Date of Award

Spring 5-3-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Science

First Advisor

Alfred Mead

Second Advisor

Samuel Mutiti

Third Advisor

Dominic DeSantis

Abstract

Clark Quarry is a Late Pleistocene fossil locality near Brunswick, GA, United States with a diverse vertebrate fauna. Morphological descriptions of Mammuthus columbi (Columbian Mammoth), snakes, amphibians, and birds from Clark Quarry have previously been completed along with a stable isotope analysis of M. columbi and Bison latifrons (Long-horned Bison) enamel. Herein, the rodent fauna is described using primarily teeth recovered by screen-washing quarry sediment. Nine rodent taxa have been identified, two of which are the extinct species Synaptomys australis (Florida Bog Lemming) and Neochoerus aesopi (Late Pleistocene Capybara). Of the remaining seven taxa, Erethizon dorsatum (North American Porcupine) and Neofiber alleni (Round-tailed Mustkrat) are extralimital compared to modern distributions. This is the first reported occurrence of Reithrodontomys humulis (Eastern Harvest Mouse) and Erethizon dorsatum from the Late Pleistocene of Georgia. The rodent fauna of Clark Quarry suggests a mostly open, grass-dominated environment with vegetated aquatic habitats nearby. This paleoenvironmental assessment agrees with previous paleoecological studies of M. columbi, B. latifrons, snakes, and birds from Clark Quarry.

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