Polk County, Florida paleontological sites
Encyclopedia
The Polk County paleontological sites are assemblages of Early Miocene
to Late Pleistocene
vertebrates occurring in Polk County, Florida
, United States
.
Period: Miocene
to Pleistocene
, ~17.7—1.5 Mya. (calculates to a period of approximately ).
Faunal stage: Hemingfordian through early Clarendonian
Geological Formation: Bone Valley Formation.
mining concerns. Bone Valley Formation is a prime geologic formation. Some of these sites are: Agricola Road (AEO), Agrico Pierce Mine (AEO), American Agricultural Chemical Company Mine, Brewster Phosphate Mine, Fort Meade Mine, Kingsford Mine, Phosphoria Mine, Fort Green Mine, Payne Creek Mine, and Palmetto Mine.
Coordinates: 27.9°N 81.8°W
http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?user=Guest&action=displayHomePage. authorized by John Alroy, Ph.D.
. Further documentation on these genera and species are available.
Early Miocene
The Early Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Aquitanian and Burdigalian stages....
to 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...
vertebrates occurring in Polk County, Florida
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Age
Era: NeogeneNeogene
The Neogene is a geologic period and system in the International Commission on Stratigraphy Geologic Timescale starting 23.03 ± 0.05 million years ago and ending 2.588 million years ago...
Period: Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
to 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 ....
, ~17.7—1.5 Mya. (calculates to a period of approximately ).
Faunal stage: Hemingfordian through early Clarendonian
Clarendonian
The Clarendonian North American Stage on the geologic timescale is the North American faunal stage according to the North American Land Mammal Ages chronology , typically set from 13,600,000 to 10,300,000 years BP, a period of . It is usually considered to overlap the Serravallian of the Middle...
Geological Formation: Bone Valley Formation.
Sites
Polk County can boast more individual fossil recovery sites than any other Florida county due to the phosphatePhosphate
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 concerns. Bone Valley Formation is a prime geologic formation. Some of these sites are: Agricola Road (AEO), Agrico Pierce Mine (AEO), American Agricultural Chemical Company Mine, Brewster Phosphate Mine, Fort Meade Mine, Kingsford Mine, Phosphoria Mine, Fort Green Mine, Payne Creek Mine, and Palmetto Mine.
Coordinates: 27.9°N 81.8°W
Reptiles
- Caretta caretta (Loggerhead Sea Turtle)
- Chelonia (Green 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;...
americana (American Crocodile) - Lepidochelys and L. sensu lato (Ridley Sea Turtle)
Mammals
- †Acritohippus isonesus (Horse)
- †AelurodonAelurodonAelurodon is an extinct canine genus of the subfamily Borophaginae which lived from the Barstovian land mammal age of the middle Miocene to the Clarendonian age of the late Miocene...
taxoides (Proto-dog)
- †AgriotheriumAgriotheriumAgriotherium is an extinct genus of Ursidae of the Miocene through Pleistocene epochs, endemic to North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia living from ~13.6–2.5 Ma, existing for approximately .-Taxonomy:...
schneideri (Bear) - †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:...
malacorhinus (Rhinoceros) - †Arctodus pristinus (Short-faced Bear)
- ArvicolinaeArvicolinaeThe Arvicolinae are a subfamily of rodents that includes the voles, lemmings, and muskrats. They are most closely related to the other subfamilies in the Cricetidae . Some authorities place the subfamily Arvicolinae in the family Muridae along with all other members of the superfamily Muroidea...
(Mole, Shrew) - †AstrohippusAstrohippusAstrohippus is an extinct member of the Equidae tribe Equini, the same tribe that contains the only living equid genus, Equus. Fossil remains have been found in the central United States, Florida, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Jalisco, and Guanajuato...
stockii (Horse) - †BalaenopteraBalaenopteraBalaenoptera is a genus of Balaenopteridae, the Rorqual whales, and contains eight species. The species Balaenoptera omurai was published in 2003...
floridana (Rorqual Whale) - †Blarina carolinensis (Shrew)
- †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...
hilli and B. pugnator (Proto-dog) - †Calippus emsliei and C. cerasinus, C. martini, C. proplacidus (Horse)
- †Callophoca obscura (Earless Seal)
- †Camelidae (Camel unknown)
- †CarpocyonCarpocyonCarpocyon is an extinct member of the Borophaginae, and a terrestrial canine which inhabited most of North America during the Barstovian stage of the Middle Miocene through the Hemphillian stage of the Late Miocene epoch 20.4—3.9 Mya. Carpocyon existed for approximately .-Taxonomy:Carpocyon was...
limosus (Canidae) - †Catagonus brachydontus (Peccary)
- †Cervidae (Deer)
- †Corystosiren varguezi (Sea Cow)
- †CricetidaeCricetidaeThe Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, and New World rats and mice...
(Vole or Lemming) - †CuvieroniusCuvieroniusCuvieronius is an extinct New World genus of gomphothere. It is named after the French naturalist Georges Cuvier, stood 2.7 m tall and looked like a modern elephant except for its spiral-shaped tusks.-Origin:...
tropicus (Proto-elephant) - †Dasypus bellus (Beautiful Armadillo)
- †Delphinodon and D. mento (Proto-dolphin)
- †DinohippusDinohippusDinohippus , is an extinct herbivorous mammal belonging to the tribe Equini, subfamily Equinae, which was endemic to North America from the late Hemphillian stage of the Miocene through the Zanclean stage of the Pliocene and in existence for approximately .-Taxonomy:Dinohippus was named by Quinn...
mexicanus (Horse) - Didelphidae (Opossum)
- †Enhydritherium terraenovae (Mustelid)
- †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 (Proto-dog) - †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...
eomigrans (Giant ground sloth) - †EquidaeEquidaeEquidae is the taxonomic family of horses and related animals, including the extant horses, donkeys, and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils. All extant species are in the genus Equus...
(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...
leidyi (Horse) - †FelisFelisFelis is a genus of cats in the family Felidae, including the familiar domestic cat and its closest wild relatives. The wild species are distributed widely across Europe, southern and central Asia, and Africa; the domestic cat has been introduced worldwide.Members of the genus Felis are all small...
rexroadensis (Wildcat) - GeomysGeomysThe genus Geomys contains nine species of pocket gophers often collectively referred to as the eastern pocket gophers. Like all pocket gophers, members of this genus are fossorial herbivores.-Species:*Geomys...
pinetis (Gopher) - †GomphotheriumGomphotheriumGomphotherium is an extinct genus of proboscid which evolved in the Early Miocene of North America from 13.650—3.6 Ma, living about .The genus emigrated into Asia, Europe and Africa after a drop in sea level allowed them to cross over...
obscurum (Proto-elephant) - †GoniodelphisGoniodelphisGoniodelphis hudsoni is an extinct genus of Iniidae known from the waters of Florida during the Miocene ~14.9—11.5 through 9.1—8.7 Ma .The fossil specimens were found in just four phosphate mines in Polk County, Florida...
hudsoni (River Dolphin) - †Hadrodelphis (Toothed Whale)
- †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 (Camel) - †HeteromyidaeHeteromyidaeThe family of rodents that include kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice and rock pocket mice is the Heteromyidae family. Most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, though species within the Heteromys and Liomys genera are also found in forests and...
(Kangaroo Rat) - †HexameryxHexameryxHexameryx is an extinct genus of the family Antilocapridae, endemic to North America during the Pliocene epoch , existing for approximately .Hexameryx was a six horned animal-Taxonomy:...
simpsoni (Antilope) - †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 :...
emsliei, H. ingenuum, and H. plicatile and H. ingenuum (Horse) - †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 (Giant Florida Armadillo) - †Homiphoca capensis (Earless Seal)
- †HypohippusHypohippusHypohippus is an extinct genus of three-toed Horse, which lived 17 - 11 million years ago. It was the size of a pony, and fossils of it have been found in Nebraska, Colorado, and Montana....
affinis and H. chico (Horse) - †HypolagusHypolagusHypolagus is an extinct genus of Lagomorpha, first recorded in the Hemingfordian of North America. It enters Asia during the early Turolian and spreads to Europe not much later, where it survives until the Middle Pleistocene...
tedfordi (Rabbit) - †KogiopsisKogiopsisKogiopsis is a genus of prehistoric sperm whales from the family Physeteridae. It lived in the mid Miocene. It was up to long. Kogiopsis had very long teeth, long, without root...
floridana (Florida Sperm Whale) - LepusLepusLepus is the genus of hares.Lepus may also be:* Lepus , a group of stars* Arieşeni, a commune in Romania* Lepus-the story of a hare, a book by D.Brian Plummer...
(Hare) - †Lophocetus (Dolphin)
- †Mammut matthewi (Mastodon)
- †Mammut americanum (American Mastodon)
- †Mammuthus hayi (Mammoth)
- †MegahippusMegahippusMegahippus is an extinct equid genus belonging to the subfamily Anchitheriinae. As with other members of this subfamily, Megahippus is more primitive than the living horses. Fossil remains of Megahippus have been found across the U.S., from Montana to Florida.-References:* *...
(Horse) - †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...
wheatleyi (Giant ground sloth) - †MegantereonMegantereonMegantereon was an ancient machairodontine saber-toothed cat that lived in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. It may be the ancestor of Smilodon.- Fossil range :...
hesperus (Saber-cat) - †MerychippusMerychippusMerychippus is an extinct proto-horse of the family Equidae that was endemic to North America during the Miocene from 20.43—10.3 Ma living for approximately .It had three toes on each foot and is the first horse known to have grazed...
californicus M. brevidontus and M. goorsi (Horse) - †Mesoplodon (Beaked Whale)
- †Metaxytherium floridanum (Florida Sea Cow)
- 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....
(Vole) - †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....
elmorei (Peccary) - †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...
and N. westoni (Horse) - †Neohipparion eurystyle (Horse)
- †Ninoziphius platyrostris (Beaked whale)
- †NothrotheriopsNothrotheriopsNothrotheriops is a genus of Pleistocene ground sloth found in North and South America. This genus of bear-sized xenarthran was related to the much larger, and far more famous Megatherium, although it has recently been placed in a different family, Nothrotheriidae.-Discovery and species:Fossils of...
texanus (Giant ground sloth) - 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 (White-tailed Deer) - Ondatra annectens (Muskrat)
- †Ontocetus emmonsi (Walrus)
- †Pachyarmatherium leiseyi (Armadillo)
- †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 (Stout-legged Llama) - †PalaeomerycidaePalaeomerycidaePalaeomerycidae is an extinct family of ruminants , probably ancestral to deer and musk deer...
(Deer ancestor) - †Paramylodon harlani (Giant ground sloth)
- †Platanistidae (River Dolphin)
- †Phocanella pumila (Earless Seal)
- †Piscobalaena (Toothed Whale)
- †Physeteridae (Sperm Whale)
- †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 ....
vetus (Peccary) - †PliocyonPliocyonPliocyon is a physically large member of the extinct family Amphicyonidae of terrestrial carnivores belonging to the suborder Caniformia, and which inhabited North America from the Early Miocene subepoch to the Middle Miocene subepoch 20.6—13.6 Ma, existing for approximately .Pliocyon was named by...
robustus (Bear-dog) - †PlionarctosPlionarctosPlionarctos is an extinct genus of mammals of the family Ursidae endemic to North America and Europe during Miocene through Pleistocene, living from ~10.3—3.3 Ma, existing for approximately ....
(Bear) - †PliohippusPliohippusPliohippus is an extinct genus of Equidae, the "horse family". Pliohippus arose in the middle Miocene, around 12 million years ago, probably from Calippus. It was similar in appearance to Equus, but had two long extra toes on both sides of the hoof, externally barely visible as callused stubs...
mirabilis (Horse) - †Pomatodelphis bobengi and P. inaequalis (River Dolphin)
- †ProboscideaProboscideaProboscidea is a taxonomic order containing one living family, Elephantidae, and several extinct families. This order was first described by J. Illiger in 1881 and encompasses the trunked mammals...
(Elephant, unknown) - †ProcyonidaeProcyonidaeProcyonidae is a New World family of the order Carnivora. It includes the raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, olingos, ringtails and cacomistles. Procyonids inhabit a wide range of environments, and are generally omnivorous.-Characteristics:...
(Raccoon) - †ProtohippusProtohippusProtohippus is an extinct genus of horse....
perditus and P. supremus (Horse) - †Pseudhipparion curtivallum and P. skinneri (Horse)
- †RhynchotheriumRhynchotheriumRhynchotherium is an extinct genus of proboscidea endemic to North America and Central America during the Miocene through Pliocene from 13.650—3.6 Ma, living for approximately .This gomphothere had two tusks and may have evolved from Gomphotherium....
(Proto-Elephant) - †Scalopus aquaticus (Mole or Shrew)
- †Sigmodon libitinus (Cotton Rat)
- †Sphenophalos garciae (Antelope)
- Sylvilagus floridanus and S. palustris (Rabbit)
- †TalpidaeTalpidaeThe family Talpidae includes the moles, shrew moles, desmans, and other intermediate forms of small insectivorous mammals of the order Soricomorpha...
(Mole or Shrew) - †Tapirus haysii, and T. polkensis (Tapir)
- †Tayassuidae (Peccary)
- †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....
proterum (Rhinoceros) - Ziphiidae (Beaked Whale)
Notatation
The taxa listed within this article were compiled from numerous collections within Paleobiology DatabasePaleobiology Database
' is an online resource for information on the distribution and classification of fossil animals, plants, and microorganisms.-History:The Paleobiology Database was founded in 2000. It has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council...
http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?user=Guest&action=displayHomePage. authorized by John Alroy, Ph.D.
John Alroy
John Alroy is a paleobiologist born in New York in 1966 and now residing in Sydney.-Area of expertise:Alroy specializes in diversity curves, speciation, and extinction of North American fossil mammals and Phanerozoic marine invertebrates, connecting regional and local diversity, taxonomic...
. Further documentation on these genera and species are available.