Mammals of the Ardis Local Fauna 



The eastern mole ranges from the eastern to midwestern United 

 States, commonly inhabiting well-drained sand or loam soil types, 

 and less common in clay or gravel soils (Webster et al. 1985). Eastern 

 moles are found today in the vicinity of the fossil site. 



This is the first fossil record of this species for South Carolina. 



Order Carnivora 



Family Canidae 



Urocyon sp. cf. U. cinereoargenteus - Gray Fox 



Material: 1 metapodial (.254). 



Remarks: Felid metapodial elements are generally more robust and 

 have a more acute curvature to the shaft in comparison to modern 

 canid specimens in the Florida Museum of Natural History collec- 

 tions (Gary Morgan, Florida Museum of Natural History, personal 

 communication). The proximal articulation varies significantly from 

 all felids examined and most closely parallels those of canids. The 

 curvature of the elongated shaft, overall size, and simple articulations 

 of the proximal end suggest a close affinity to U. cinereoargenteus. A 

 small convexity dorsal and anterior to the proximal articulation was 

 the most significant variation between the fossil element and recent 

 specimens of the gray fox. 



Roth and Laerm (1980) refer an Edisto Beach ulnar fragment to 

 this species but state that it may be recent. 



Canis dims - Dire Wolf 



Material: 1 brain case (SC 91.171.1); 1 left cl (.251); 1 metapodial 

 shaft (.252); 1 left jugal (.253). 



Remarks: The dire wolf is one of the more common late Pleistocene 

 canids recovered from North American fossil sites (Kurten and 

 Anderson 1980). The material recovered from the Ardis site is believed 

 to represent "wash-ins," as many of the elements, particularly the 

 brain case, show signs of weathering and abrasions prior to fossilization. 

 This represents the second reported occurrence of the dire wolf from 

 this State, as C. dims was reported from Edisto Island (Roth and 

 Laerm 1980). 



