Haile Quarry site
Encyclopedia
The Haile Quarry or Haile sites are an Early Miocene
and Pleistocene
assemblage of vertebrate
fossils located in the Haile quarries, Alachua County
, northern Florida
. The assemblage was discovered during phosphate
mining, which began in the late 1940s. Haile sites are found in the Alachua Formation. Two sites within the Ocala Limestone
yielded Upper Eocene Valvatida
(sea stars) and mollusks.
University of Florida
and Florida Museum of Natural History
paleontologists numbered the Haile fossil sites with Arabic and Roman numbers and letters in order to define locations more distinctly. UF scientists used Roman numbering and the FLMNH scientists used Arabic.
Late Pleistocene
Haile sites: 7C, 15A, 16A, and 21A.
Early Miocene
The Early Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages....
and Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
assemblage of vertebrate
Vertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
fossils located in the Haile quarries, Alachua County
Alachua County, Florida
Alachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida. Alachua County is the home of the University of Florida and is also known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans...
, northern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The assemblage was discovered during phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
mining, which began in the late 1940s. Haile sites are found in the Alachua Formation. Two sites within the Ocala Limestone
Ocala Limestone
The Ocala Limestone is a late Eocene geologic formation of exposed limestones near Ocala, Marion County, Florida.-Age:Period: PaleogeneEpoch: Late EoceneFaunal stage: Late Clarkforkian through early Orellan...
yielded Upper Eocene Valvatida
Valvatida
Valvatida is an order of sea star in the class Asteroidea, which contains 695 species in 165 genera in 14 families. The order encompasses both tiny species, which are only a few milimetres in diameter, like those in the genus Asterina, and species which can reach up to 75 cm like species in the...
(sea stars) and mollusks.
University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
and Florida Museum of Natural History
Florida Museum of Natural History
The Florida Museum of Natural History is the State of Florida's official state-sponsored and chartered natural history museum. Its main facilities are located on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida....
paleontologists numbered the Haile fossil sites with Arabic and Roman numbers and letters in order to define locations more distinctly. UF scientists used Roman numbering and the FLMNH scientists used Arabic.
Numbered Haile sites
- V/XIXA aka Haile 5A, 19A (FLMNH repository)
- 5B Miocene
- 6A.
- 7C.
- 12B.
- XVA aka 15A.
- 16A.
- 21A.
- ID.
- VIIA.
- VIIIA.
- XIB.
- XIIIA.
- XIIIB.
- XIVA.
- XIXD.
- IVB.
Late Pleistocene
Late Pleistocene
The Late Pleistocene is a stage of the Pleistocene Epoch. The beginning of the stage is defined by the base of the Eemian interglacial phase before the final glacial episode of the Pleistocene 126,000 ± 5,000 years ago. The end of the stage is defined exactly at 10,000 Carbon-14 years BP...
Haile sites: 7C, 15A, 16A, and 21A.
Amphibians/Reptiles
- BufoBufoBufo is a large genus of about 150 species of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. Bufo is a Latin word for toad.- Description :...
(toad) - Coluber constrictorColuber constrictorColuber constrictor is a species of nonvenomous, colubrid snakes commonly referred to as the eastern racers. They are primarily found throughout the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains, but they range north into Canada, and south into Mexico, Guatemala and Belize...
(Eastern Racer) - EmydidaeEmydidaeEmydidae, commonly called the pond turtles or marsh turtles, is a family of turtles. Previously, several species of Asian box turtle were classified in the family. However, revised taxonomy has separated them to a different family. Now, Emydidae, with the exception of two species of pond turtle,...
(turtle) - †GavialosuchusGavialosuchusGavialosuchus is an extinct tomistomine from the late Oligocene and Miocene of eastern North America and early Miocene of Europe. Three species have been named: the type species G. eggenburgensis from the early Miocene of Austria; G. americanus, from the late Miocene to early Pliocene of Florida;...
(Crocodile) - HesperotestudoHesperotestudoHesperotestudo is an extinct genus of turtle that lived from the Miocene to the Pleistocene. Its remains are known from North America and Central America.- References :* Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins: Survivors in Armor by Ronald Orenstein...
crassiscutata (turtle) - Deirochelys (Chicken Turtle)
- Micrurus fulviusMicrurus fulviusMicrurus fulvius is a venomous elapid snake that is found in the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico. It should not be confused with the scarlet snake or scarlet kingsnake , which are harmless mimics...
(Coral snake) - Ranidae (True Frog)
- †SphenodontiaSphenodontiaSphenodontia is an order of lizard-like reptiles that includes only one living genus, the tuatara , and only two living species...
(lizard) - Terrapene carolinaTerrapene carolinaThe common box turtle is a species of box turtle with six existing subspecies. It is found throughout the eastern United States and Mexico. The box turtle has a distinctive hinged lowered shell that allows it to completely enclose itself...
(Eastern Box Turtle)
Birds
- AnatidaeAnatidaeAnatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups...
indet (duck) - †AizenogypsNew World vultureThe New World Vulture or Condor family Cathartidae contains seven species in fivegenera, all but one of which are monotypic. It includes five vultures and two condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas....
toomeyae (Condor) - AnhingaAnhingaThe Anhinga , sometimes called Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or Water Turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word "anhinga" comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of , a...
grande (Snakebird) - Ceryle torquata (Belted Kingfisher)
- Motmotidae (Motmot)
- Phalacrocorax (Cormorant)
Canidae
- †BorophagusBorophagusBorophagus is an extinct genus of the subfamily Borophaginae, a group of canids endemic to North America from the early Miocene epoch through the Zanclean stage of the Pliocene epoch 23.3—3.6 Mya. Borophagus existed for approximately .-Overview:Borophagus, like other borophagines, are loosely...
(ancestor of dogs) - CanidaeCanidaeCanidae is the biological family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs. A member of this family is called a canid . The Canidae family is divided into two tribes: Canini and Vulpini...
- †Canis armbrusteri (Armbruster's wolf)
- †Canis edwardiiCanis edwardiiCanis edwardii is an extinct species of Canidae which was endemic to most of North America from the Blancan stage of the Pliocene epoch through to the Irvingtonian stage of the Pleistocene epoch, living 4.9 Mya—300,000 years ago, existing for approximately...
(Edward's wolf) - †Canis dirus (Dire wolf)
- Canis rufus (Red wolf)
- †EpicyonEpicyonEpicyon is a large extinct canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae , native to North America. It lived from the Hemingfordian age of the Early Miocene to the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene Epicyon ("near dog") is a large extinct canid genus of the subfamily Borophaginae ("bone-crushing dogs"),...
haydeni (ancestor of dogs) - UrocyonUrocyonThe genus Urocyon is a genus that contains two living Western Hemisphere foxes in the family Canidae, the Gray Fox and the closely related Island Fox which is a dwarf cousin of the Gray Fox; as well as one fossil species, Urocyon progressus.Urocyon and the...
cinereoargenteus (fox)
Bears
- †ArctodusArctodusArctodus — known as the short-faced bear or bulldog bear — is an extinct genus of bear endemic to North America during the Pleistocene ~3.0 Ma.—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately three million years. Arctodus simus may have once been Earth's largest mammalian, terrestrial carnivore...
pristinus (Short-faced Bear) - †Tremarctos floridanus (Florida Cave Bear)
Feliformia
- †HomotheriumHomotheriumHomotherium is an extinct genus of machairodontine saber-toothed cats, often termed scimitar cats, endemic to North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs , existing for approximately .It first became extinct in Africa some 1.5 million years ago...
(Saber-toothed cat) - Lynx rufus (Bobcat)
- †Panthera onca (Jaguar)
- †Smilodon gracilis (Saber-toothed cat)
Mustilids
- Conepatus leuconotus (Hog-nosed skunk)
- Mephitis mephitis (Striped Skunk)
- Mustela frenata (Long-tailed Weasel)
- †Satherium piscinarium (North American Giant Otter)
- Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk)
- Trigonictis cookii (Galictis)
Even-toed ungulates
- †AepycamelusAepycamelusAepycamelus is an extinct genus of camelid, formerly called Alticamelus which lived during the Miocene 20.6-4.9 Ma existing for approximately ....
(Camel) - Bison latifronsBison latifronsBison latifrons is an extinct species of bison that lived in North America during the Pleistocene. Also known as the giant bison, it reached a shoulder height of 2.5 metres , and had horns that spanned over 2 metres...
(Bison) - †Camelidae (Camel)
- †Gelocidae (early horse-type ungulate)
- †HemiaucheniaHemiaucheniaHemiauchenia is a genus of lamine camelids that evolved in North America in the Miocene period approximately 10 million years ago. This genus diversified and moved to South America in the early Pleistocene as part of the Great American Interchange, giving rise to modern lamines...
macrocephala (Llama) - †MylohyusMylohyusMylohyus is an extinct genus of peccary found in North and Central America. It evolved in the Pliocene and its extinction is probably as recent as 9,000 years ago. It would have been familiar with early humans....
floridanus (Peccary) - †OdocoileusOdocoileusOdocoileus is a genus of medium-sized deer containing two species native to the Americas. The name is sometimes spelt odocoeleus; it is from a contraction of the roots odonto- and coelus meaning "hollow-tooth".-Species:...
virginianus (Deer) - †PalaeolamaPalaeolamaPalaeolama is an extinct North and South American genus of lamine camelid.Palaeolama mirifica, the "stout-legged llama", is known from southern California and the southeastern U. S...
mirifica (Llama) - †PlatygonusPlatygonusPlatygonus is an extinct genus of herbivorous peccary of the family Tayassuidae, endemic to North America from the Miocene through Pleistocene epochs , existing for approximately ....
, P. compressus, P. vetus (Peccary) - †YumacerasYumacerasYumaceras is an extinct genus of horse-like Artiodactyla, of the family Palaeomerycidae, endemic to North America, Europe and Asia from the Miocene epoch, 13.6—5.33 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:Yumaceras was named by Frick...
hamiltoni (early horse-type ungulate)
Odd-toed ungulates
- †AphelopsAphelopsAphelops is an extinct genus of rhinoceros endemic to North America during the Miocene through the Pliocene, living from 20.43—5.330 mya, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
(rhinoceros) - †CalippusCalippusCalippus may refer to:* Calippus of Syracuse, a student of Plato and Syracusean tyrant.* Callippus, a Greek astronomer and mathematician.* Calippus , a small lunar crater.* Calippus, an extinct relation of the modern horse....
, C. elachistus, C. hondurensis (horse) - †Dolichohippus (horse)
- †EquusEquus (genus)Equus is a genus of animals in the family Equidae that includes horses, donkeys, and zebras. Within Equidae, Equus is the only extant genus. Like Equidae more broadly, Equus has numerous extinct species known only from fossils. This article deals primarily with the extant species.The term equine...
sp,. E. fraternus, E. leidyi (horse) - †Tapirus, T. haysii (tapir)
- †DasypusDasypusDasypus is a genus of armadillo in the Dasypodidae family. It is the only genus in the subfamily Dasypodinae and contains the following species:*Nine-banded Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus*Seven-banded Armadillo, Dasypus septemcinctus...
bellus (armadillo) - †HippotheriumHippotheriumHippotherium is an extinct genus of horse endemic to North America, to Asia, Europe, and Africa during the Miocene through Pliocene ~13.65—3.3 Mya, existing for .- Taxonomy :...
, H. ingenuum, H. plicatile (horse) - †NannippusNannippusNannippus is an extinct genus of horse endemic to North America during the Miocene through Pliocene, ~13.3—3.3 Ma, living approximately .Nannippus lived as far south as Central Mexico to as far north as Canada , to California in the west, North Carolina and Florida Nannippus is an extinct genus...
, N. peninsulatus, N. westoni (horse) - †Neohipparion trampasense (horse)
- †ProtohippusProtohippusProtohippus is an extinct genus of horse....
gidleyi (horse) - †Pseudhipparion skinneri (horse)
- †TeleocerasTeleocerasTeleoceras is an extinct genus of grazing rhinoceros that lived in North America during the Miocene epoch, which ended about 5.3 million years ago, all the way to the early Pliocene epoch....
, T. proterum (rhinoceros)
Xenarthra
- DasypusDasypusDasypus is a genus of armadillo in the Dasypodidae family. It is the only genus in the subfamily Dasypodinae and contains the following species:*Nine-banded Armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus*Seven-banded Armadillo, Dasypus septemcinctus...
bellus (armadillo) - †EremotheriumEremotheriumEremotherium is an extinct genus of actively mobile ground sloth of the family Megatheriidae, endemic to North America and South America during the Pleistocene epoch...
, E. eomigrans (giant sloth) - †GlossotheriumGlossotheriumGlossotherium was a genus of ground sloth. It was a heavily built animal with a length of about snout to tail-tip, and could potentially assume a slight bipedal stance.Fossils of this animal have been found in South America...
chapadmalense (giant ground sloth) - †Glyptotherium arizonae (armadillo-like)
- †HolmesinaHolmesinaHolmesina is a genus of pampathere, an extinct group of armadillo-like creatures that were distantly related to extant armadillos. Like armadillos, and unlike the other extinct branch of Cingulata, the glyptodonts, the shell was made up of flexible plates which allowed the animal to move more easily...
floridanus, H. olmesina, H. septentrionalis (armadillo) - †PachyarmatheriumPachyarmatheriumPachyarmatherium is an extinct large armadillo-like cingulate genus of North and South America from the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, related to the extant armadillos and the extinct pampatheres and glyptodonts. It was present from 4.9 Mya—300,000 years ago, existing for approximately...
leiseyi (armadillo-like) - †MegalonyxMegalonyxMegalonyx is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America from the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene through to the Rancholabrean of the Pleistocene, living from ~10.3 Mya—11,000 years ago, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:The generic name...
, M. leptostomus, M. wheatlyi (giant ground sloth) - †ParamylodonParamylodonParamylodon is an extinct genus of ground sloth of the family Mylodontidae endemic to North America during the Pliocene through Pleistocene epochs, living from around ~4.9 Mya—11,000 years ago .-Overview:...
harlani (giant ground sloth) - †PliometanastesPliometanastesPliometanastes is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America during the Miocene epoch through very early Pliocene epoch. Its fossils have been found across the southern U. S. from California to Florida....
(giant ground sloth)
Bats
- Myotis austroriparius (Southeastern Bat)
- DesmodusDesmodusDesmodus is a genus of bats often referred to as the vampire bats. Along with the genera, Diaemus and Diphylla, Desmodus makes up the subfamily Desmodontinae of family Phyllostomidae, the vampire bats.Genus Desmodus - vampire bats...
, D. archaeodaptes, D. stocki (Common Vampire Bat) - Lasiurus intermedius (Northern Yellow Bat)
- PipistrellusPipistrellusPipistrellus is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae and subfamily Vespertilioninae. The name of the genus is derived from the Italian word Pipistrello, meaning "bat"....
subflavus (Eastern Pipistrelle)
Rodents
- Atopomys texensis
- CastorCastorCastor derives from the , meaning "beaver", or "he who excels". It originally referred to Castor, one of the Dioscuri/Gemini twins of Graeco-Roman mythology.Castor or CASTOR may also refer to:-Science and technology:...
canadensis (beaver) - Cryptopterus webbi (squirrel)
- Didelphis virginiana (Viginia Oppossum)
- Erethizon, E. dorsatum, E. poyeri (porcupine)
- Geomys pinetis (pocket gopher)
- MicrotusMicrotusThe genus Microtus is a group of voles found in North America, Europe and northern Asia. The genus name refers to the small ears of these animals. There are 62 species in the genus....
australis (vole) - Microtus pinetorum (Woodland Vole)
- †Mylagaulus kinseyi (Horned Gopher)
- †NeochoerusNeochoerusNeochoerus is an extinct genus of rodent closely related to the living capybara.-References:*...
, N. aesopi (Capybara) - Neofiber alleni (Round-Tailed Muskrat)
- Neotoma (Packrat)
- Neotoma floridana (Florida Woodrat)
- Ochrotomys nuttalli (Golden Mouse)
- OrthogeomysOrthogeomysOrthogeomys is a genus of rodent in the Geomyidae family, found in Mexico, Central America and Colombia.It contains the following species:* Chiriqui Pocket Gopher * Cherrie's Pocket Gopher...
propinetis (gopher) - Oryzomys palustris (Marsh Rice Rat)
- PeromyscusPeromyscusThe genus Peromyscus contains the animal species commonly referred to as deer mice. This is a genus of New World mouse only distantly related to the common house mouse and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus...
(Deer Mouse) - Peromyscus gossypinus (Cotton Mouse)
- Peromyscus polionotus (Oldfield mouse)
- Podomys floridana, P. gossypinus (Florida mouse)
- Pronotolagus (rabbit)
- ReithrodontomysReithrodontomysReithrodontomys is the genus of groove-toothed New World harvest mice.-Species:This genus contains twenty species:*Guerrero Harvest Mouse *Short-Nosed Harvest Mouse...
H. humulis (harvest mouse) - SciurusSciurusThe genus Sciurus contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.-Species:There are 30 species.Genus Sciurus - Tree squirrels*Subgenus Sciurus...
carolinensis (Eastern Grey Squirrel) - Sigmodon, S. bakeri, S. hispidus, S. libitinus, S. minor (rat)
- SpermophilusSpermophilusSpermophilus is a genus of ground squirrels in the family Sciuridae. The majority of ground squirrel species, over 40 in total, are usually placed in this genus...
(Ground Squirrel) - Sylvilagus (Cottontail Rabbit), S. webbi
- Sylvilagus floridanus (Eastern Cottontail)
- Synaptomys, S. australis, S. morgani (lemming)
- ZapodidaeZapodidaeJumping mice are a group of mouse-like rodents in North America and China.Although mouse-like in general appearance, these rodents are distinguished by their elongated hind limbs, and, typically, by the presence of four pairs of cheek-teeth in each jaw...
(jumping mice)
Moles and Shrews
- Blarina (American Short-Tailed Shrew)
- Blarina carolinensis (Southern Short-Tailed Shrew)
- Cryptotis parva (North American Least Shrew)
- Scalopus aquaticus (Eastern Mole)
- SorexSorexThe genus Sorex includes many of the common shrews of Eurasia and North America. Members of this genus, known as long-tailed shrews, are the only members of the tribe Soricini of the subfamily Soricinae...
longirostris (Southeastern Shrew)
Sea mammals
- CynthiacetusCynthiacetusCynthiacetus is an extinct genus of cetacean archaeocete, belonging to the family Basilosauridae. Lived during the Upper Eocene 38 million years ago. Was found in the southeastern United States, Egypt and Peru. Its skull was similar in size and morphology to Basilosaurus, but unlike it had no...
maxwelli. (possibly pre-peninsular) ~37.2—33.9 Mya. - ZygorhizaZygorhizaZygorhiza kochii is an extinct species of cetacean.Zygorhiza was a smaller, less elongated, 6 m long relative of the famous Basilosaurus. Its bodily proportions were similar to those of modern whales, although, unlike modern species, it had a distinct neck, and flippers which could be moved at...