St. Marks River Fauna 27 



Remarks — This material is not well mineralized, which suggests 

 that it is a modern contaminant. However, Urocyon cinereoargenteus 

 would be expected in this fauna. It can be found in a wide range of 

 habitats today, but brushy and woody areas probably best describe 

 the preferred habitat in the South and Gulf Coast area (Lowery 1974). 

 The stratigraphic range in Florida is Middle Rancholabrean to Recent 

 (Martin and Webb 1974). Elsewhere it is known as early as the 

 Blancan (Kurten and Anderson 1980). 



Family Procyonidae 



Procyon lotor (Linnaeus) 



Racoon 



Material— Three left dentaries, UGAMNH1742, 1747, 1750. A 

 partial skeleton is represented by UF21296. 



Remarks — The University of Georgia material is not well 

 mineralized, which suggests it could be a modern contaminant, 

 since Procyon lotor is part of the modern fauna. In the Florida panhandle 

 today, the racoon is an inhabitant of forested bottomland swamps. It 

 fossil record in Florida extends from the Late Irvingtonian to Recent 

 (Martin and Webb 1974). 



Family Ursidae 

 Ursidae gen. et sp. indet. 



Material— Three phalanges, UGAMNH1745, 1749, 1752. 



Remarks — Generic identity of this material is uncertain. In addition 

 to the modern black bear, Ursus americanus Pallas, several extinct 

 species of bears are known from the Pleistocene of Florida. These 

 include the cave bear, Tremarctos floridanus (Gidley), and the lesser 

 short-faced bear, Arctodus pristinus Leidy, all of which persisted at 

 least until the late Wisconsin (Kurten and Anderson 1980). 



Ursus cf. U. americanus Pallas 

 cf. Black Bear 



Material — A single right dentary with M 1? UGAMNH1751. 



Remarks — This specimen is well mineralized, but it is too worn 

 for positive identification. The black bear can be found in forests 

 and bottomland swamps throughout much of the Southeast (Golley 

 1962, Lowery 1974). It is represented in numerous late Pleistocene 

 sites. The stratigraphic range is early Irvingtonian to Recent (Kurten 

 and Anderson 1980). 



