Fossil Lake (Pleistocene of the United States)

Where: Lake County, Oregon (43.3° N, 120.5° W: paleocoordinates 43.3° N, 120.5° W)

• coordinate stated in text

• outcrop-level geographic resolution

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

• "early Pleistocene, approximating [the age] of Rancho La Brea" (i.e., late Pleistocene)

Environment/lithology: lacustrine - large; sandstone and claystone

• the deposits "formed on the bottom" of a "large" lake
• "sand and clay"

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by T. Condon, C. H. Sternberg, E. D. Cope, A. M. Alexander, C. Stock, E. L. Furlong in 1876, 1877, 1879, 1901, 1923, 1924; reposited in the AMNH, UCMP

• Sternberg and Cope material is at the AMNH; Alexander, Stock, and Furlong material is at the UCMP; Condon collection is at the University of Oregon and was not seen by Elftman

Primary reference: H. O. Elftman. 1931. Pleistocene mammals of Fossil Lake, Oregon. American Museum Novitates 481:1-21 [J. Alroy/J. Alroy/J. Alroy]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 93251: authorized by John Alroy, entered by John Alroy on 09.01.2010, edited by Mark Uhen

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

• revises original descriptions of Cope (1878, 1884, 1889) and Matthew (1902)
Aves
 Suliformes - Phalacrocoracidae
Phalacrocorax ? auritus2 Lesson 1831 double-crested cormorant
Phalacrocorax macropus2 Cope 1878 cormorant
 Pelecaniformes - Pelecanidae
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos2 Gmelin 1789 American white pelican
 Pelecaniformes - Ardeidae
Ardea herodias2 Linnaeus 1758 great blue heron
Botaurus lentiginosus2 Rackett 1813 American bittern
 Podicipediformes - Podicipedidae
Podilymbus podiceps2, Aechmophorus occidentalis2, "Colymbus nigricollis" = Podiceps nigricollis2, "Colymbus parvus" = Podiceps parvus2
Podilymbus podiceps2 Linnaeus 1758 pied-billed grebe
Aechmophorus occidentalis2 Lawrence 1858 western grebe
subspeceis lucasi
"Colymbus nigricollis" = Podiceps nigricollis2 Brehm 1831 black-necked grebe
"Colymbus parvus" = Podiceps parvus2 Schufeldt 1913 grebe
 Strigiformes - Strigidae
Bubo virginianus2 Gmelin 1788 great horned owl
 Piciformes - Picidae
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer2
"Colaptes cafer" = Colaptes auratus cafer2 Gmelin 1788 northern flicker
 Gruiformes - Rallidae
Fulica americana2 Gmelin 1789 American coot
subspecies minor
Rallus limicola2 Vieillot 1819 Virginia rail
 Passeriformes - Icteridae
Sturnella sp.2 Vieillot 1816 meadowlark
or Xanthocephalus
Molothrus ? ater2 Boddaert 1783 brown-headed cowbird
? Agelaius sp.2 Vieillot 1816 perching bird
Euphagus cyanocephalus2 Wagler 1829 Brewer's blackbird
 Passeriformes - Corvidae
Corvus corax2 Linnaeus 1758 common raven
 Anseriformes - Anatidae
"Sthenelides paloregonus" = Cygnus paloregonus2, Cygnus buccinator2, Branta bernicla2, Branta canadensis2, Branta ? hypsibata2, Branta propinqua2, "Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens2, Anser albifrons2, "Chen rossii" = Anser rossii2, "Erismatura jamaicensis" = Oxyura jamaicensis2, "Nyroca ? collaris" = Aythya collaris2, "Nyroca americana" = Aythya americana2, "Nyroca affinis" = Aythya affinis2, Clangula hyemalis2, Melanitta perspicillata2, "Melanitta deglandi" = Melanitta fusca deglandi4, "Charitonetta albeola" = Bucephala2, Mergus merganser2, Mergus serrator2, Anas platyrhynchos2, Anas acuta2, "Anas carolinensis" = Anas crecca carolinensis2, Anabernicula sp.2, Anabernicula oregonensis n. sp.3, Spatula clypeata2, "Anas cyanoptera" = Spatula cyanoptera2, Mareca americana2
"Sthenelides paloregonus" = Cygnus paloregonus2 Cope 1878 swan
Cygnus buccinator2 Richardson 1832 trumpeter swan
Branta bernicla2 Linnaeus 1758 brant
Branta canadensis2 Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose
Branta ? hypsibata2 Cope 1878 goose
Branta propinqua2 Shufeldt 1891 goose
"Chen hyperborea" = Anser caerulescens2 Linnaeus 1758 snow goose
Anser albifrons2 Scopoli 1769 greater white-fronted goose
"Chen rossii" = Anser rossii2 Cassin 1861 Ross's goose
"Erismatura jamaicensis" = Oxyura jamaicensis2 Gmelin 1789 Ruddy duck
"Nyroca ? collaris" = Aythya collaris2 Donovan 1809 ring-necked duck
"Nyroca americana" = Aythya americana2 Eyton 1838 redhead
"Nyroca affinis" = Aythya affinis2 Eyton 1838 lesser scaup
Clangula hyemalis2 Linnaeus 1758 long-tailed duck
Melanitta perspicillata2 Linnaeus 1758 surf scoter
"Melanitta deglandi" = Melanitta fusca deglandi4 Bonaparte 1850 white-winged scoter
"Charitonetta albeola" = Bucephala2 seaduck
Mergus merganser2 Linnaeus 1758 common merganser
Mergus serrator2 Linnaeus 1758 red-breasted merganser
Anas platyrhynchos2 Linnaeus 1758 mallard
Anas acuta2 Linnaeus 1758 northern pintail
"Anas carolinensis" = Anas crecca carolinensis2 Gmelin 1789 green-winged teal
Anabernicula sp.2 Ross 1935 dabbling duck
Anabernicula oregonensis n. sp.3 Howard 1964 dabbling duck
Spatula clypeata2 Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler
"Anas cyanoptera" = Spatula cyanoptera2 Viellot 1816 cinnamon teal
Mareca americana2 Gmelin 1789 American wigeon
 Phoenicopteriformes - Phoenicopteridae
Phoenicopterus copei2 Shufeldt 1891 flamingo
 Accipitriformes - Accipitridae
"Hypomorphnus ? sodalis" = Aquila sodalis2, Aquila chrysaetos2, "Spizaetus pliogryps" = Aquila pliogryps2, Circus cyaneus2, Haliaeetus leucocephalus2
"Hypomorphnus ? sodalis" = Aquila sodalis2 Shufeldt 1891 eagle
Aquila chrysaetos2 Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle
"Spizaetus pliogryps" = Aquila pliogryps2 Shufeldt 1891 eagle
Circus cyaneus2 Linnaeus 1766 Hen harrier
Haliaeetus leucocephalus2 Linnaeus 1766 bald eagle
 Falconiformes - Falconidae
Falco oregonus n. sp.2 Howard 1946 falcon
 Charadriiformes - Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostra americana2 Gmelin 1789 American avocet
Himantopus mexicanus2 Muller 1776 black-necked stilt
 Charadriiformes - Stercorariidae
 Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae
"Erolia melanotos" = Calidris melanotos4, Numenius ? americanus2, "Lobipes lobatus" = Phalaropus lobatus2, "Totanus melanoleucas" = Tringa melanoleuca2, Limnodromus ? griseus2
"Erolia melanotos" = Calidris melanotos4 Vieillot 1819 pectoral sandpiper
Numenius ? americanus2 Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew
"Lobipes lobatus" = Phalaropus lobatus2 Linnaeus 1758 red-necked phalarope
"Totanus melanoleucas" = Tringa melanoleuca2 Gmelin 1789 greater yellowlegs
Limnodromus ? griseus2 Gmelin 1789 short-billed dowitcher
 Charadriiformes - Laridae
Larus robustus2 Shufeldt 1891 gull
Larus californicus2 Lawrence 1854 California gull
Larus oregonus2 Shufeldt 1891 gull
Sterna forsteri2 Nuttall 1834 Foster's tern
"Chlidonias nigra" = Chlidonias niger2 Linnaeus 1758 black tern
"Larus philadelphia" = Chroicocephalus philadelphia2 Ord 1815 Bonaparte's gull
 Galliformes - Phasianidae
Centrocercus urophasianus2, "Palaeotetrix gillii" = Dendragapus gilli2, Dendragapus nanus2, "Dendragapus lucasi" = Pedioecetes lucasi2, "Pedioecetes phasianellus" = Tympanuchus phasianellus2
Centrocercus urophasianus2 Bonaparte 1827 greater sage-grouse
"Palaeotetrix gillii" = Dendragapus gilli2 Shufeldt 1891 pheasant
Dendragapus nanus2 Shufeldt 1891 pheasant
"Dendragapus lucasi" = Pedioecetes lucasi2 Shufeldt 1892 pheasant
"Pedioecetes phasianellus" = Tympanuchus phasianellus2 Linnaeus 1758 sharp-tailed grouse
Mammalia
  - Mylodontidae
"Mylodon cf. harlani" = Paramylodon harlani
"Mylodon cf. harlani" = Paramylodon harlani Owen 1840 Harlan's ground sloth
"Mylodon, near harlani" (includes M. sodalis type of Cope)
 Proboscidea - Elephantidae
"Elephas ? columbi" = Mammuthus columbi
"Elephas ? columbi" = Mammuthus columbi Falconer 1857 Columbian mammoth
includes E. primigenius and E. imperator of previous authors
 Carnivora - Felidae
Felinae indet.5 Trouessart 1885 cat
large and small forms
 Carnivora - Mustelidae
Taxidea sp. Waterhouse 1839 badger
said to be new; includes Lutra of Matthew
 Carnivora - Ursidae
Arctodus sp.1 Leidy 1854 bear
 Carnivora - Canidae
"Canis cf. dirus" = Aenocyon dirus, Canis latrans, "Canis cf. occidentalis" = Canis lupus, Vulpes sp.
"Canis cf. dirus" = Aenocyon dirus Leidy 1858 dire wolf
Canis latrans Say 1823 coyote
"Canis cf. occidentalis" = Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
Vulpes sp. Frisch 1775 fox
 Perissodactyla - Equidae
Equus sp., "Equus pacificus" = Equus mexicanus
Equus sp. Linnaeus 1758 horse
small
"Equus pacificus" = Equus mexicanus Hibbard 1955 horse
 Artiodactyla - Camelidae
Camelops hesternus Leidy 1873 camel
Eschatius sp. Cope 1884 camel
includes E. conidens (referred specimen) and E. longirostris (type) of Cope
"? Tanupolama sp." = Hemiauchenia Gervais and Ameghino 1880 camel
includes Eschatius vitakeriana type of Cope
 Artiodactyla - Tayassuidae
Platygonus sp. Leconte 1848 peccary
small
Platygonus cf. vetus Leidy 1882 peccary
 Artiodactyla - Antilocapridae
Antilocapra cf. americana Ord 1815 pronghorn
 Rodentia - Castoridae
Castor sp. Linnaeus 1758 beaver
said to be new
 Rodentia - Geomyidae
"Thomomys townsendi" = Thomomys townsendii
"Thomomys townsendi" = Thomomys townsendii Bachman 1839 Townsend's pocket gopher
includes T. near clusius, T. talpoides, T. bulbivorus, T. sp., and T. scudderi type of previous authors
 Rodentia - Cricetidae
"Fiber oregonus n. sp." = Ondatra annectens, Microtus montanus
"Fiber oregonus n. sp." = Ondatra annectens Brown 1908 muskrat
Microtus montanus Peale 1848 montane vole
 Lagomorpha - Leporidae
Lepus sp. Linnaeus 1758 hare