The Vertebrate Faunas of the Pliocene Ringold Formation, South-Central Washington

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dc.contributor.authorGUSTAFSON, ERIC PAUL
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-02T22:57:05Z
dc.date.available2016-08-02T22:57:05Z
dc.date.issued1978-03
dc.description72 pagesen_US
dc.description.abstractThe vertebrate fauna of the upper Ringold Formation at the White Bluffs, south-central Washington, has been the subject of several short papers since its discovery in the late 19th century. Additional information from more recent collections, which include remains of many small mammals, expands the knowledge of this White Bluffs local fauna. A rhinoceros mandible from the lowest exposures provides evidence of a second, distinctly earlier fauna, the River Road local fauna. Fossiliferous localities can be correlated by reference to two key beds, the White Bluffs tuff and the Taylor Flat conglomerate, both of which are widely exposed. Vertebrate fossils are most commonly preserved in stream channel conglomerates and less frequently in silt deposits. The White Bluffs local fauna includes three genera of fresh-water snails, two genera of fish (Ictalurus and Archoplites), unidentified anuran amphibians and small reptiles, two or three genera of turtles (Clemmys, Chrysemys?, and possibly Testudo), and 25 genera of mammals. Among the mammalian genera are a mole (Scapanus), two leporids (Hypolagus and Nekrolagus), nine rodents (Paenemarmota or Marmota, Spermophilus?, Ammospermophilus, Thomomys, Castor, Dipoides, Peromyscus, Neotoma, and Ophiomys), an edentate (Megalonyx), six carnivores (Canis, Borophagus, Ursus, Trigonictis, Felis, and a machairodont), a proboscidean (Mammut), an equid (Equus), and four artiodactyls (Platygonus, Megatylopus, Hemiauchenia, and Bretzia). New species are: Hypolagus ringoldensis, a leporid probably derived from H. oregonensis Shotwell; Spermophilus? russelli, a large ground squirrel of uncertain affinities; Ammospermophilus hanfordi, a large antelope ground squirrel; Peromyscus nosher, a deer mouse; Ophiomys mcknighti, a microtine closely related to 0. magilli Hibbard from the Sand Draw local fauna of Nebraska but more primitive than the latter; and Megalonyx rohrmanni, a small ground sloth similar in form to specimens from Hagerman, Idaho. The White Bluffs local fauna is early Blancan (Pliocene) in age. The faunal assemblage is most similar to that of the Hagerman local fauna of Idaho but is probably slightly older. The predominance of browsing forms among the large mammals (particularly Bretzia, Megalonyx, and Platygonus) indicates that the Ringold flood plain supported considerable riparian forest and open woodland, environments extremely restricted in eastern Washington today. Savanna or open grassland, suggested by the presence of Equus and possibly by Megatylopus, may have been important away from the streams, but the absence so far of antilocaprids suggests that these habitats were not important near areas of stream deposition. The River Road local fauna, containing Teleoceras and ?Megatylopus, is probably late Hemphillian in age.en_US
dc.identifier.issn00786047
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1794/20015
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherMuseum of Natural History, University of Oregonen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesBulletin of the Museum of Natural History, University of Oregon, no. 23;
dc.rightsCreative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0-USen_US
dc.subjectRingold Formationen_US
dc.subjectWhite Bluffsen_US
dc.subjectFossiliferousen_US
dc.subjectTaylor Flaten_US
dc.subjectIctalurusen_US
dc.subjectArchoplitesen_US
dc.subjectClemmysen_US
dc.subjectChrysemysen_US
dc.subjectTestudoen_US
dc.subjectScapanusen_US
dc.subjectHypolagusen_US
dc.subjectNekrolagusen_US
dc.subjectPaenemarmotaen_US
dc.subjectMarmotaen_US
dc.subjectSpermophilusen_US
dc.subjectAmmospermophilusen_US
dc.subjectThomomysen_US
dc.subjectCastoren_US
dc.subjectDipoidesen_US
dc.subjectPeromyscusen_US
dc.subjectNeotomaen_US
dc.subjectOphiomysen_US
dc.subjectMegalonyxen_US
dc.subjectCanisen_US
dc.subjectBorophagusen_US
dc.subjectUrsusen_US
dc.subjectTrigonictisen_US
dc.subjectFelisen_US
dc.subjectmachairodonten_US
dc.subjectproboscideanen_US
dc.subjectMammuten_US
dc.subjectEquusen_US
dc.subjectArtiodactylsen_US
dc.subjectPlatygonusen_US
dc.subjectMegatylopusen_US
dc.subjectHemiaucheniaen_US
dc.subjectBretziaen_US
dc.subjectHypolagus ringoldensisen_US
dc.subjectH. oregonensisen_US
dc.subjectSpermophilus russellien_US
dc.subjectAmmospermophilus hanfordien_US
dc.subjectPeromyscus nosheren_US
dc.subjectOphiomys mcknightien_US
dc.subjectO. magillien_US
dc.subjectMegalonyx rohrmannien_US
dc.subjectBlancanen_US
dc.subjectTeleocerasen_US
dc.titleThe Vertebrate Faunas of the Pliocene Ringold Formation, South-Central Washingtonen_US
dcterms.publisherMuseum of Natural History, University of Oregon

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Bulletin of the Museum of Natural History, University of Oregon