Preliminary Analysis of Extinct Box Turtle Remains from the Late Pleistocene of the Southern High Plains

Summary

A diverse and abundant latest Pleistocene vertebrate fauna is currently being investigated at Macy Locality 100 on the southeastern edge of the Southern High Plains, Texas. Remains of an extinct box turtle (Terrapene carolina putnami) are common among the recovered material from the site's alluvial deposits. Believed to have been a mesic form, the extirpation of the eastern species from the region and the extinction of the T. c. putnami are ostensibly linked to ecological changes of the terminal Pleistocene. Morphological characters are utilized to demonstrate identification of Macy Locality 100 material to this extinct taxon and population dynamics are examined. The spatial distribution of T. c. putnami material is plotted and considered against the range of radiocarbon dates from the locality, as well as from the known temporal range of the taxon itself. This study is undertaken in a context of exploring regional abiotic change and biotic response during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. Such explorations are a major component of the career of Eileen Johnson. Current investigations operate within the Lubbock Lake Landmark Regional Research Program, a venue for discovery and research opportunities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)   •
• Crossing Frontiers of Disciplines and Countries. A Symposium Honoring Eileen Johnson

Keywords

Spatial Coverage