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

Aves
Galliformes - Phasianidae	"Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³, Centrocercus urophasianus³, Tympanuchus phasianellus³, Dendragapus obscurus³ "Lagopus cf. leucurus" = Lagopus leucura³ Richardson 1831 white-tailed ptarmigan Centrocercus urophasianus³ Bonaparte 1827 greater sage-grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus³ Linnaeus 1758 sharp-tailed grouse Dendragapus obscurus³ Say 1823 dusky grouse
Falconiformes - Falconidae	Polyborus plancus³, Falco columbarius³, Falco mexicanus³, Falco sparverius³, Falco rusticolus³ Polyborus plancus³ Miller 1777 southern caracara Falco columbarius³ Linnaeus 1758 merlin Falco mexicanus³ Schlegel 1850 Prairie falcon Falco sparverius³ Linnaeus 1758 American kestrel Falco rusticolus³ Linnaeus 1758 gyrfalcon
Charadriiformes - Laridae	cf. Larus sp.³ cf. Larus sp.³ Linnaeus 1758 gull
Charadriiformes - Charadriidae	Charadrius montanus³, Charadrius vociferus³ Charadrius montanus³ Townsend 1837 mountain plover Charadrius vociferus³ Linnaeus 1758 killdeer
Charadriiformes - Scolopacidae	Calidris melanotos³, "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³, Numenius borealis³, Numenius americanus³ Calidris melanotos³ Vieillot 1819 pectoral sandpiper "Capella gallinago" = Gallinago gallinago³ Linnaeus 1758 common snipe Numenius borealis³ Forster 1772 eskimo curlew Numenius americanus³ Bechstein 1812 long-billed curlew
Accipitriformes - Accipitridae	Circus cyaneus³, Aquila chrysaetos³, Neophrontops americanus², Accipiter striatus³, Accipiter gentilis³, Buteogallus sp.³, Buteo sp.³, Buteo jamaicensis³, Buteo cf. regalis³, Buteo lagopus³ Circus cyaneus³ Linnaeus 1766 Hen harrier Aquila chrysaetos³ Linnaeus 1758 golden eagle Neophrontops americanus² Miller 1916 Old World vulture Accipiter striatus³ Vieillot 1897 sharp-shinned hawk Accipiter gentilis³ Linnaeus 1758 northern goshawk Buteogallus sp.³ Lesson 1830 black-hawks 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
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
Strigiformes - Strigidae	Surnia ulula³, Asio flammeus³, Asio otus³, "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³, Bubo virginianus³, Aegolius acadicus³, Aegolius funereus³ Surnia ulula³ Linnaeus 1758 northern hawk owl Asio flammeus³ Pontoppidan 1763 short-eared owl Asio otus³ Linnaeus 1758 long-eared owl "Nyctea scandiaca" = Bubo scandiacus³ Linnaeus 1758 snowy owl Bubo virginianus³ Gmelin 1788 great horned owl Aegolius acadicus³ Gmelin 1788 northern saw-whet owl Aegolius funereus³ Linnaeus 1758 boreal 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
Passeriformes - Icteridae	Sturnella sp.³, Sturnella neglecta³, cf. Quiscalus sp.³, Agelaius phoeniceus³, Euphagus magnirostris³, Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Sturnella sp.³ Vieillot 1816 meadowlark Sturnella neglecta³ Audubon 1844 western meadowlark cf. Quiscalus sp.³ Vieillot 1816 grackle Agelaius phoeniceus³ Linnaeus 1766 red-winged blackbird Euphagus magnirostris³ Miller 1929 large-billed blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus³ Wagler 1829 Brewer's blackbird
Passeriformes - Laniidae	Lanius ludovicianus³ Lanius ludovicianus³ Linnaeus 1766 loggerhead shrike
Passeriformes - Corvidae	Pica pica³, Nucifraga columbiana³, Corvus brachyrhynchos³, Corvus corax³ Pica pica³ Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian magpie Nucifraga columbiana³ Wilson 1811 Clark's nutcracker Corvus brachyrhynchos³ Brehm 1822 American crow Corvus corax³ Linnaeus 1758 common raven
Passeriformes - Alaudidae	Eremophila alpestris³ Eremophila alpestris³ Linnaeus 1759 horned lark
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 - 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	Sialia sp.³, cf. Turdus migratorius³ Sialia sp.³ Swainson 1827 bluebird cf. Turdus migratorius³ Linnaeus 1758 American robin
Passeriformes - Fringillidae	Carduelis sp.³, Coccothraustes vespertinus³, Leucosticte arctoa³ Carduelis sp.³ Brisson 1760 finch Coccothraustes vespertinus³ Cooper 1825 evening grosbeak Leucosticte arctoa³ Pallas 1811 Asian rosy-finch
Passeriformes - Cardinalidae	Spiza americana³ Spiza americana³ Gmelin 1789 dickcissel
Passeriformes - Troglodytidae	cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ cf. Salpinctes obsoletus³ Say 1822 rock wren
Caprimulgiformes - Caprimulgidae	Chordeiles minor³, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³ Chordeiles minor³ Forster 1771 common nighthawk Phalaenoptilus nuttallii³ Audubon 1844 common poorwill
Anseriformes - Anatidae	Anas sp.², Anas crecca², Anas schneideri n. sp.², Anas platyrhynchos², Anas acuta², Mergus merganser², Aythya collaris², Branta canadensis², "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata² Anas sp.² Linnaeus 1758 dabbling duck "A. discors or A. cyanoptera" plus "Anas spp." Anas crecca² Linnaeus 1758 Eurasian teal Anas schneideri n. sp.² Emslie 1985 dabbling duck Anas platyrhynchos² Linnaeus 1758 mallard Anas acuta² Linnaeus 1758 northern pintail Mergus merganser² Linnaeus 1758 common merganser Aythya collaris² Donovan 1809 ring-necked duck Branta canadensis² Linnaeus 1758 Canada goose "Anas clypeata" = Spatula clypeata² Linnaeus 1758 northern shoveler
Mammalia
Lagomorpha - Ochotonidae	Ochotona princeps Ochotona princeps Richardson 1828 American pika
Rodentia - Cricetidae	Dicrostonyx sp., Microtus pennsylvanicus, "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus Dicrostonyx sp. Gloger 1841 lemming "probably D. torquatus" Microtus pennsylvanicus Ord 1815 meadow vole "Phenacomys longicaudus" = Arborimus longicaudus True 1890 red tree vole
Rodentia - Sciuridae	"Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus "Spermophilus variegatus" = Otospermophilus variegatus Erxleben 1777 rock squirrel
Theriamorpha - Soricidae	Cryptotis sp., Microsorex hoyi Cryptotis sp. Pomel 1848 small-eared shrew Microsorex hoyi Baird 1858 American pygmy shrew
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 - Canidae	Vulpes vulpes, Canis lupus Vulpes vulpes Linnaeus 1758 red fox Canis lupus Linnaeus 1758 gray wolf
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
Perissodactyla - Equidae	Equus conversidens¹ Equus conversidens¹ Owen 1869 horse
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"
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

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