH0N0MY OF THE WHITE CONE FAUNA 77 AGE OF THE WHITE CONE FAUNA............................................................ 79 RELATIONSHIP OF THE WHITE CONE FAUNA TO OTHER HEMPHILLIAN SMALL MAMMAL FAUNAS ........ 86 SUMMARY............................................................................................................. 91 APPENDIX Ai CATALOGUED SPECIMENS BELONGING TO THE NAVAJO AND HOPI INDIAN T R I B E S ........................................ 93 ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS................................................................. 99 REFERENCES CITED 100 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Study Area in Navajo County, Arizona .................... 7 2. Notiosorex sp,, ?Domninoides sp., and Spermonhilus sp. of the White Cone Fauna . 1? 3. Dipoides william si and Mylagaulus monodon of the White Cone F au n a .................................... 2 4 4. Heteromyidae of the White Cone F au n a .................... 36 5. Bensonomys of the White Cone F au n a .........................50 6 . Additional Cricetidae of the White Cone Fauna . 60 7. Martes (Plionictis) repenningi of the White Cone F a u n a ............................................ ............................. 68 8 . Idealized North-South Cross Section Through White Cone Diatreme and White Cone Peak . 81 9. Paleomagnetic Section at White Cone Peak . 84 v i LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. White Cone Peak Measured Section .............................. .... n 2. Measurements of Domninoides sp. and Notiosorex s p . ................................................................................................... 16 3. Measurements of Mylagaulus monodon, Spermophilus sp. and Sciurinae gen, et sp. indet. ................................................................ .... 23 4. Measurements of Dipoides w illiam si ...........................29 5 . M e asu rem en ts o f P e r o e n a th u s s p ................................ 38 6 . Measurements of Perognathoides bidahochiensis . 45 7. Measurements of Bensonomys yazhi ................................... 51 8 . Measurements of Bensonomys b ra d y i ......................... • 57 9. Measurements of Copemys sp ................................................. 61 10. Measurements of Paronychomys alticuspis .... 61 11. Measurements of Martes (Plionictis). repenningi . 71 12. Pollen from the Fossil Horizon at White Cone . 74 13. Pollen from Roberts Mesa .... ........................................... 74 14. Sim ilarities of Rodent Faunas ............................................. 90 v i 1 ABSTRACT Two taxa of amphibians, five taxa of rep tiles,. and eighteen taxa of mammals were collected by screen­ washing sediments from the upper Bidahochi Formation at White Cone peak, northeastern Arizona. Five new species of mammals were recovered. They include Perognathoides bidahochiensis (Heteromyidae), Bensonomys yazhi (C ricetidae), Bensonomys bradyi (C ricetidae), Paronychomys alticuspis (Cricetidae), and Martes (Plionictis) repenningi (M ustelidae). Bensonomys yazhi and Bensonomys bradyi are close to the stem of Central and South America! hesperomyine radiation. The radiation began in the southwest United States and Mexico during the Hemphillian, The middle member of the Bidahochi Formation is dated at 6.7 m. y. by a basalt from Roberts Mesa. The paleomagnetic data and the White Cone local fauna support this middle Hemphillian date. v m INTRODUCTION White Cone has become well known in mammalian . vertebrate paleontology because of its inclusion in both the Wood committee report on correlation of the North American Tertiary (H. E. Wood and others 1941) and the Potassium-Argon mammalian
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Chapter 1 - Introduction
    EURASIAN MIDDLE AND LATE MIOCENE HOMINOID PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY AND THE GEOGRAPHIC ORIGINS OF THE HOMININAE by Mariam C. Nargolwalla A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Anthropology University of Toronto © Copyright by M. Nargolwalla (2009) Eurasian Middle and Late Miocene Hominoid Paleobiogeography and the Geographic Origins of the Homininae Mariam C. Nargolwalla Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology University of Toronto 2009 Abstract The origin and diversification of great apes and humans is among the most researched and debated series of events in the evolutionary history of the Primates. A fundamental part of understanding these events involves reconstructing paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic patterns in the Eurasian Miocene; a time period and geographic expanse rich in evidence of lineage origins and dispersals of numerous mammalian lineages, including apes. Traditionally, the geographic origin of the African ape and human lineage is considered to have occurred in Africa, however, an alternative hypothesis favouring a Eurasian origin has been proposed. This hypothesis suggests that that after an initial dispersal from Africa to Eurasia at ~17Ma and subsequent radiation from Spain to China, fossil apes disperse back to Africa at least once and found the African ape and human lineage in the late Miocene. The purpose of this study is to test the Eurasian origin hypothesis through the analysis of spatial and temporal patterns of distribution, in situ evolution, interprovincial and intercontinental dispersals of Eurasian terrestrial mammals in response to environmental factors. Using the NOW and Paleobiology databases, together with data collected through survey and excavation of middle and late Miocene vertebrate localities in Hungary and Romania, taphonomic bias and sampling completeness of Eurasian faunas are assessed.
    [Show full text]
  • Stratigraphic and Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction of a Mid-Pliocene Fossil Site in the High Arctic (Ellesmere Island, Nunavut)
    ARCTIC VOL. 69, NO. 2 (JUNE 2016) P. 185 – 204 http://dx.doi.org/10.14430/arctic4567 Stratigraphic and Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction of a Mid-Pliocene Fossil Site in the High Arctic (Ellesmere Island, Nunavut): Evidence of an Ancient Peatland with Beaver Activity William Travis Mitchell,1 Natalia Rybczynski,2,3 Claudia Schröder-Adams,1 Paul B. Hamilton,4 Robin Smith2 and Marianne Douglas5 (Received 12 June 2015; accepted in revised form 27 January 2016) ABSTRACT. Neogene terrestrial deposits of sand and gravel with preserved wood and peat accumulations occur in many areas of the High Arctic. The Pliocene-aged Beaver Pond fossil site (Ellesmere Island, NU) is one such site that differs from other sites in the great thickness of its peat layer and the presence of a rich vertebrate faunal assemblage, along with numerous beaver-cut sticks. Although the site has been the subject of intense paleontological investigations for over two decades, there has not been a reconstruction of its depositional history. In this study, measured sections within and surrounding the site established the stratigraphy and lateral continuity of the stratigraphic units. Grain size analysis, loss on ignition, and fossil diatom assemblages were examined to reconstruct paleoenvironmental changes in the sequence. The base of the section was interpreted as a floodplain system. Using modern peat accumulation rates, the maximum thickness (240 cm) of the overlying peat layer is estimated to represent 49 000 ± 12 000 years. From this evidence, we suggest that during the peat formation interval, beaver activity may have played a role in creating an open water environment.
    [Show full text]
  • Cranial Morphology of the Oligocene Beaver Capacikala Gradatus from the John Day Basin and Comments on the Genus
    Palaeontologia Electronica palaeo-electronica.org Cranial morphology of the Oligocene beaver Capacikala gradatus from the John Day Basin and comments on the genus Clara Stefen ABSTRACT The cranial morphology of the small Oligocene beaver Capacikala gradatus is described on the basis of a well preserved, nearly complete skull and partial mandibles from the John Day Formation, John Day Fossil Beds, Oregon, USA. The only nearly complete skull known so far from the same area as the type specimen is described here in detail. This is especially appropriate as the type specimen comes from an unknown locality within the John Day Formation and is only a fragmentary skull. The newly described specimen was found between dated marker beds, so that it can be no older than 28.7 Ma, nor younger than 27.89 Ma. Although Capacikala had been named 50 years ago (MacDonald, 1963), it is still not well known. Morphological comparisons are made to other mentioned or illustrated specimens of Capacikala, Palaeocastor and recent Castor; there are similarities and differences to both genera. The findings of the skull is discussed in comparison to the description of the genera Capacikala and Palaeocastor and some characters are revised. A phylogenetic analysis with few selected castorid species was performed, but resulted in poorly supported trees. How- ever, a complete revision of beaver phylogeny and of the characters used is beyond the scope of the paper. Clara Stefen. Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Museum of Zoology, Königsbrücker Landstrasse 159, 01109 Dresden, Germany, [email protected] KEY WORDS: Castoridae; Palaeocastorinae; skull; Tertiary INTRODUCTION Fremd et al., 1994; Hunt and Stepleton, 2004; Samuels and Zancanella, 2011).
    [Show full text]
  • Sedimentology of Norden Bridge and Egelhoff Fossil Quarries (Miocene) of North-Central Nebraska
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies Nebraska Academy of Sciences 1981 Sedimentology of Norden Bridge and Egelhoff Fossil Quarries (Miocene) of North-Central Nebraska Carl F. Wellstead McGill University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas Part of the Life Sciences Commons Wellstead, Carl F., "Sedimentology of Norden Bridge and Egelhoff Fossil Quarries (Miocene) of North- Central Nebraska" (1981). Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies. 269. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/tnas/269 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nebraska Academy of Sciences at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societiesy b an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 1981. Transactions a/the Nebraska Academy a/Sciences, IX:67-85. SEDIMENTOLOGY OF NORDEN BRIDGE AND EGELHOFF FOSSIL QUARRIES (MIOCENE) OF NORTH-CENTRAL NEBRASKA Carl F. Wellstead Redpath Museum McGill University 859 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, Quebec H3A 2K6 Canada Measured sections demonstrate the positions of the Norden Bridge 2.5 km northwest of Norden Bridge Quarry. Fossil vertebrates an, Egelhoff fossil quarries in the local stratigraphy and show Egelhoff from these quarries have been the subject of a series of papers QL ,rry to be topographically higher. The sections do not resolve the during the last 20 years (Smith, 1962; Klingener, 1968; reL live stratigraphic positions of the quarries. Descriptions of sedi­ me'lts at the two quarries demonstrate that coarser sediments exist at Undsay, 1972; Rich and Rasmussen, 1973; Storer, 1973; Nc,,jen Bridge Quarry.
    [Show full text]
  • PROXY RECONSTRUCTIONS of PLIOCENE CLIMATE by Adam
    DECIPHERING ARCTIC CLIMATE IN A PAST GREENHOUSE WORLD: MULTI- PROXY RECONSTRUCTIONS OF PLIOCENE CLIMATE by Adam Zoltan Csank _____________________ A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2011 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Adam Zoltan Csank entitled Deciphering Arctic Climate in a Past Greenhouse World: Multi-Proxy Reconstructions of Pliocene Climate and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy _______________________________________________________________________ Date: Feb 4 2011 STEVEN LEAVITT _______________________________________________________________________ Date: Feb 4 2011 JONATHAN OVERPECK _______________________________________________________________________ Date: Feb 4 2011 JOELLEN RUSSELL _______________________________________________________________________ Date: Feb 4 2011 MALCOLM HUGHES _______________________________________________________________________ Date: Feb 4 2011 MICHAEL EVANS Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: Mar 4, 2011 Dissertation Director: STEVEN LEAVITT 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This document has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this document are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made.
    [Show full text]
  • Geology of the Fort Laramie '.* Area, Platte and Goshen >
    Geology of the Fort Laramie '.* Area, Platte and Goshen >. Counties, Wyoming > By LAURA W. McGREW ONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1141-F *repared as part of a program of the ^Department of the Interior for develop­ ment of the Missouri River basin, with the cooperation of the Geological Survey of Wyoming and the Department of Geology, University of Wyoming JNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1963 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington D.C. 20407 CONTENTS Page Abstract__.._..._....._..._.____.__.......__-_.-..__-.__.____---- Fl Introduction.____________________________i..___^_________________- 2 Stratigraphy._____________________________________________________ 4 Precambrian rocks__._--______._____-_-___-___-__--_--______--- 5 Cambrian(?) system.__________________________________________ 5 Devonian and Mississippian systems.____________________________ 6 Guernsey formation______________________________________ 6 . Mississippian(?), Pennsylvanian, and Permian systems..____.______ 7 Hartville formation. ...............^........................ 7 Permian system.___---_--_______-______---_-__-_--_-_---_-_--- 10 Opeche shale___.__________________________________________ 10 Minnekahta limestone___-___________---_--_-_-____-__--_-_- 10 Gypsum and red shale sequence._______-_--_-_--____-____-__ 11 Triassic system..._____________________________________________
    [Show full text]
  • The Stratigraphic Position of Fossil Vertebrates from the Pojoaque Member of the Tesuque Formation (Middle Miocene, Late Barstovian) Near Española, New Mexico
    Stephen F. Austin State University SFA ScholarWorks Electronic Theses and Dissertations 5-9-2016 THE STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION OF FOSSIL VERTEBRATES FROM THE POJOAQUE MEMBER OF THE TESUQUE FORMATION (MIDDLE MIOCENE, LATE BARSTOVIAN) NEAR ESPAÑOLA, NEW MEXICO Garrett R. Williamson Stephen F. Austin State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds Part of the Geochemistry Commons, Geology Commons, Geomorphology Commons, Paleobiology Commons, Paleontology Commons, and the Stratigraphy Commons Tell us how this article helped you. Repository Citation Williamson, Garrett R., "THE STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION OF FOSSIL VERTEBRATES FROM THE POJOAQUE MEMBER OF THE TESUQUE FORMATION (MIDDLE MIOCENE, LATE BARSTOVIAN) NEAR ESPAÑOLA, NEW MEXICO" (2016). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 41. https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/41 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by SFA ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of SFA ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION OF FOSSIL VERTEBRATES FROM THE POJOAQUE MEMBER OF THE TESUQUE FORMATION (MIDDLE MIOCENE, LATE BARSTOVIAN) NEAR ESPAÑOLA, NEW MEXICO Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This thesis is available at SFA ScholarWorks: https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/41 THE STRATIGRAPHIC POSITION OF FOSSIL VERTEBRATES FROM THE POJOAQUE MEMBER OF THE TESUQUE FORMATION (MIDDLE MIOCENE, LATE BARSTOVIAN) NEAR ESPAÑOLA, NEW MEXICO By GARRETT ROSS WILLIAMSON, B.S. Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Stephen F. Austin State University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science STEPHEN F.
    [Show full text]
  • Florida State Museum
    BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES Volume 14 Number 2 MIOCENE AND PLIOCENE ARTIODACTYLS, TEXAS GULF COSTAL PLAIN Thomas Hudson Patton /853 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA Gainesville 1969 Numbers of the BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM are pub- lished at irregular intervals. Volumes contain about 300 pages and are not necessarily completed in any one calendar year. W,WrER AuFFENBERG, Managing Editor OLIVER L. AUSTIN, Jn., Editor Consultant for this issue: DONALD E. SAVAGE Communications concerning purchase or exchange of the publication and all manuscripts should be addressed to the Managing Editor of the Bulletin, Florida State Museum, Seagle Building, Gainesville, Florida 32601. Published June 17, 1969 Price for this issue $1.50 MIOCENE AND PLIOCENE ARTIODACTYLS, TEXAS GULF COASTAL PLAIN THOMAS HUDSON PATTON1 SYNOPSIS: Describes 27 species of fossil artiodactyls from a series of vertically successive mammalian. assemblages in Miocene and Pliocene deposits of the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain and discusses their systematic positions. Among the new forms represented are two camel genera: Australocametus, the probable Aep!/cameZus ancestor, and Nothott/lopus, a very unusual member of the Proto- labis-Pliauchenia lineage. The Floridagulinae are now seen to have had a trans-Coastal Plain distribution extending in time from the middle Heming- fordian Garvin Gully Fauna through the Barstovian Cold Spring Fauna. The Gulf Coast species of the Synthetoceratinae are discussed and the phylogeny of the subfamily outlined. Evidence from this study indicates that the Gulf Coastal Plain constituted a distinct faunal province throughout most of the Tertiary. Whereas many striking similarities exist between the faunas of the Texas Coastal Plain and those of the Great Plains, several groups are true Gulf Coast autochthons.
    [Show full text]
  • A Brief Overview of the Evolution of European Tertiary Beavers C
    BALTIC FORESTRY A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE EVOLUTION OF EUROPEAN TERTIARY BEAVERS C. STEFEN REVIEW PAPER A Brief Overview of the Evolution of European Tertiary Beavers CLARA STEFEN Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden, Museum für Tierkunde, Königsbrücker Landstraße 159, 01109 Dresden, Germany, e-mail: [email protected] Baltic Forestry 17(1): 148153. Abstract Beavers are a well defined group of rodents that are known from the late Eocene to recent times. Today only one genus with two species, Castor fiber and Castor canadensis both with several described subspecies occur in Eurasia and North America respectively. During the Tertiary beavers were much more diverse in North America, Europe and Asia ranging in size from about a mice to a capybara. In Europe there is one major radiation starting in the Late Oligocene or Early Miocene with Propalaeocastor (= Astenofiber) or Steneofiber, with several subsequent species of Steneofiber, leading to Chalicomys, and Trogontherium. Some generic distinctions are still not quite clear here. Probable immigrants to Europe include Anchitheriomys and Dipoides. One difficulty in understanding castorid evolution is posed by the fact, that especially European beavers are often found in low numbers and the bulk of the fossil material consists of isolated teeth and mandibular or small maxillary fragments. Skulls and even substantial skull fragments are generally rare. As Recent Castor and larger samples of fossil beavers show great morphometric variability, it is strongly suggested to discuss beaver taxonomy on the basis of populations or representative statistical samples, not based on individual teeth or extremely fragmentary material. More names and descriptions will not help our understanding of this group of rodents.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammalia: Rodentia)
    SYSTEMATICS AND PALEOECOLOGY OF NORTHERN GREAT BASIN MYLAGAULIDAE (MAMMALIA: RODENTIA) by JONATHAN J. CALEDE A THESIS Presented to the Department of Geological Sciences and the Graduate School ofthe University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science June 2010 ii "Systematics and Paleoecology ofNorthern Great Basin Mylagaulidae (Mammalia: Rodentia)," a thesis prepared by Jonathan J. Calede in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in the Department of Geological Sciences. This thesis has been approved and accepted by: ms, Chair of the Examining Committee Date Committee in Charge: Dr. Samantha S.B. Hopkins, Chair Dr. Madonna Moss Dr. Gregory J. Retallack Accepted by: Dean ofthe Graduate School iii © 2010 Jonathan J. Calede IV An Abstract of the Thesis of Jonathan J. Calede for the degree of Master of Science in the Department of Geological Sciences to be taken June2010 Title: SYSTEMATICS AND PALEOECOLOGY OF NORTHERN GREAT BASIN MYLAGAULIDAE (MAMMALIA: RODENTIA) / ' ' Approved: -- -· _,-<-f_,·�-/)'=/ , .�_· ___ __ ___ �.Samantha S.B. Hopkins Burrowing rodents are important ecosystem engineers in today's environments. The fossil record offers the opportunity to study patterns and processes in the evolution of the burrowing rodent guild through the Cenozoic. During the Miocene, this guild was very diverse, including numerous families ranging in ecology from semi-fossorial to subterranean. I use the emblematic family Mylagaulidae, a group of subterranean rodents, to test hypotheses of abiotic and biotic controls on mammalian evolution with the goal of better understanding turnover in the composition of the fossorial rodent guild in the Miocene of the Great Basin.
    [Show full text]
  • HAWK RIM: a GEOLOGIC and PALEONTOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION of a NEW BARSTOVIAN LOCALITY in CENTRAL OREGON by WIN NADIA FRANCIS MCLAUGH
    HAWK RIM: A GEOLOGIC AND PALEONTOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF A NEW BARSTOVIAN LOCALITY IN CENTRAL OREGON by WIN NADIA FRANCIS MCLAUGHLIN A THESIS Presented to the Department of Geological Science and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science September 2012 DISSERTATION APPROVAL PAGE Student: Win Nadia Francis McLaughlin Title: Hawk Rim: A Geologic and Paleontological Description of a New Barstovian Locality in Central Oregon This dissertation has been accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science degree in the Department of Geological Science by: Samantha Hopkins Chair Ray Weldon Member Steve Frost Outside Member and Kimberly Andrews Espy Vice President for Research and Innovation/Dean of the Graduate School Original approval signatures are on file with the University of Oregon Graduate School. Degree awarded September 2012 ii © 2012 WIN NADIA FRANCIS MCLAUGHLIN iii DISSERTATION ABSTRACT Win Nadia Francis McLaughlin Master of Science Department of Geological Science September 2012 Title: Hawk Rim: A Geologic and Paleontological Description of a New Barstovian Locality in Central Oregon Hawk Rim represents a new mid-Miocene site in Eastern Oregon. This time period offers a rare chance to observe dramatic climatic changes, such as sudden warming trends. The site is sedimentologically and stratigraphically consistent with the Mascall Formation of the John Day Basin to the north and east of Hawk Rim. Hawk Rim preserves taxa such as canids Cynarctoides acridens and Paratomarctus temerarius, the felid Pseudaelurus skinneri, castorids Anchitheriomys and Monosaulax, tortoises and the remains of both cormorants and owls.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Michigan University Library
    CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN VOL.VII, No. 5, pp. 91-105 (2 figs.) MARCH2, 1949 PLIOCENE SAW ROCK CANYON FAUNA IN KANSAS BY CLAUDE W. HIBBARD UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PRESS ANN ARBOR CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE MUSEUM OF PALEONTOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Director: LEWIS B. KELLUM The series of contributions from the Museum of Paleontology is a medium for the publication of papers based entirely or principally upon the collections in the Museum. When the number of pages issued is sufficient to make a volume, a title page and a table of contents will be sent to libraries on the mailing list, and also to individuals upon request. Correspondence should be directed to the University of Michigan Press. A list of the separate papers in Vol- umes 11-VI will be sent upon request. VOL. I. The Stratigraphy and Fauna of the Hackberry Stage of the Upper Devonian, by C. L. Fenton and M. A. Fenton. Pages xi+260. Cloth. $2.75. VOL. 11. Fourteen papers. Pages ix+240. Cloth. $3.00. Parts sold separately in paper covers. VOL. 111. Thirteen papers. Pages viii+275. Cloth. $3.50. Parts sold separately in paper covers. VOL. IV. Eighteen papers. Pages viii+295. Cloth. $3.50. Parts sold separately in paper covers. VOL. V. Twelve papers. Pages viii+318. Cloth. $3.50. Parts sold separately in paper covers. VOL. VI. Ten papers. Pages viii+336. Paper covers. $3.00. Parts sold separately. (Continued on inside back cover) VOL. VII. NO. 5. pp . 91-105 (2 figs.) MARCH2. 1949 PLIOCENE SAW ROCK CANYON FAUNA IN KANSAS By CLAUDE W .
    [Show full text]