List of fossil species in the La Brea Tar Pits
La Brea Tar Pits fauna as depicted by Charles R. Knight
Below is a list of species whose fossils have been found in the La Brea Tar Pits.[1][2] Daggers (†) denote extinct species.
Mammals
Bison antiquus from the tar pits
Camelops hesternusin the George C. Page Museum
Arctodus simus from the La Brea tar pits
Dire wolf skeleton in the museum
Columbian mammoth skeleton from the tar pits displayed in the Page museum
Paramylodon harlani from the La Brea Tar Pits
Cast of skull of "La Brea Woman" on display, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
Artiodactyla
- Antilocapra americana (pronghorn)
- †Bison antiquus (ancient bison)
- †Bison latifrons (giant bison)
- †Camelops hesternus (American camel)
- †Capromeryx minor (dwarf pronghorn)
- Cf. Cervus canadensis (wapiti)
- † Cf. Euceratherium collinum (shrub-ox)
- †Hemiauchenia macrocephala (stilt-legged llama)
- Cf. Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer)
- Ovis aries (sheep)
- †Platygonus compressus (peccary)
Carnivora
- †Arctodus simus (short-faced bear)
- Bassariscus astutus (ring-tailed cat)
- †Canis dirus (dire wolf)
- Canis lupus familiaris (dog)
- †Canis latrans orcutti (Pleistocene coyote)
- Canis lupus (gray wolf)
- †Homotherium serum (scimitar cat)
- Lynx rufus (bobcat)
- Mephitis mephitis (striped skunk)
- †Miracinonyx inexpectatus (American cheetah)
- Mustela frenata (long-tailed weasel)
- †Panthera leo atrox (American lion)
- †Panthera onca augusta (Pleistocene North American jaguar)
- Procyon lotor (raccoon)
- Puma concolor (cougar)
- Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox)
- Ursus americanus (American black bear)
- Ursus arctos horribilis (grizzly bear)
- †Smilodon fatalis (sabre-toothed cat)
- Spilogale gracilis (western spotted skunk)
- Taxidea taxus (American badger)
Chiroptera
- Antrozous pallidus (pallid bat)
- Lasiurus cinereus (hoary bat)
Pilosa
- †Paramylodon harlani (Harlan's ground sloth)
- †Megalonyx jeffersonii (Jefferson's ground sloth)
- †Nothrotheriops shastensis (Shasta ground sloth)
Soricomorpha
- Notiosorex crawfordi (Crawford's gray shrew)
- Scapanus latimanus (broad-footed mole)
- Sorex ornatus (ornate shrew)
Lagomorpha
- Lepus californicus (black-tailed jackrabbit)
- Sylvilagus audubonii (desert cottontail)
- Sylvilagus bachmani (brush rabbit)
Perissodactyla
- †Equus conversidens (Mexican horse)
- †Cf. Equus occidentalis (western horse)
- †Tapirus californicus (California tapir)
Primates
Proboscidea
- †Mammut americanum (American mastodon)
- †Mammuthus columbi (Columbian mammoth)
Rodentia
- Dipodomys agilis (agile kangaroo rat)
- Microtus californicus (California vole)
- Neotoma fuscipes (dusky-footed woodrat)
- Onychomys torridus (southern grasshopper mouse)
- Perognathus californicus (California pocket mouse)
- †Peromyscus imperfectus (imperfect mouse)
- Reithrodontomys megalotis (western harvest mouse)
- Spermophilus beecheyi (California ground squirrel)
- Cf. Tamias merriami (Merriam's chipmunk)
- Thomomys bottae (Botta's pocket gopher)
Birds
Fossil of the extinct Breagyps clarki
Ciconia maltha from the pits
Teratornis skeleton
Buteogallus fragilis fossil
Neophrontops americanus fossil
Neogyps errans fossil
C. c. grinelli fossil
Fossil of Gymnogyps amplus
Accipitriformes
- Accipiter gentilis (northern goshawk)
- Accipiter striatus velox (sharp-shinned hawk)
- Accipiter cooperii (Cooper's hawk)
- †Amplibuteo woodwardi (Woodward's eagle)
- Aquila chrysaetos (golden eagle)
- Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk)
- Buteo swainsoni (Swainson's hawk)
- Buteo lagopus (rough-legged buzzard)
- Buteo regalis (ferruginous hawk)
- Buteo sp. (hawk)
- †Buteogallus fragilis (fragile eagle)
- Circus cyaneus (hen harrier)
- Elanus caeruleus (black-winged kite)
- Haliaeetus leucocephalus (bald eagle)
- †Neogyps errans (errant eagle)
- †Neophrontops americanus (American vulture)*
- †Spizaetus grinnelli (Grinnell's crested eagle)
- †Wetmoregyps daggetti (Daggett's eagle)
Anseriformes
- †Anabernicula gracilenta
- Anas platyrhynchos
- Anas strepera
- Anas platyrhynchos
- Anas crecca
- Anas cyanoptera
- Anas clypeata
- Anser albifrons
- Aythya valisineria
- Branta canadensis
- Cf. Branta bernicla
- Chen caerulescens
- Chen rossi
- Cygnus columbianus
Caprimulgiformes
Cathartiformes
- †Breagyps clarki (Brea condor)
- Cathartes aura (turkey vulture)
- †Cathartornis gracilis
- †Coragyps occidentalis
- †Gymnogyps amplus
- †Teratornis merriami (Merriam's giant condor)
Ciconiiformes
- †Ciconia maltha (La Brea stork)
- †Mycteria wetmorei
Charadriiformes
- Calidris alba
- Calidris alpina
- Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
- Charadrius vociferus
- Gallinago gallinago delicata
- Larus canus
- Limnodromus griseus
- Limosa fedoa
- Numenius americanus
- Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus
- Recurvirostra americana
- Rissa tridactyla
- Tringa melanoleuca
- Phalaropus fulicarius
- Pluvialis squatarola
Columbiformes
- Columba fasciata (band-tailed pigeon)
- †Ectopistes migratorius (passenger pigeon)
- Zenaida macroura (mourning dove)
Cuculiformes
Falconiformes
- Falco columbarius (merlin)
- Falco mexicanus (prairie falcon)
- Falco peregrinus (peregrine falcon)
- Falco sparverius (American kestrel)
- Falco sp. (falcon)
- †Caracara cheriway grinnelli (La Brea or northern caracara)
Galliformes
- Callipepla californica (California quail)
- †Meleagris californica (Californian turkey)
Gruiformes
Strigiformes
- Aegolius acadicus (northern saw-whet owl)
- Asio flammeus (short-eared owl)
- Athene cunicularia (burrowing owl)
- Bubo virginianus (great horned owl)
- Glaucidium gnoma (northern pygmy owl)
- †Oraristrix brea (La Brea owl)
- Otus asio (eastern screech owl)
- Tyto alba (barn owl)
Passeriformes
- Cf. Agelaius phoeniceus californicus
- Amphispiza belli
- Amphispiza bilineata
- Aphelocoma coerulescens californica
- Bombycilla cedrorum
- Carduelis pinus
- Carduelis tristis
- Chondestes grammacus
- Coccothraustes vespertinus
- Corvus brachyrhynchos
- Corvus caurinus
- Corvus corax
- Corvus cryptoleucus
- Cyanocitta stelleri
- Eremophila alpestris
- †Euphagus magnirostris
- Indeterminate Fringillidae
- Icterus spp.
- Lanius ludovicianus
- Melospiza melodia
- Molothrus ater
- Nucifraga columbiana
- Oreoscoptes montanus
- †Pandanaris convexa
- Cf. Parus gambeli
- Passerella iliaca
- Pica nuttalli
- Pheucticus melanocephalus
- Indeterminate Parulinae
- Pheucticus melanocephalus
- Pipilo erythrophthalamus
- Pipilo fuscus
- †Pipilo angelensis
- Pooecetes gramineus
- Cf. Sialia mexicana
- Spizella passerina
- Spizella sp.
- Sturnella neglecta
- Toxostoma redivivum
- Turdus migratorius
- Tyrannus vociferans
- Xanthocephalus sp.
- Zonotrichia leucophrys
Pelecaniformes
- Ajaia ajaja
- Ardea herodias
- Botaurus lentiginosus
- Butorides striatus
- Casmerodius albus
- Egretta thula
- Egretta caerulea
- Nycticorax nycticorax
- Phalacrocorax sp. (cormorant)
- Plegadis chihi
Piciformes
Podicipediformes
- Podilymbus podiceps
- Podiceps sp. (grebe)
Reptiles, amphibians, and fish
- Arroyo chub
- Garter snake
- Gopher snake
- Kingsnake
- Rainbow trout
- Rattlesnake
- Salamander
- Three-spined stickleback
- Tree frog
- Toad
- Western pond turtle
Arthropods
- Fly
- Dung beetle
- Grasshopper
- Megachile gentilis (leafcutter bee)
- Pill bug
- Scorpion
- Termite
- Water flea
Plants
- California juniper
- Coast live oak
- Western poison oak
- Ragweed
- Raspberry
- Red cedar
- Redwood tree
- Sagebrush
- California sycamore
- Thistle
- Walnut tree
References
- ↑ http://www.tarpits.org/research-collections/collections
- ↑ "Fauna and Flora of Rancho La Brea" (last visited April 13, 2013).
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