The Eastern Beringian vole Microtus deceitensis(Rodentia, Muridae, Arvicolinae) in Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene faunas of Alaska and Yukon

• Published in: Quaternary Research
• Main Author: Storer, John E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2003
• Subjects: Fort Selkirk; Yukon; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0033-5894(03)00067-x; http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S003358940300067X?httpAccept=text/xml; http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S003358940300067X?httpAccept=text/plain; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0033589400012291

Abstract The fossil vole Microtus deceitensis occurs in Early Pleistocene deposits at Fort Selkirk, Yukon Territory, and Late Pliocene beds at the type locality, Cape Deceit, Alaska. Analyses of simple vs complex morphotypes in the cheek teeth, and of differentiation of tooth enamel, show that the Cape Deceit sample of M. deceitensis is less derived, and thus appears to be older, than the Fort Selkirk sample. The fossiliferous deposits at Fort Selkirk are well constrained by fission-track and radiometric dates and are 1.5 to 1.7 myr. Sediments at Cape Deceit bear a normal magnetic polarity, are correlated with the Olduvai subchron, and probably are latest Pliocene.