26 Timothy S. Young and Joshua Laerm 



Mephitis mephitis (Schreber) 

 Striped Skunk 



Material — Right mandible, UGAMNH1746; left humerus, 

 UGAMNH1737. 



Remarks — This material compares well to modern Mephitis 

 mephitis, which can be found in mixed woodlands, brushlands, or 

 prairies but generally in reasonable proximity to water (Lowery 1974). 

 The stratigraphic range is mid Blancan to Recent (Kurten and 

 Anderson 1980). 



Family Canidae 

 Canis sp. indet. 



Material— Left ilium, UGAMNH1739; right dentary, 

 UGAMNH1878, 1880; right scapula, UGAMNH1879. 



Remarks — None of these elements could be identified beyond 

 the generic level. They are well mineralized, suggesting they are not 

 modern C. familiaris contaminants. Several species of Canis are known 

 from late Pleistocene sites in Florida. These include C. lupus, the 

 gray wolf; C. rufus, the red wolf; C. latrans, the coyote; and C. 

 dims, the dire wolf. Martin (1974) has concluded that only two species, 

 C. rufus and C. dirus, are common to middle and late Pleistocene 

 deposits of Florida. Canis lupis is typical of Irvingtonian deposits, 

 whereas C. dirus is representative of the Rancholabrean. 



Canis dirus Leidy 

 Dire Wolf 



Material— left radius, UGAMNH1877. 



Remarks — Canis dirus is known from a number of late Pleistocene 

 sites in Florida (Webb 1914a) and is one of the more common species 

 of mammals at numerous Rancholabrean sites throughout North America. 

 It is thought to have inhabited a wide range of habitats because it 

 was a hunter and scavenger (Kurten and Anderson 1980, Lundelius et 

 al. 1983). The stratigraphic range is early Illinoian to Wisconsinan 

 (Kurten and Anderson 1980). The most recent terminal date for extinction 

 is given at about 8,000 years B.P. in Florida (Martin and Webb 

 1974), but somewhat earlier (approximately 9,000-10,000 year B.P.) 

 elsewhere (Kurten and Anderson 1980). 



Urocyon cinereoargenteus (Shreber) 

 Gray Fox 

 Material— Right dentary, UGAMNH1743; left frontal, 

 UGAMNH1744. 



