The Early Pleistocene (Latest Blancan-Earliest Irvingtonian) Froman Ferry Fauna and History of the Glenns Ferry Formation, Southwestern Idaho U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2105 Cover.-Late 19th- or early 20th-century Idaho ferry, from photograph in James L. Huntley, "Ferry boats in Idaho" (1979), redrawn by Rob Wells. The Early Pleistocene (Latest Blancan-Earliest Irvingtonian) Froman Ferry Fauna and History of the Glenns Ferry Formation, Southwestern Idaho By Charles A. Repenning, Ted R. Weasma, and George R. Scott U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 2105 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1995 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Gordon P. Eaton, Director For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services Box 25286, Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Repenning, Charles Albert, 1922- The early Pleistocene (latest Blancan-earliest Irvingtonian) Froman Ferry fauna and history of the Glenns Ferry formation, southwestern Idaho I by Charles A. Repenning, Ted R. Weasma, and George R. Scott. p. em.- (U.S. Geological Survey bulletin; 2105) Includes bibliographical references and index. Supt. of Docs. no.: I 19.3:2105 I. Paleontology-Pleistocene. 2. Animals, Fossil-Idaho. 3. Geology-Idaho. 4. Glenns Ferry Formation (Idaho) I. Weasma, Ted R. II. Scott, George R., 1946- . III. Title. IV. Series. QE75.B9 no. 2105 [QE741.2] 557.3 s-dc20 [560'.178] 94-30229 CIP CONTENTS Abstract .......................................................................................................................... Introduction..................................................................................................................... 2 Organization of This Report . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. 6 Age Assignments and Age of the Froman Ferry Faunas .. .... ....... ... ....... ......... ... 8 Mammal Ages and Provincialism . .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ... 10 Dispersal................................................................................................................ 13 Dispersal Events and Faunal Changes ..................... ... ...... .. .... ........ .......... ............ 16 Collections . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Acknowledgments................................................................................................. 18 The Froman Ferry Fauna................................................................................................. 18 Genus Sorex Linnaeus, 1758 ................................................................................. 19 Genus Ischyrosmilus Merriam, 1918 ........ ........... ........... ... .......... .......... ........... .... 20 Genus Puma Jardine, 1834 .................................................................................... 20 Genus Hypo fagus Dice, 1917.................... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Genus Castor Linnaeus, 1758 ............................................................................... 26 Genus Mictomys True, 1894 .. ...... ........ ........... ...... ........ .. ......... ......... .. .......... ... ... 27 Genus Mimomys Major, 1902 ............................................................................... 30 Genus Phenacomys Merriam, 1889 ...................................................................... 32 Genus Ondatra Major, 1902 ................................................................................. 33 Genus Stegomastodon Pohlig, 1912...................................................................... 35 Genus Plesippus Matthew, 1924........................................................................... 35 Specific Nomenclature.................................................................................... 43 Subgeneric Nomenclature ............................................................................... 44 Phylogenetic Summary ................................................................................... 46 Genus Gigantocamelus Barbour and Schultz, 1939 .. ......... ................ ......... ......... 4 7 Family Cervidae Gray, 1821 ................................................................................. 47 Historic Setting of the Froman Ferry Faunal Succession ............................................... 47 Youngest Glenns Ferry Lake Beds . ............ ............. ..... .... ....... ........ .......... .......... 4 7 Correlation of Youngest Lake Beds................................................................ 50 Snake River and the Glenns Ferry Formation ....................................................... 52 Glenns Ferry Formation ........................................................................................ 53 Glenns Ferry Formation Near Hagerman and King Hill ................................. 55 Lake, Marsh, and Stream Facies, Longitudinal Relationships ........................ 57 Lake, Marsh, and Stream Facies, Transverse Relationships........................... 59 Chattin Hill.............................................................................................. 59 Jackass Butte........................................................................................... 60 Birch Creek ............................................................................................. 61 Regional Facies Relationships .......... ............ ............ ............ ...................... ... 62 Incision of the Lake Beds and Canyon Damming ... .. ..... ....... ..... .... .. ........... ... 64 Adjacent Areas of Significance ............................................................................. 66 Pre-Glenns Ferry Drainage . ............. .... .. .. ... ..... ............. .... .... ..... ... .. 66 Glenns Ferry Lake Drainage .. .. .. .. .. .. ..... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 69 Conclusions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 71 References Cited .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 74 Correction........................................................................................................................ 79 Index ................................................................................................................................ 80 III IV CONTENTS FIGURES 1. Map of southern Idaho and adjacent areas, showing the route of the Snake River, the western Snake River Plain, and some localities mentioned in the text...................................................................................................... 3 2. Map of the Froman Ferry area, Idaho...................................................................................................................... 4 3. Generalized composite stratigraphic column of the Glenns Ferry Formation at Froman Ferry area, with paleomagnetic determinations . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ............ ...... 7 4. Correlation chart of paleomagnetic polarity chrons with events, time, deposits, faunas, and mammal ages.......... 9 5-11. Sketches showing: 5. Sorex (Otisorex) palustris USNM 264328 from GS-225, lower dentition and mandibular condyles............ 19 6. Modem specimens of Puma concolor and Panthera tigris calcanea and astragali........................................ 21 7. Third lower premolar of Hypo lag us gidleyi USNM 264338 from locality GS-232 ...................................... 25 8. Dentition of microtine rodents, Froman Ferry faunal succession.................................................................. 28 9. Upper cheek teeth of Plesippus idahoensis and P. simplicidens .................................................................... 36 10. Upper and lower cheek teeth of Plesippusfromanius, P. shoshonensis, and P. idahoensis .......................... 39 11. Second upper molar and incomplete third lower molar of P. fromanius.... ... .. .. .. .. .. .............. ............. 40 12. Map of Snake River area between Sand Point and Walters Ferry, Idaho, showing localities discussed................. 48 13. Map of Idaho and adjacent areas showing approximate location of some localities discussed............................... 66 METRIC CONVERSIONS To convert To Multiply by Feet (ft) Meters (m) 0.3048 Miles (mi) Kilometers (km) 1.609 Pounds (lb) Kilograms (kg) 0.454 THE EARLY PLEISTOCENE (LATEST BLANCAN­ EARLIEST IRVINGTONIAN) FROMAN FERRY FAUNA AND HISTORY OF THE GLENNS FERRY FORMATION ' SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO By Charles A. Repenning, Ted R. Weasma, 1 and George R. Scott2 ABSTRACT the United States, as herein recognized; both are in the Glenns Ferry Formation of Mal de and Powers ( 1962), The Froman Ferry fauna of south-central western which is present throughout the western Snake River Plain. Idaho was discovered in about 1897 during an early survey Although primarily characterized by faunal elements of the mining districts in the mountains to the west and that are also known from Jackass Butte, the Froman Ferry north of the western Snake River Plain. This survey was fauna differs in the appearance of an immigrant microtine made by Waldemar Lindgren and party of the U.S. Geologi­