Age. Late Wisconsin and Mid Wisconsin
(Bell and Glennon 2003; Glennon 1974). 14C dates include 29,650 ± 250 on
bone collagen (Beta-71307) and 25,020 ± 200 on wood (Beta-59784) from the 60-70 cm level
and the 40-50 cm level of Test Pit 4 respectively (Bell and Glennon 2003). Glennon
(1994), on faunal grounds, thought that the 20-30 cm level of Pit 4 represented the
Pleistocene/Holocene boundary.
In the taxon accounts, I've arbitrarily listed taxa from the 20-30 cm level as Late Wisconsin and taxa from the 30-70 cm levels as Mid Wisconsin.
General Description. Bell and Glennon (2003): The site is a travertine pitfall trap located between St. Johns and Springerville. The highest cave surface is about 26 m below the entrance. Excavations were conducted in 1992 with four test pits, with contents of Pit 4 serving as the basis for presence of taxa and for interpretation of the Pleistocene fauna (Glennon 1994). A specimen of Ondatra zibethicus reported by Bell and Glennon (2003) was a surface find and presumed not to be Pleistocene.
Fauna.
Cynomys gunnisoni—Gunnison's Prairie Dog (Glennon 1994)
Otospermophilus variegatus—Rock Squirrel (Glennon 1994)
Spermophilus variegatus
Chaetodipus/Perognathus sp.—Silky or Spiny Pocket Mice (Glennon 1994)
Perognathus sp.
Dipodomys sp.—Kangaroo Rats (Glennon 1994)
Thomomys bottae—Botta's Pocket Gopher (Glennon 1994)
Thomomys talpoides—Northern Pocket Gopher (Glennon 1994)
Lemmiscus curtatus—Sagebrush Vole (Bell and Glennon 2003)
Microtus sp.—Voles (Bell and Glennon 2003)
Neotoma albigula—White-throated Woodrat (Glennon 1994)
Neotoma cinerea—Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Glennon 1994)
Neotoma stephensi—Stephen's Woodrat (Glennon 1994)
Onychomys leucogaster—Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Glennon 1994)
Peromyscus sp.—Deer Mice (Glennon 1994)
Reithrodontomys megalotis—Western Harvest Mouse (Glennon 1994: cf.)
Brachylagus idahoensis—Pygmy Rabbit (Glennon 1994)
Sylvilagus sp.—Cottontails (Glennon 1994)
Myotis/Corynorhinus sp.—Myotis or Big-eared Bats (Glennon 1994)
Sorex sp.—Long-tailed Shrews (Glennon 1994)
Canis lupus—Gray Wolf (Glennon 1994: cf.)
Literature. Bell and Glennon 2003; Glennon 1994.
Last Update: 22 Jan 2013