Evolution and Classification of the Pocket Gophers of the Subfamily GeomyinaeRussell, Robert J.
Science
Evolution and Classification of the Pocket Gophers of the Subfamily Geomyinae
Russell, Robert J.
Pocket gophers
Marsh (1871:121) described _Geomys bisulcatus_ from the North Prong of
the Loup River (near Camp Thomas), Nebraska. These beds are also
termed the Loup Fork or Loup River fossil beds (see discussion on p.
485), and they lie along the upper reaches of the Middle Loup River
in Thomas County (near Senea), Hooker County (near Mullen), and
southeastern Cherry County (probably the North Prong beds northwest
of Mullen). These beds were at first thought to be of Miocene age,
but later were regarded as early Pliocene (see Schultz and Stout,
1948:562-566 for a historical account of expeditions to these fossil
sites). Schultz and Tanner (1957:71-72) pointed out that the principal
fossiliferous beds in the Middle Loup region are of middle to late
Pleistocene age, with most of the fossils coming from the Crete sand
and silt beds which are probably early Illinoian deposits, and,
therefore, younger than the Hay Springs faunas. Some fossils may have
come from the Sappa deposits dated by Schultz and Tanner (_loc. cit._)
as mostly Yarmouthian deposits. _Geomys bisulcatus_, judging from
the original description and Hibbard's discussion of the cotypes
(1954:357), does not differ significantly from _Geomys bursarius_.
However, _Geomys bisulcatus_ is tentatively retained as a valid
species. Based on the evidence cited above it seems unlikely that
_Geomys bisulcatus_ occurred in pre-Irvingtonian times as often
suggested in the literature.
The genus _Geomys_ has been identified in several faunas of Illinoian
age, all from the Great Plains. Stephens (1960:1961) reported the
genus from the Doby Springs local fauna in Harper County, Oklahoma,
and Starrett (1956:1188) reported it from the Berends local fauna in
Beaver County, Oklahoma. Schultz (1965:249) assigned 21 isolated
teeth, including six incisors, from Butler Springs local fauna
(considered by him to be late Illinoian, following the glacial
maximum) to _Geomys_ cf. _bursarius_. Hibbard and Taylor (1960:167)
reported a baculum tentatively identified as that of _Geomys_ from the
early Illinoian Butler Springs local fauna (including the Adams fauna)
of Meade County, Kansas. Hibbard (1963:206) recorded the genus
_Geomys_ from the Mt. Scott local fauna (late Illinoian deposits) of
Meade County, Kansas; the specimens probably are referable to the
living species _bursarius_. From McPherson County, Kansas, Hibbard
(1952:7) reported the genus _Geomys_ from the Kentuck Assemblage,
which he (1958:25) regarded as a composite of Illinoian and Sangamon
species. Specific identification of the Illinoian pocket gophers is
uncertain, primarily due to the fragmentary nature of the material. On
the basis of dental characters alone most specimens could be referred
to _G. bursarius_; however the taxonomic status of _G. bisulcatus_
is in doubt, and more complete material may indicate that the
Illinoian gophers are specifically distinct from the living species.
Consequently, most authors, including myself, have made no attempt to
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