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Adobe Ranch

NM: Doña Ana Co.

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Synonym: Mesilla Basin Fauna C.

Vanderhill (1986) named three superposed faunas within the Mesilla Basin: Mesilla Basin Fauna A, Mesilla Basin Fauna B, and Mesilla Basin Fauna C. Morgan (2008) pointed out that three faunas differentiated only by a letter produced confusion, and he renamed them respectively: Anapra (Early Late Blancan, 2.2-3.0 Mya), La Union (Latest Blancan, 1.8-2.2 Mya), and Adobe Ranch (Early Irvingtonian, 1.0-1.8 Mya).

Location of the Mesilla Fauna C.Age. Early Irvingtonian, 1.8-1.0 Mya.

General Description. The Rio Grande Valley is incised into the relatively flat plain (the La Mesa Surface) west of the valley. Sediments are uncovered in a number of places along the western valley slopes. The Adobe Ranch Fauna is the uppermost of three superposed faunas. It lies within the Camp Rice Formation in strata bracketed by pumice beds 40Ar/39Ar dated at 1.32 Ma and 1.59 Ma (Morgan 2008).

Fauna.

Gopherus sp.—Gopherus Tortoise (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Hesperotestudo sp.—Hesperotestudo Tortoise (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Cuvieronius tropicus—Cuvier's Gomphothere (Morgan and Lucas 2003)

Cuvieronius tropicus.

Mammuthus meridionalis—Southern Mammoth (Morgan and Lucas 2003: cf.)
Glyptotherium texanum—Osborn's Glyptodont (Morgan and Lucas 2003)

Glyptotherium arizonae.

Megalonyx wheatleyi—Wheatley's Ground Sloth (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Castor canadensis—American Beaver (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Lynx rufus—Bobcat (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Canis armbrusteri—Armbruster's Wolf (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Canis sp. (Small)—Coyote-like Canid (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Equus sp. (Large)—Large Horse (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Equus calobatus—Stilt-legged Horse (Morgan and Lucas 2003: cf.)
Equus scotti—Scott's Horse (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Equus large sp.—Large horse (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Navahoceros lascrucensis—Las Cruces Mountain Deer (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Odocoileus sp.—Deer (Morgan and Lucas 2003)
Camelops hesternus—Yesterday's Camel (Morgan and Lucas 2003: cf.)

Literature. Morgan 2008; Morgan and Lucas 2003, 2005; Vanderhill 1986.

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Last Update: 30 Jan 2013