Vertebrate Paleobiology
The Vertebrate Paleobiology collections concentrate on Southwestern Pleistocene
fossils, primarily from New Mexican cave faunas, although small numbers of other
fossils are held.
More than 37,000 lots (over 70,000 individual specimens) are in the computerized
catalogue. This catalogue includes specimens for which the Laboratory (LEB) acts as
repository, both permanent and temporary. The LEB currently is repository for large
numbers of specimens from lands of the Bureau of Land Management and sites under the
jurisdiction of the Department of Defense.
The primary focus is upon late Pleistocene Southwestern faunas,
although there are some Holocene archaeological holdings and some Tertiary material as
well. This emphasis primarily reflects the research interests of the curator, Arthur H. Harris, who has maintained and added to the
collections since their initial organization in 1965.
The major components of the Vertebrate Paleobiology collections, and those of
special interest, include the following:
- Approximately 8,250 catalogued specimens from Dry Cave, Eddy County, New Mexico
(Late Pleistocene). These holdings represent a major faunal assemblage for the
southwestern United States and include the holotypes of Corvus neomexicanus, Neotoma
findleyi, Neotoma pygmaea, and Aztlanolagus agilis. Holotypes of
Notiosorex dalquesti and Notiosorex harrisi also are held
- Over 1500 catalogued specimens from the Isleta Caves, Bernalillo County, New Mexico
(Late Pleistocene/Holocene), including UTEP specimens
- Some 2,000 catalogued specimens from U-Bar Cave, Hidalgo County, New Mexico (Late
Pleistocene). These have been excavated by the LEB under permits from the New Mexico
State Land Office; administration has since been turned over to the Bureau of Land
Management.
- Over 800 catalogued specimens from Howell's Ridge Cave, Grant County, New
Mexico (Late Pleistocene/Holocene)
- The collections of the late Dr. William S. Strain, comprising Late Pliocene and
early to mid-Pleistocene fossil material from the Mesilla and Hueco bolsons of
Trans-Pecos Texas and south-central New Mexico. A portion of these and subsequent
collections has been studied by Vanderhill (J. B. Vanderhill. 1986. Lithostratigraphy,
vertebrate paleontology, and magnetostratigraphy in the Mesilla Basin, New Mexico.
Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Texas at Austin, 306 pp.).
- Some New Mexican archaeological materials, notably from the Cochiti. Material owned
by Picuris Pueblo has been returned for reburial at the Pueblo's request.
- Over 17,000 specimens and lots from Pendejo Cave (MacNeish, R. S., and J. G. Libby,
eds., 2003), a reputed pre-Clovis archaeological site near Orogrande, New Mexico; this
material is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense.
- Over 3200 specimens and lots from Big Manhole Cave. Of these, over 300 are mid to
late Wisconsin in age and the remainder mid and late Holocene. Specimens were recovered
under contract with the Bureau of Land Management.
Checklist of Late Pleistocene
(Wisconsin Age) fossil taxa from within about 60 miles of El Paso. Pleistocene Vertebrates of New Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas. A
book-length work based on the LEB collection and the technical literature. This work
also is being released in e-book form: see E-BOOK1
Last Update: 10 Aug 2012