Mammals of Washington, Volume 2: University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural HistoryDalquest, Walter Woelber
Science
Mammals of Washington, Volume 2: University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History
Dalquest, Walter Woelber
Mammals -- Washington (State)
Of the three, the Great Basin Fauna is the most distinct. Only about
twenty species which occur within the Great Basin Faunal Area, occur
also outside of it in one or both of the two other faunal areas. Most
of these twenty are subspecifically different in the Great Basin Faunal
Area as contrasted with one or both of the other areas. Each of the
other two areas has no less than 32 species that are not restricted to
it.
SPECULATION AS TO EMIGRATIONAL HISTORY OF THE MAMMALS
The present fauna of the state of Washington was derived in part from
Asia and in part from native forms. Great changes occurred in early
Pleistocene through emigration. By the late Pleistocene most of the
mammals now occurring in the state of Washington were as they are
today. The greatest changes that seem to have occurred in the late
Pleistocene are the extinctions of numerous groups, locally or totally.
Among the carnivores, Matthew (1902: 321) reports remains of the great
lion, _Felis atrox_, associated with such familiar species as the
badger, cougar, lynx and mountain goat. The great lion was very similar
to the modern African lion but was fully a fourth larger. Associated
with the great lion in the California tar pits are the carnivorous
short-faced bears (_Tremarctotherium_), as large as the Alaskan
brown bears; dire wolves (_Aenocyon_), larger than timber wolves;
and saber-tooth tigers (_Smilodon_). These forms were probably also
present in Washington in the late Pleistocene. Matthew (_loc. cit._)
reports remains of the giant beaver, _Castoroides_, from the Silver
Lake deposit of Oregon. This great beaver, as large as a black bear,
was doubtless a resident of Washington also. Peccaries, camels, bison,
horses and giant ground sloths have been recorded from Pleistocene
deposits of Washington and nearby areas. Of the elephant tribe, the
mastodon and several species of mammoths were present.
These extinct forms have doubtless exerted some influence on the past
distribution of mammals in Washington and possibly have had an effect
on the distribution of members of the living fauna. One species of the
mammoth, at least, existed in Washington in postglacial time. Remains
of this form, _Elephas columbi_, have been found in Vashon till.
The three faunas of Washington can be placed in two categories. One is
Sonoran, essentially a desert type, and occupies the Columbian Plateau.
The other two are forest faunas, predominantly boreal in complexion,
and are closely related. The Rocky Mountain Fauna is found in the Blue
Mountains and in northeastern Washington. The Pacific Coastal Fauna is
found in western Washington.
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