Checklist of Late Pleistocene Vertebrates of the El Paso Region |
This checklist is, in many ways, now outmoded with the web publication of the Pleistocene Vertebrates of New Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas. It is being left up as a guide for anyone who wants a quick look at the El Paso Region's Pleistocene vertebrates. However, for more complete data, see the work linked above.
The UTEP Biodiversity Collections unit has been active in paleobiological work for over 46 years. The emphasis always has been on understanding the past regional climate and ecology.
Although much work has been done in southeastern and southwestern New Mexico, the El Paso region has not been neglected. There are more than 180 different fossil vertebrates from the latest ice age (the Wisconsin Age) represented in the LEB collections from within about 60 miles of El Paso. Some are extinct, many no longer occur at comparable latitudes and elevations. Most are small to medium sized animals; although the large extinct forms catch and hold the imagination of most people, the smaller animals generally are best for revealing details of past climate, vegetation, and ecological communities.
Sites involved are Aden Fumerole, Anthony Cave, Conkling Cavern, Pendejo Cave, Robledo Cave, and Shelter Cave.
In the list of fossil vertebrates, extinct taxa are indicated by a "†" in front of the scientific name. Species reported by others, but not present in the LEB collection, have a "*" in front of the name. "?" indicates a very unsure identification; "cf." indicates a likely, but not sure, identification. Identifications are those recorded in the LEB Paleobiology Catalogue or the scientific literature; errors in identifications are possible and, for some groups, likely. As in scientific studies in general, this is a work in progress.
Ambystoma mavortium—Barred Tiger Salamander
*Scaphiopus cf. couchii—Couch's Spadefoot
Spea multiplicatus—Mexican Spadefoot
Anaxyrus—True Toads
Lithobates—True Frogs
*Lithobates cf. pipiens—Leopard Frog
Terrapene ornata—Ornate Box Turtle
Gopherus morafkai—Morafka's Tortoise
Crotaphytus collaris—Eastern Collared Lizard
Phrynosoma cornutum—Texas Horned Lizard
Phrynosoma hernandesi—Mountain Short-horned Lizard
Phrynosoma modestum—Round-tailed Horned Lizard
Cf. Sceloporus undulatus—Eastern Fence Lizard
Aspidoscelis ? tigris—Western Whiptail
Plestiodon obsoletus—Great Plains Skink
Arizona elegans—Glossy Snake
*Coluber constrictor—Racer
Diadophis punctatus—Ring-necked Snake
Pantherophis emoryi—Great Plains Rat Snake
Bogertophis subocularis—Trans-Pecos Rat Snake
Hypsiglena torquata—Night Snake
Lampropeltis getula—Common Kingsnake
Lampropeltis pyromelana—Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake
*Masticophis—Coachwhip Snakes
Masticophis flagellum—Coachwhip
Pituophis catenifer—Gopher Snake
Rhinocheilus lecontei—Long-nosed Snake
? Salvadora grahamiae—Mountain Patch-nosed Snake
Cf. Sonora semiannulata—Ground Snake
? Thamnophis—Garter Snakes
Trimorphodon vilkinsonii—Chihuahuan Lyre Snake
Crotalus—Rattlesnakes
*Crotalus atrox—Diamondback Rattlesnake
† Cf. Anabernicula—Pygmy Geese
†*Anabernicula gracilenta—Graceful Pygmy Goose
*Anas acuta—Northern Pintail
*Anas crecca carolinensis—Green-winged Teal
Anas cf. platyrhynchos—Mallard
*Branta canadensis—Canada Goose
*Anser ? albifrons—Greater White-fronted Goose
†*Breagyps clarki—Clark's Condor
Cathartes aura—Turkey Vulture
† Coragyps occidentalis—Western Vulture
*Gymnogyps californianus—California Condor
Accipiter striatus—Sharp-shinned Hawk
Aquila chrysaetos—Golden Eagle
*Buteo ? albonotatus—Zone-tailed Hawk
*Buteo jamaicensis—Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo cf. swainsoni—Swainson's Hawk
†*Buteogallus fragilis—Fragile Eagle
? Circus cyaneus—Harrier
*Haliaeetus leucocephalus—Bald Eagle
Falco mexicanus—Prairie Falcon
*Falco peregrinus—Peregrine Falcon
Falco sparverius—American Kestrel
Tympanuchus pallidicinctus—Prairie Chicken
*Centrocercus urophasianus—Sage Grouse
Meleagris—Turkeys
†*Meleagris crassipes—Bigfoot Turkey
*? Callipepla gambelii—Gambel's Quail
Callipepla squamata—Scaled Quail
*Oreortyx pictus—Mountain Quail
Fulica americana—American Coot
*Porzana carolina—Sora
*Larus—Gulls
Zenaida macroura—Mourning Dove
Geococcyx californianus californianus—Greater Roadrunner
† Geococcyx californianus conklingi—Conkling's
Roadrunner
Tyto alba—Barn Owl
*Aegolius acadicus—Northern Saw-whet Owl
*Aegolius funereus—Boreal Owl
Asio flammeus—Short-eared Owl
*? Asio otus—Long-eared Owl
*Athene cunicularia—Burrowing Owl
Bubo virginianus—Great Horned Owl
? Otus flammeolus—Flammulated Owl
*Aeronautes saxatilis—White-throated Swift
Colaptes auratus—Northern Flicker
Melanerpes lewis—Lewis Woodpecker
*Sayornis saya—Say's Phoebe
*Eremophila alpestris—Horned Lark
Aphelocoma californica—Western Scrub Jay
Corvus corax—Common Raven
Corvus cryptoleucus—Chihuahuan Raven
Cyanocitta stelleri—Steller's Jay
Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus—Pinyon Jay
Cf. Nucifraga—Nutcrackers
Pica pica—Black-billed Magpie
Cf. Sitta pygmaea—Pygmy Nuthatch
Cf. Campylorhynchos—Cactus Wrens
*Catherpes mexicana—Canyon Wren
Cf. Salpinctes—Rock Wrens
*Sialia—Bluebirds
*Turdus migratorius—American Robin
Cf. Mimus polyglottos—Northern Mockingbird
*Oreoscoptes montanus—Sage Thrasher
*Toxostoma—American Thrashers
*Lanius ludovicianus—Loggerhead Shrike
Cf. Amphispiza bilineata—Black-throated Sparrow
Cf. Calamospiza melanocorys—Lark Bunting
Cf. Junco—Snow Birds
Cf. Melospiza—Song Sparrows
*Pipilo erythrophthalmus—Rufous-sided Towhee
*Pipilo fuscus—Brown Towhee
*? Agelaius phoeniceus—Red-winged Blackbird
Cf. Euphagus cyanocephalus—Brewer's Blackbird
*Molothrus ater—Brown-headed Towhee
†*Pyelorhamphus molothroides—Thick-billed Cowbird
? Quiscalus quiscula—Common Grackle
Sturnella—Meadowlarks
Cf. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus—Yellow-headed Blackbird
*Carpodacus mexicanus—House Finch
† Notiosorex dalquesti—Dalquest's Shrew
† Notiosorex harrisi—Harris's Shrew
Sorex merriami—Merriam's Shrew
Sorex cf. monticolus—Montane Shrew
†* ? Megalonyx—Megalonyx Ground Sloths
†*Nothrotheriops shastensis—Shasta Ground Sloth
†* ? Glossotherium—Glossotherium Ground Sloth
Antrozous pallidus—Pallid Bat
Lasiurus cinereus—Hoary Bat
Myotis californicus/ciliolabrum—California/Small-footed Myotis
Myotis velifer—Cave Myotis
*Homo sapiens—Man
†*Canis dirus—Dire Wolf
Canis latrans—Coyote
Canis lupus—Gray Wolf
Urocyon cinereoargenteus—Gray Fox
*Vulpes macrotis/velox—Kit/Swift Fox
Arctodus—Short-faced Bears
Ursus americanus—Black Bear
Bassariscus astutus—Ringtail
Mustela cf. erminea—Ermine
Mustela frenata—Long-tailed Weasel
Mustela nigripes—Black-footed Ferret
Taxidea taxus—Badger
Cf. Conepatus—Hog-nosed Skunks
Mephitis mephitis—Striped Skunk
Spilogale—Spotted Skunks
*Puma concolor—Mountain Lion
Lynx rufus—Bobcat
† ? Mammuthus—Mammoths
† Equus conversidens—Mexican Horse
† Equus niobrarensis—Niobrara Horse
† Camelops—Extinct Camel
†*Camelops hesternus—Yesterday's Camel
† Hemiauchenia macrocephala—Big-headed Llama
Odocoileus hemionus—Mule Deer
Antilocapra americana—Pronghorn
† Capromeryx minor—Diminutive Pronghorn
†*Stockoceros conklingi—Conkling's Pronghorn
Bison sp.—Bison
Ovis canadensis—Bighorn Sheep
Ammospermophilus interpres—Texas Antelope Squirrel
Cynomys gunnisoni—Gunnison's Prairie Dog
Cynomys ludovicianus—Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Marmota flaviventris—Yellow-bellied Marmot
Urocitellus elegans size—Wyoming Ground Squirrel Size
Xerospermophilus spilosoma—Spotted Ground Squirrel
Otopermophilus variegatus—Rock Squirrel
Tamias sp.—Chipmunk (not T. minimus)
Tamias minimus—Least Chipmunk
Cratogeomys castanops—Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher
Geomys bursarius—Plains Pocket Gopher
Thomomys bottae—Botta's Pocket Gopher
Thomomys talpoides—Northern Pocket Gopher
Dipodomys merriami—Merriam's Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys ordii—Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys spectabilis—Bannertail Kangaroo Rat
Perognathus flavescens/flavus—Plains/Silky Pocket Mouse
Perognathus flavus—Silky Pocket Mouse
Chaetodipus intermedius/penicillatus—Rock or Desert Pocket
Mouse
Neotoma albigula—White-throated Packrat
Neotoma cinerea—Bushy-tailed Packrat
Neotoma ? goldmani—Goldman's Packrat
Neotoma mexicana—Mexican Packrat
Neotoma micropus—Southern Plains Packrat
Onychomys arenicola—Baird's Grasshopper Mouse
Onychomys leucogaster—Northern Grasshopper Mouse
Peromyscus sp.—White-footed Mice
Reithrodontomys sp.—Harvest Mice
Sigmodon sp.—Cotton Rats
Lemmiscus curtatus—Sagebrush Vole
Microtus mexicanus—Mexican Vole
Microtus montanus—Montane Vole
Microtus pennsylvanicus—Meadow Vole
Erethizon dorsata—Porcupine
† Aztlanolagus agilis—Aztlán Rabbit
Lepus californicus—Black-tailed Jack Rabbit
Lepus townsendii—White-tailed Jack Rabbit
Sylvilagus audubonii—Desert Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus—Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus nuttallii—Nuttall's Cottontail
Last Update: 14 Feb 2012