Ashfall Animals
Of the seventeen species of vertebrates recovered from the volcanic ashbed, twelve are mammals. Over 200 fossil skeletons from 12 species of Clarendonian Land Mammal Age have been discovered at the site so far.
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5 Species of Horses
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Pseudhipparion gratum,
Small 3-toed horse |
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Neohipparion affine,
Slender 3-toed horse |
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Cormohipparion occidentale, Stout 3-toed horse
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Protohippus simus,
Slender 1-toed horse |
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Pliohippus pernix,
Stout 1-toed horse |
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| 3 Species of Camels
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Aepycamelus,
Giraffe-like camel |
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Protolabis heterodontus,
Llama-like camel |
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Procamelus grandis,
Ancestral camel |
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Sabre-toothed Deer
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1 Species of Rhino
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Longirostromeryx wellsi
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Teleoceras major,
Barrel-bodied rhino Most common animal in the site |
Paleontological Finds:
| 1991 | ||
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First skeletons uncovered in Rhino Barn from the barrel-bodied rhinoceros Teleoceras major. | |
| 1992 | ||
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Rhino cow with calf positioned nose to nose. | |
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Remarkably complete skeleton of the horse Cormohipparion occidentale. | |
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Glimpse of a camel Procamelus grandis, discovered by Jennifer Tschirren. | |
| 1993 | ||
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Partial skeleton of sabre-toothed deer Longirostromeryx. | |
| 1994 | ||
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Mare and foal of Neohipparion in close association. | |
| 1995 | ||
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Volunteer Norma Brockmoller discovers cow rhino skeleton that is dubbed "Brockie". | |
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Jaw of raccoon-dog Cynarctus. | |
| 1996 | ||
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Student Andria Skaff discovers fairly complete skeleton of horse Pseudhipparion. | |
| 1998 | ||
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Students Amy Allison and Melissa Mestl discover skeleton of sabre-toothed deer Longirostromeryx and meticulously reveal evidence of soft tissue preservation (muscle in neck and leg, visceral content). | |
| 1999 | ||
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Student Neil Gipson finds single tooth of the raccoon-dog Cynarctus. | |
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Sam Matson discovers fossil burrow in volcanic ash bed that is the right size for the horned rodent Mylagaulus. Sam also finds a milk tooth of Mylagaulus in the burrow fill. | |
| 2000 | ||
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With excavations in the Rhino Barn nearing completion, a third Longirostromeryx (partial skeleton) is revealed. | |
| Species of Dogs |
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Cynarctus
Raccoon Dog |
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Leptocyon
Fox-sized Dog |
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Bone-crushing Dog
Identified by scavenging evidence at this site |
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Species of Turtles
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Hesperotestudo,
Giant tortoise |
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Sternotherus
Musk turtle or stinkpot |
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Species of Birds
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Not Pictured:
Rail |
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Apatosagittarus terrenus,
Secretary Bird |
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Balearica exigua,
Crowned crane |
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![[+] larger photo](images/ashfallmurallg.jpg){kind=link}