Snakes of the Pliocene Taunton Local Fauna of Adams County, Washington with the Description of a New Colubrid

Recently discovered snake fossils from the Pliocene (Blancan, approximately 2.85–2.95 MYBP) Taunton local fauna, Adams County, Washington, consist of eight genera and at least nine species representing one boid, seven colubrids, and one viperid. Two of the colubrids are extinct (Elaphe pliocenica an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of herpetology 2003-06, Vol.37 (2), p.235-244
Main Authors: Parmley, Dennis, Walker, Don
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
CONTENTS
Fauna
Fossils
Genera
Herpetology
Keels
Reptiles
Snakes
Species extinction
Spine
Systematics
Vertebrae
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Description
Summary:Recently discovered snake fossils from the Pliocene (Blancan, approximately 2.85–2.95 MYBP) Taunton local fauna, Adams County, Washington, consist of eight genera and at least nine species representing one boid, seven colubrids, and one viperid. Two of the colubrids are extinct (Elaphe pliocenica and a new genus and species). Tauntonophis morganorum is described as a new genus and species. Biogeographically the Taunton snake assemblage is most similar taxonomically to the Recent snake fauna from the Klamath Mountains Province of southwestern Oregon. From a paleoclimatic stand point, the Taunton snakes suggest that this area of the Columbia Basin had a milder, moister climate approximately 2.85–2.95 MYBP.
ISSN:0022-1511
1937-2418
DOI:10.1670/0022-1511(2003)037[0235:SOTPTL]2.0.CO;2