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Tar Pits of the World
The collections at Rancho La Brea are still at the core of late Pleistocene North American research today.
Our staff, professional paleontologists, and graduate students frequent the collections throughout the year to study a range of topics. Many questions still remain to be answered. If you are interested in using our specimens for research, please visit the Our Collections page.
Large multi-institutional projects are exciting opportunities to bring experts from different disciplines together to help answer some of our pressing research questions.
A Mouse's Eye View of Rancho La Brea: Assessing Millennial-Scale Community Dynamics Using Mammal and Vegetation Food Webs
Dr. Jacquelyn Gill, Assistant Professor, Climate Change Institute & School of Biology & Ecology, U. of Maine-Orono
Dr. Jessica Blois, Assistant Professor, Life and Environmental Sciences, UC Merced
Dr. Justin Yeakel, Assistant Professor, Life and Environmental Sciences, UC Merced
We are working on an NSF-funded project to build multi-trophic food webs for La Brea paleo-ecosystems and reconstruct changes in the composition and structure of the ecological network in California across the late 50,000 years.
Using the Project 23 deposits, which span from >50,000 years to ca. 30,000 years ago, we will first reconstruct trophic interactions of the large to small mammals and vegetation from different time slices, allowing us to constrain the range of natural variability among species interactions.
We will then examine the stability of food webs to external perturbations, both simulated (e.g., targeted removal of a species vs. climate change that affects all species individualistically) and observed (e.g., by testing model predictions against actual events in the paleorecord, such as the late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions). This will give us an idea of how resilient different species were to climate and human impacts and whether properties of the overall interaction networks predict the vulnerability of individual species. This project also involves La Brea curators and staff, and Dr. John Southon at UC Irvine. Stay up-to-date with this project on Twitter at #LaBreaWebs and on our blog.
Download our comic in English and Spanish!
Chronology and Ecology of Late Pleistocene Megafauna at Rancho La Brea
Dr. Wendy J. Binder, Professor, Loyola Marymount University, CA
Dr. Julie A. Meachen, Assistant Professor, Des Moines University, IA
Dr. F. Robin O'Keefe, Professor, Marshall University, WV
Dr. Larisa DeSantis, Associate Professor, Vanderbilt University, TN
Dr. Emily Lindsey, Assistant Curator, La Brea Tar Pits Museum, CA
Dr. John Southon, Researcher, Earth System Science, UC Irvine, CA
The La Brea fossils span a critical time in Earth's history (approximately 50,000 years ago to the present) that includes major events such as the end of the last Ice Age, the arrival of humans in North America, and an extinction that killed two thirds of the large mammals on the continent.
This unique deposit allows us to investigate relationships between major environmental changes and evolutionary variation (size, diet, etc.) in large mammals, information that is critical for promoting the survival of wildlife today. There is a distinct lack of radiocarbon dates for fossils in this period, resulting in our inability to correlate biotic change with time.
This project will intensively radiocarbon date samples from multiple pits spanning the last 50,000 years to establish the first detailed chronology for the entrapment of four extinct species of large mammals (saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, Antique bison, and the Western horse), and one extant species (the coyote). It will involve the collection and compilation of census data for these species to track changes in total abundance and diversity, as well as data on morphological and dietary changes. A well-resolved chronology will allow these data on evolutionary changes in mammals and the Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions to be linked to existing records of major paleo-environmental changes. This work will have broad implications for our understanding of extinctions, survival, environmental variables, and humans on mammalian ecology, which is directly relevant to modern conservation. The project also involves community outreach in the greater Los Angeles area through the La Brea Tar Pits Museum and will create educational content that will be available online for high school teachers across the country.
Re-Living Paleontology: Studying How Augmented Reality Immersion and Interaction Impact Engagement and Communicating Science to the Public
Dr. Benjamin Nye, Director for Learning Science Research, Institute for Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, CA
Dr. Gale M. Sinatra, Professor, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California, CA
Dr. William Swartout, Chief Technology Officer, University of Southern California, CA
Re-Living Paleontology is an AISL Research in Service to Practice project to study how visual immersion and interactivity in augmented reality (AR) affects visitors' engagement and understanding of science. This project will communicate paleontology research from the La Brea Tar Pits to the general public (e.g., adults, families) through an AR-enhanced timeline exhibit in the public park next to the museum. Currently, many informal learning settings are considering AR to raise engagement and communicate science. To achieve that potential, studies are needed to demonstrate when and how to leverage AR so that it increases knowledge rather than merely entertains visitors. Unfortunately, studies on AR for informal learning typically foreclose on high-level design choices at the formative stages, so empirical results on learner outcomes are seldom reported. This project addresses these gaps through a user-centered design and evaluation process with both formative and comparative studies.
This project investigates two high-level design factors for mobile AR: visual immersion and interactivity. These impact the learning experience and the development so extensively that multiple versions are seldom compared. These factors also have unique considerations for informal settings, such as how to balance immersion against situational awareness (e.g., 3D viewers reduce field of view). One goal of this project is to systematically compare qualitatively different AR designs that convey equivalent science content, so that we can study these tradeoffs empirically. The second goal is to leverage these findings to publicly release an AR experience that promotes engagement, increases understanding of science, and reduces scientific misconceptions. In that experience, visitors engage with the scientific process by tracing research questions that have been studied at La Brea. At waypoints on the timeline, visitors will explore AR time portals where they gather evidence to distinguish between competing hypotheses and update their hypotheses as they find new evidence.
This work is important because many U.S. citizens misunderstand and question claims that have wide support among scientists, have misconceptions about critical issues, and lack a basic appreciation of how scientists evaluate evidence. Public understanding of science affects critical individual decisions and public policy. Informal learning institutions offer powerful settings to make a lasting impact on building knowledge and increasing engagement with science: a single exhibit can reach hundreds of thousands of visitors. AR is positioned to play a key role in the future of such high-impact exhibits, since it supports immersive, personalized interactions with hidden structural and causal relationships in situ. This project will help achieve that promise by studying how AR design factors affect visitor outcomes.
So much still to learn!
Today's research ranges from traditional taxonomic descriptions to addressing functional morphology questions to investigating how ecosystems have been altered under changing climatic conditions over the past 50,000 years in the Los Angeles region. The ability to directly date our fossils using the unstable isotope carbon-14 enables us to pair these results with cutting-edge techniques such as stable isotopes, dental microwear, and collagen sequencing to help us understand the factors that influenced the current distributions of much of our flora and fauna before humans changed the landscape. This provides a deeper time perspective by which we can understand the past and present, as well as anticipate future ecosystems in order to support their resilience. Hundreds of publications have resulted from many years of research. You can find these citations below split into broad categories. You can also download La Brea and Beyond: The Paleontology of Asphalt-Preserved Biotas for free!
The human story: Over 100 'artifacts' have been recovered from Rancho La Brea although none have been dated to older than 10,000 years.
Bromage, T. G. & Shermis, S. 1981. The La Brea Woman (HC 1323): Descriptive analysis. Society of California Archaeology, Occasional Papers, 3, 59-75.
Eberhart, H. 1961. The cogged stones of Southern California. American Antiquity, 26 (3), 361-370.
Haynes, G. & Sanford, D. 1984. On the possible utilization of Camelops by early man in North America. Quaternary Research, 22, 216-230.
Heizer, R.F. 1953. Aboriginal use of bitumen by the California Indians. Bulletin of the California Division of Mines, 118, 74.
Kennedy, G. E. 1989. A note on the ontogenetic age of the Rancho La Brea hominid, Los Angeles, California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 88 (3), 123-126.
Kuzminsky, S. C. 2012. Rancho La Brea Woman: a new 3D analysis of a 9,000-year-old Paleoamerican cranium from southern California. In American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Vol. 147, pp. 187-187.
Merriam, J. C. 1914. Preliminary report on the discovery of human remains in an asphalt deposit at Rancho La Brea. Science, 40, 198-203.
Merriam, J. C. 1914. The brea maid. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 13 (2), 27-29.
Miller, G. J. 1975. A study of cuts, grooves, and other marks on recent and fossil bones: II. Weathering cracks, fractures, splinters, and other similar natural phenomena. In E. Swanson (Ed.), Lithic technology, (pp. 211-226). The Hague: Mouton Publishing.
Miller, G. J. 1969. A study of cuts, grooves, and other marks on recent and fossil bone: I. Animal tooth marks. Idaho State Museum Tebiwa 12 (1), 20-26.
Miller, G. J. 1969. Man and Smilodon: A preliminary report on their possible coexistence at Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 163, 1-8.
Reynolds, R. L. 1985. Domestic dog associated with human remains at Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 84 (1), 76-85.
Salls, R. A. 1991. Ancient brea people. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 10-11.
Salls, R. A. 1986. The La Brea atlatl foreshafts: Inferences for the Millingstone Horizon. Pacific Coast Archaeological Society Quarterly, 22 (2), 21-30.
Salls, R. A. 1980. The La Brea cogged stone. Masterkey, Southwest Museum, 54 (2), 53-59.
Tate, B. 1995. Evidence for atlatls at Rancho La Brea. The Atlatl: The Newsletter of the World Atlatl Association, Incorporated, 8 (4), 1-3.
Wärmländer, S. K. T. S., S. B. Sholts, J. M. Erlandsen, T. Gjerdrim, and R. Westerholm. 2011. Could the health decline of prehistoric California Indians be related to exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from natural bitumen. Environmental Health Perspectives
Woodard, A. 1937. Atlatl dart foreshafts from the La Brea pits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 36 (2), 41-59.
Bird Fossil Descriptions
The number of bird bones recovered from Rancho La Brea is particularly noteworthy. Thanks to the asphalt we probably have one of the world's largest fossil bird collections with many more yet to be described.
Bochenski, Z. & Campbell, K. E. 2006. The extinct California turkey, Meleagris californica, from Rancho La Brea: Comparative osteology and systematics. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 509, 1-92.
Campbell, K. E. 2002. A new species of late Pleistocene lapwing from Rancho La Brea, California. The Condor, 104(1), 170-174.
Campbell, K. E. 1995. A review of the cranes (Aves: Gruidae) of Rancho La Brea, with the description of a new species. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 452, 1-13. [TYPE: Grus paei sp. nov.]
Campbell, K. E. & Bochenski, Z. M. 2015. The Owls (Aves: Strigiformes) of Rancho La Brea. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 5-21.
Campbell K. E. & Bochenski Z. 2012. Two new late Pleistocene miniature owls from Rancho La Brea, California. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 58 (4), 2013: 707-721 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4202/app.2011.0125
Campbell, K. E. & Bochenski, Z. 2010. A new genus for the extinct late Pleistocene owl Strix brea Howard (Aves: Strigiformes) from Rancho La Brea, California. Records of the Australian Museum, 62, 123-144.
Compton, L. V. 1934. New bird records from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 36 (5), (pp. 221-222). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Dawson, W. R. 1948. Records of fringillids from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. In A. H. Miller (Ed.), The Condor, 50 (2), (pp. 57-63). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Engles, W. L. 1935. Status of Toxostoma redivivum in the Rancho La Brea fauna. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 37 (6), (p. 258). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Howard, H. 1974. Postcranial elements of the extinct condor Breagyps clarki (Miller). Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 256, 1-24.
Howard, H. 1972. The incredible Teratorn again. The Condor, 74 (3), 341-344.
Howard, H. 1972. Type specimens in the collections of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 228, 1-27.
Howard, H. 1968. Limb measurements of the extinct vulture, Coragyps occidentalis. Papers of the Archaeological Society of New Mexico, 1, 115-128.
Howard, H. 1964. A fossil owl from Santa Rosa Island, California, with comments on the eared owls of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 63 (1), 27-31.
Howard, H. 1962. Fossil birds, with especial reference to the birds of Rancho La Brea (Revised edition). Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Science Series no.17, Paleontology no.10, (February 1962), 3-44.
Howard, H. 1955. Fossil birds, with special reference to the birds of Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series 17, Paleontology, 10, 3-40.
Howard, H. 1950. Teratornis: Wonder bird of the Ice Age. Los Angeles County Museum Leaflet Series, Science, No. 3 (Nov. 1950), 1-4.
Howard, H. 1947. California's flightless birds. Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 6 (2), 7-11.
Howard, H. 1947. An ancestral Golden Eagle raises a question in taxonomy. The Auk, 64, 287-291.
Howard, H. 1945. Fossil birds. Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, No. 10, Paleontology, 6, 1-40.
Howard, H. 1945. Observations on young tarsometatarsi of the fossil turkey Parapavo californicus (Miller). The Auk, 62, 596-603.
Howard, H. 1942. A review of the American fossil storks. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publications, 530 (7), 187-203.
Howard, H. 1938. The Rancho La Brea caracara: A new species. [TYPE: Polyborus prelutosus sp. nov.] Carnegie Institution of Washington Publications, 487 (5), 217-240.
Howard, H. 1937. A Pleistocene record of the passenger pigeon in California. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 39 (1), (pp. 12-14). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Howard, H. 1936. Further studies upon the birds of the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 38 (1), (pp. 32-36). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Howard, H. 1935. The Rancho La Brea wood ibis. [TYPE: Mycteria wetmorei sp. nov.]. The Condor, Vol. 37, No. 5 (Sep. - Oct., 1935), pp. 251-253
Howard, H. 1933. A new species of owl from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea, California. [TYPE: Strix brea sp. nov.] In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 35 (2), (pp. 66-69). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Howard, H. 1932. Eagles and eagle-like vultures of the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publications, 429, 1-82.
Howard, H. 1930. A census of the Pleistocene birds of Rancho La Brea from the collection of the Los Angeles Museum. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 32 (2), (pp. 81-88). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Howard, H. 1929. Additional bird records from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 31 (6), (pp. 251-252). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Howard, H. 1928. The beak of Parapavo californicus (Miller). Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 27 (3), 90-91.
Howard, H. 1927. A review of the fossil bird, Parapavo californicus (Miller), from the Pleistocene asphalt beds of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geological Sciences, 17 (1). In G. D. Louderback, & W. D. Matthew (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, (pp. 1-62). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Howard, H. & Miller, A. H. 1939. The avifauna associated with the human remains at Rancho La Brea, California. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publications, 514, 39-48.
Husband, R. A. 1924. Variability in Bubo virginianus from Rancho La Brea. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 26 (6), (pp. 220-225). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, A. H. 1947. A new genus of icterid from Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Pandanaris convexa gen. et sp. nov.]. In A. H. Miller (Ed.), The Condor, 49 (1), (pp. 22-24). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, A. H. 1929. Additions to the Rancho La Brea avifauna. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 31 (5), (pp. 223-224). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, A. H. 1929. The passerine remains from Rancho La Brea in the paleontological collection of the University of California. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geological Sciences, 19 (1). In G. D. Louderback (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1929-1931, (pp. 1-22). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L.H. 1938. A study of the skull of the Pleistocene stork, Ciconia maltha, Miller. Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History, 3 (4), 455-462.
Miller, L. H. 1924. Anomalies in the distribution of fossil gulls. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 26 (5), (pp.173-174). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, L. H. 1916. The owl remains from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 9 (8). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1915-1916, (pp. 97-104). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1916. Two vulturid raptors from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Neophrontops americanus gen. et sp. nov.; Neogyps errans gen. et sp. nov.] University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 9 (9). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1915-1916, (pp. 105-109). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1916. A review of the species Pavo californicus. [TYPE: Parapavo californicus gen. nov.] University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 9 (7). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1915-1916, (pp. 89-96). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller. L. H. 1915. A walking eagle from Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Morphnus daggetti sp. nov.]. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 17 (5), (pp. 179-181). Hollywood, CA: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, L. H. 1911. A series of eagle tarsi from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology. , 6 (12). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1910-1911, (pp. 305-316). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1910. Wading birds from the Quaternary asphalt beds of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (30). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1906-1910, (pp. 439-448). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1910. The condor-like vultures of Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Sarcorhamphus clarki sp. nov.; Pleistogyps rex gen. nov.; Cathortornis gracilis sp. nov.]. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 6 (1). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences,1910-1911, (pp. 1-19). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1910. Fossil birds from the Quaternary of Southern California. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 12 (1), (pp. 12-15). Hollywood, CA: Cooper Ornithological Club of California.
Miller, L. H. 1909. Teratornis, a new avian genus from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (21). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1906-1910, (pp. 305-317). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1909. Pavo californicus, a fossil peacock from the Quaternary asphalt beds of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (19). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1906-1910, (pp. 285-289). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. & Howard, H. 1938. The status of the extinct condor-like birds of the Rancho La Brea Pleistocene. Publications of the University of California, Los Angeles in Biological Sciences, 1 (9), 169-176.
Olson, S. L. 2007. The "Walking Eagle" Wetmoregyps daggetti Miller: a scaled-up version of the Savanna Hawk (Buteogallus meridionalis). Ornithological Monographs No. 63: 110-114.
Sibley, C. 1939. Chipping sparrows in the Rancho La Brea. The Condor, 41 (6), 258-259. Berkeley, CA: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Sibley, C. 1939. Fossil fringillides from Rancho La Brea. The Condor, 41 (3), 126-127. Berkeley, CA: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Sushkin, P. P. 1928. On the affinities of Pavo californicus. Ibis, January, 135-138.
Fossil plant material from Rancho La Brea is preserved in 3D in the form of pollen, seeds, cones, leaves, and wood. Much research is still needed on the botanical collections.
Akersten, W. A., Foppe, T. M., & Jefferson, G. T. 1988. New source of dietary data for extinct herbivores. Quaternary Research, 30, 92-97. The University of Washington.
Axelrod, D. I. 1981. Holocene climatic changes in relation to vegetation disjunction and speciation. The American Naturalist 117 (6): 847-870.
Davidson, A. 1914. The oldest known tree. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 13 (1), 14-16.
Frost, F. H. 1927. The Pleistocene flora of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications in Botany, 14 (3), 73-98.
Gerhart, L. M., Harris, J.M., Nippert, J. B., Sandquist D.R. & Ward J.K. 2012. Glacial trees from the La Brea tar pits show physiological constraints of low CO2. New Phytologist. 194(1):63-9.
Heusser, L.E., 1998. Direct correlation of millennial-scale changes in western North America vegetation and climate with changes in the California Current system over the past ~60 kyr. Paleoceanography 13, 252-262.
Knowlton, F. H. 1916. Notes on two conifers from the Pleistocene Rancho La Brea asphalt deposits near Los Angeles, California. Journal of the Washington Academy of Science, 6, 85-86.
Li, G., Gerhart, L. M., Harrison, S. P., Ward, J. K., Harris, J. M., & Prentice, I. C. 2017. Changes in biomass allocation buffer low CO2 effects on tree growth during the last glaciation. Scientific Reports, 7.
Mason, H. L. 1927. Fossil records of some west American conifers. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publications, 346 (5), 139-160.
Ney, R. W. C., and E. C. Jeffrey. 1922. Flora of the Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, 33, 204.
Templeton, B. C. 1964. The fruits and seeds of the Rancho La Brea Pleistocene deposits. Doctoral Dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Templeton, B. C. 1955. Fossil plants in the La Brea deposits. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Quarterly, 12 (1), 8-11.
Ward, J, K., Harris, J. K., Cerling, T. E., Weidenhoeft, A., Lott, M. J., Dearing, M., Coltrain J. B. & Ehleringer J.R. 2005. Carbon starvation in glacial trees recovered from the La Brea tar pits, southern California. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102, 690-694.
Warter, J. K. 1976. Late Pleistocene plant communities – Evidence from the Rancho La Brea tar pits. Symposium Proceedings on Plant Communities of Southern California, Special Publication of the California Native Plant Society, 2, 32-39.
Carnivore Fossil Descriptions
Famous as a carnivore trap, Rancho La Brea also attracts vertebrate paleontologists who are interested in studying carnivores.
Berta, A. 1985. The status of Smilodon in North and South America. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 370, 1-15.
Bovard, J. F. 1907. Notes on Quaternary Felidae from California. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (10). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1906-1910, (pp. 155-170). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Cox, S. M. & Jefferson, G. T. 1988. The first individual skeleton of Smilodon from Rancho La Brea. Current Research in the Pleistocene, 5, 66-67.
Dundas, R. G. 2008. Quaternary records of the dire wolf, Canis dirus, in North and South America. Boreas 28 (3): 375-385.
Emslie, S. D. & Czaplewski, N. J. 1985. A new record of giant short-faced bear, Arctodus simus, from western North America with a re-evaluation of its paleobiology. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 371, 1-12.
Hartstone-Rose, A., Dundas, R. G., Boyde, B., Long, R. C., Farrell, A. B., & Shaw, C. A. 2015. The Bacula of Rancho La Brea. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 53-63.
Hartstone-Rose, A., Long, R. C., Farrell, A. B. & Shaw, C.A. 2012. The clavicles of Smilodon fatalis and Panthera atrox (Mammalia: Felidae) from Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California. Journal of Morphology, 273, 981-991.
Jefferson, G. T. 1983. First record of jaguar from the late Pleistocene of California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 82 (2), 95-98.
Jefferson, G. T. & Tejada-Flores, A. E. 1993. The late Pleistocene record of Homotherium (Felidae: Machariodontinae) in the southwestern United States. PaleoBios, 15 (3), 37-46.
Kurten, B. 1960. A skull of the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos L.) from Pit 10, Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 39, 1-7.
Kurtén, B., and L. Werdelin. 2010. Relationships between North and South American Smilodon. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 10 (2): 158-169.
Merriam, J. C. 1918. Note on the systematic position of the wolves of the Canis dirus group. [TYPE: Aenocyon dirus gen. nov.]. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 10, (27). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1916-1918, (pp. 531-533). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1918. New puma-like cat from Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Felis daggetti sp. nov.]. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 10 (28). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1916-1918, (pp. 535-537). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1912. Recent discoveries of Carnivora in the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 7 (3). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences 1912-1924,(pp. 39-46). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1912. The fauna of Rancho La Brea: Part 2: Canidae. [TYPE: Canis milleri sp. nov.; Canis ochropus orcutti ssp. nov.]. Memoirs of the University of California, 1 (2), 217-272.
Merriam, J. C. 1911. Note on a gigantic bear from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Arctotherium californicum sp. nov.]. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 6 (6). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1910-1911, (pp. 163-166). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1910. New mammalia from Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Canis orcutti sp. nov.; Canis andersoni sp. nov; Canis occidentalis furlongi ssp. nov.; Lynx californicus fisheri ssp. nov.]. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (25). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences 1906-1910, (pp, 391-395). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1909. The skull and dentition of an extinct cat closely allied to Felis atrox Leidy. [TYPE: Felis atrox bebbi ssp. nov.] University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (20). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1906-1910), (pp. 291-304). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. & Stock, C. 1932. The Felidae of Rancho La Brea. [TYPE: Felis bituminosa sp. nov.; Smilodon californicus brevipes ssp. nov.]. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication #422. Washington, D. C.: Carnegie Institution of Washington.
Merriam, J. C. & Stock, C. 1925. Relationships and structure of the short-faced bear, Arctotherium, from the Pleistocene of California. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication, 347 (1), 1-35.
Miller, G. J. 1968. On the age distribution of Smilodon californicus Bovard from Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 131, 1-17.
Naples, V. L., Martin, L. D. & Babiarz, J. P. (Eds.), Wheeler, H. T. (Graphics Ed.). 2011. The other saber-tooths: Scimitar-tooth cats of the Western Hemisphere. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Nigra, J. O. & Lance, J. F. 1947. A statistical study of the metapodials of the dire wolf group from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 46 (1), 26-34.
Nowak, R. M. 1979. North American Quaternary Canis. Monograph of the Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, 6, 1-154.
Scott, E., & Cox, S. M. 1993. Arctodus simus (Cope, 1879) from Riverside County, California. PaleoBios, 15 (2), 27-36.
Shaw, C. A., & Quinn, J. P. 2015. The Addition of Smilodon fatalis (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) to the Biota of the Late Pleistocene Carpinteria Asphalt Deposits in California, with Ontogenetic and Ecologic Implications for the Species. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 91-95.
Slaughter, B. H. 1963. Some observations concerning the genus Smilodon, with special reference to Smilodon fatalis. Texas Journal of Science, 15 (1), 68-81.
Stock, C., Lance, J. F., & Nigra, J. O. 1946. A newly mounted skeleton of the extinct dire wolf from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 45 (2), 108-110.
Stock, C. 1938. A coyote-like wolf-jaw from the Rancho La Brea Pleistocene. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 37 (2), 49-51. [TYPE: Canis petrolei sp. nov.]
Wheeler, R. F. 1993. A systematic survey of Smilodon fatalis skulls from Rancho La Brea. Current Research in the Pleistocene, 10, 112-115.
A hot topic today, clues to how plants and animals responded to changing climates could lie hidden in the collections at Rancho La Brea.
Anderson, R. S., S. Starratt, R. M. B. Jass, and N. Pinter. 2010. Fire and vegetation history on Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands, and long-term environmental change in southern California. Journal of Quaternary Science 25 (5): 782-797.
Ashworth, A. C . 2001. Chapter 8: Perspectives on Quaternary Beetles and Climate Change. In (L. C . Gerhard, W. E. Harrison, and B . M . Hanson, eds.), 153- 168, Geological Perspectives of Global Climate Change. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology #47, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Heusser, L.E., and F. Sirocko. 1997. Millennial pulsing of environmental change in southern California from the past 24 ky: A record of Indo-Pacific ENSO events? Geology 25, 243-246.
Johnson, D. L. 1977. The late Quaternary climate of coastal California: Evidence for an Ice Age refugium. Quaternary Research, 8, 154-179.
Large numbers of arthropods have been recovered at Rancho La Brea, many preserved in 3D, although most are disarticulated. Beetles are by far the largest group but many more studies still remain to be done.
Ashworth, A. C. 1979. Quaternary Coleoptera studies in North America: Past and present. In T. L. Erwin, G. E. Ball, & D. R. Whitehead (Eds.), Carabid beetles: Their evolution, natural history, and classification: Proceedings of the First International Symposium of Carabidology, (pp. 395-406).
Coope, G. R. 2004. Several million years of stability among insect species because of, or in spite of, Ice Age climatic instability? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B 359:209-214.
Doyen, J. T. & Miller, S. E. 1980. Review of Pleistocene darkling ground beetles of the California asphalt deposits (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Zopheridae). Pan-Pacific Entomology, 56 (1), 1-10.
Elias, S. A. 2010. The History of Quaternary Insect Studies. Developments in Quaternary Sciences 12:1-8.
Gagne, R. J. & Miller, S. E. 1982. Protochrysomyia howardi from Rancho La Brea, California, Pleistocene, new junior synonym of Chochliomyia macellaria (Dipteria: Calliphoridae). Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 80 (2), 95-96.
Grinnell, F. Jr. 1908. Quaternary myriopods and insects of California. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 5 (12). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, (pp. 207-215). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Holden, A. R., Southon, J. R., Will, K., Kirby, M. E., Aalby, R. L. & Markey, M. J. 2017. A 50,000 year insect record from Rancho La Brea, Southern California: Insights into past climate and fossil deposition. Quaternary Science Reviews, Volume 168, pp 123–136
Holden, A. R & Southon, J. R. 2016. Radiocarbon Dating and Stable Isotopic Analysis of Insect Chitin from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits, Southern California. Radiocarbon, Volume 58, Issue 01
Holden, A. R., Erwin, D., Schick, K., & Gross, J. 2015. Late Pleistocene galls from the La Brea Tar Pits and their implications for cynipine wasp and native plant distribution in southern California. Quaternary Research
Holden A. R. & Harris J. M. 2013. Late Pleistocene Coleopteran Galleries in Wood from the La Brea Tar Pits: Colonization of Juniper by Phloeosinus Chapuis (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) and Buprestidae. The Coleopterists Bulletin 67(2):155-160.
Holden, A. R., Harris J. M. and Timm R. M. 2013. Paleoecological implications of insect-damaged vertebrate remains from Rancho La Brea, southern California. PLoS ONE 8(7)Holden A.R., Koch J. B., Griswold T., Erwin D. M. & Hall J. 2014. Leafcutter Bee Nests and Pupae from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits of Southern California: Implications for Understanding the Paleoenvironment of the Late Pleistocene. PLoS ONE 9(4)
Krell, F-T. 2006. Fossil Record and Evolution of Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera: Polyphaga). The Coleopterists Bulletin 60: 120-143.
Larew, H. G. 1987. Two cynipid wasp acorn galls preserved in the La Brea tar pits (early Holocene). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 89 (4), 832-833.
Larew, H. G. 1986. The fossil gall record: A brief summary. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 88 (2), 385-388.
Miller, S. E. 1983. Late Quaternary insects of Rancho La Brea and McKittrick, California. Quaternary Research, 20, 90-104.
Miller, S. E. 1982. Quaternary insects of the California asphalt deposits. Proceedings of the Third North American Paleontological Convention 2, 377-379.
Miller, S. E, Gordon, R. D., & Howden, H. F. 1981. Reevaluation of Pleistocene scarab beetles from Rancho La Brea, California (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington, 83 (4), 625-630.
Miller, S. E. & Peck, S. B. 1979. Fossil carrion beetles of Pleistocene California asphalt deposits, with a synopsis of Holocene California Silphidae (Insecta: Coleoptera: Silphidae). Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History, 19 (8), 85-106.
Moore, I., & Miller, S. E. 1978. Fossil rove beetles from Pleistocene California asphalt deposits (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Coleoptera Bulletin, 32 (1), 37-39.
Nagano, C. D. Miller, S. E., & Morgan, A. V. 1982. Fossil tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae): review and new Quaternary records. Psyche, 89 (3-4), 339-346.
Peck, S. B., & Miller, S. E. 1993. A catalog of the Coleoptera of America north of Mexico: Family: Silphidae. United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook No. 529-28, 1-24.
Pierce, W. D. 1961. The growing importance of Paleoentomology. Entomological Society of Washington, 63 (3), 211-217.
Pierce, W. D. 1957. Insects. Geological Society of America Memoirs, 67, 943-952.
Pierce, W. D. 1954. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 18: The Tenebrionidae Tentyriinae of the asphalt deposits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 53 (1), 35-45.
Pierce, W. D. 1954. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 19: The Tenebrionidae Scaurinae of the asphalt deposits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 53 (2), 93-98.
Pierce, W. D. 1954. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 20: The Tenebrionidae Coniontinae of the asphalt deposits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 53 (3), 142-156. [TYPE: Coniontis blissi sp. nov.; C. remnans sp. nov.; C. abdominalis caseyi ssp. nov.; C. a. labreae ssp. nov.; C. a. fragmans ssp. nov.; C. tristis alpha ssp. nov.; C. t. asphalti ssp. nov.; C. t. latigula ssp. nov.; C. pectoralis paraelliptica ssp. nov.; C. p. interrupta ssp. nov.]
Pierce, W. D. 1953. Significance of insect remains in asphalt deposits. In A. J. Eardley (Ed.), Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 37 (1), (188-189).
Pierce, W. D. 1949. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 17: The Silphid burying beetles in the asphalt deposits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 48 (2), 55-70. [TYPE: Nicrophorus mckittricki sp. nov.; N. obtusiscutellum sp. nov.; N. guttulus labreae ssp. nov.; N. g. punctostriatus ssp. nov.; N. investigator alpha ssp. nov.]
Pierce, W. D. 1948. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 16: The Carabid genus Elaphrus in the asphalt deposits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 47 (2), 53-55. [TYPE: Elaphrus ruscarius foveatus ssp. nov.]
Pierce, W. D. 1947. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 13: A progress report on the Rancho La Brea asphaltum studies. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 46 (3), 136-143.
Pierce, W. D. 1947. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 14: A progress report on the McKittrick Asphalt Field. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 47 (3), 138-143.
Pierce, W. D. 1946. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 10: Exploring the minute world of the California asphalt deposits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 45 (3), 113-118.
Pierce, W. D. 1946. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 11: Descriptions of the dung beetles (Scarabaeidae) of the tar pits. [TYPE: Palaeocopris labreae gen. et sp. nov.; Onthophagus everestae sp. nov.; Clopris pristinus sp. nov.; Canthon simplex antiquus ssp. nov.: C. praticolus vetustus ssp. nov.] Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 45 (3), 119-131.
Pierce, W. D. 1946. Fossil arthropods of California: no. 12: Description of a Sericine beetle from the Tar Pits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 45 (3), 131-132. [TYPE: Serica kanakoffi sp. nov.]
Pierce, W. D. 1945. A case of Pleistocene myiasis from the La Brea pits. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 44 (1), 8-9.
Thorpe, W. H. 1930. The biology of the petroleum fly (Psilopa petrolii, Coq.). Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, 78, 331-344.
Plants and animals have changed in response to changing conditions in their environments. Many of these can be seen in the fossil record at Rancho La Brea.
Barnett, R I. Barnes, M. J. Phillips, L. D. Martin, C. R. Harington, J. A. Leonard & Cooper, A. 2005. Evolution of the extinct sabertooths and the American cheetah-like cat. Current Biology 15 (15):589-590.
Brannick, A. L. 2014. Shape evolution and sexual dimorphism in the mandible of the dire wolf, Canis dirus, at Rancho la Brea. Master of Science Thesis, Marshal University.
Brannick, A. L., Meachen, J. A., & O'Keefe, F. R. 2015. Microevolution of Jaw Shape in the Dire Wolf, Canis dirus, at Rancho La Brea. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 23-32.
Desantis, S. N. , D. R. Prothero, G. A. Gage, and K. Raymond. 2011. Size and shape stasis in Late Pleistocene horses and camels from Rancho La Brea during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 53: 505–510.
Fragomeni, A., and D R. Prothero 2011. Stasis in late Quaternary birds from the La Brea Tar Pits during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 53: 511–516.
Goswami A., Binder W.J., Meachen J., & O'Keefe F.R. 2015. The fossil record of phenotypic integration and modularity: A deep-time perspective on developmental and evolutionary dynamics. PNAS 112:4891–4896
Hill, M. E., W. G. Gill, and C. C. Widga. 2008. Late Quaternary Bison diminution on the Great Plains of North America: evaluating the role of human hunting versus climate change. Quaternary Science Reviews 27 (17-18): 1752-1771.
Johnson, D. L. 1978. The origin of island mammoths and the Quaternary land bridge history of the late northern Channel Islands, California. Quaternary Research, 10, 204-225.
Madan, M., Prothero, D., & Syverson, V. 2016. Stasis in Barn Owls from the La Brea Tar Pits during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. In Sullivan, R.M. and Lucas, S.G., eds., 2016, Fossil Record 4. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 74.
Madan, M., Prothero, D., & Syverson, V. 2015. Stasis in Great Horned Owls from the La Brea Tar Pits during the last glacial-interglacial cycle. In Sullivan, R.M. and Lucas, S.G., eds., 2015, Fossil Record 4. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 67.
Madan, M, , D R. Prothero, and A. Sutyagina. 2011. Did Rancho La Brea large felids (Panthera atrox and Smilodon fatalis) change in size or shape during the late Pleistocene? New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 53:554–563.
Meachen, J. A., O'Keefe, F. R. & Sadleir, R. W. 2014. Evolution in the sabre-tooth cat, Smilodon fatalis, in response to Pleistocene climate change. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 27 (4) DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12340
Molina, S. and D R. Prothero. 2011. Stasis in late Quaternary Golden Eagles from La Brea Tar Pits over the last glacial-interglacial cycle. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 53: 564–569.
Prothero, D. R. & Raymond, K. R. 2011. Stasis in late Pleistocene ground sloth (Paramylodon harlani) from Rancho La Brea Tar Pits, California. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin # 53, 624-628.
Ruddell, M. W. 1992. Microevolution of Canis dirus from Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California. Master of Science Thesis, Northern Arizona University.
Thurber, J. M. and R. O. Peterson. 1991. Changes in body size associated with range expansion in the coyote (Canis latrans). Journal of Mammalogy 72: 750-755.
In paleontology, biology, and ecology, extinction is the cessation of existence of a species or group of plants or animals.
Axelrod, D. I. 1967. Quaternary extinctions of large mammals. University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 74, 1-42.
Beck, M. W. 1996. On discerning the cause of late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions. Paleobiology, 91-103.
Cardillo, M. G. M. Mace, K. E. Jones, J. Bielby, O. R. P Bininda-Emonds, W. Sechrest, D. L. Orme, and A. Purvis. 2005. Multiple causes of high extinction rates in large mammal species. Science 309: 1239-1241.
DeSantis, L.R.G., Crites, J.M., Feranec, R.S., Fox-Dobbs, K., Farrell, A.B., Harris, J.M., Takeuchi, G.T., & Cerling, T.E. 2019. Causes and Consequences of Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinctions as Revealed from Rancho La Brea Mammals. Current Biology, 29 (15).
DeSantis, L.R.G., Schubert, B.W., Schmitt-Linville, E., Ungar, P.S., Donohue, S.L. and Haupt, R.L. 2015. Dental microwear textures of carnivorans from the La Brea Tar Pits, California and potential extinction implications. Science Series, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 42: 37-52.
DeSantis, L.R.G. & Haupt R.J. 2014. Cougars' key to survival through the Late Pleistocene extinction: insights from dental microwear texture analysis. Biology Letters, 10.
DeSantis, L.R.G., Schubert, B.W., Scott, J.R. and Ungar, P.S. 2012. Implications of Diet for the Extinction of Saber-Toothed Cats and American Lions. PLoS ONE 7(12)
Fox-Dobbs, K., Stidham, T. A., Bowen, G. J., Emslie, S. D., & Koch, P. L. 2006. Dietary controls on extinction versus survival among avian megafauna in the late Pleistocene. Geology, 34(8), 685-688.
Grayson, D. K. 2007. Deciphering North American Pleistocene extinctions. Journal of Anthropological Research 63: 185-213.
Grayson, D. K. 1991. Late Pleistocene mammalian extinctions in North America: taxonomy, chronology and evidence. Journal of World Prehistory 5 (3):193-231
Hester, J.J. Late Pleistocene extinction and dating. American Antiquity 26 (1): 58-77.
Johnson, D. L. 1977. The California ice-age refugium and the Rancholabrean extinction problem. Quaternary Research, 8(2), 149-153.
Martin, P. S. 1990. 40,000 years of extinctions on the "planet of doom". Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 82(1), 187-201.
Meachen J. A., Janowicz A. C., Avery J. E. & Sadleir R. W. 2014. Ecological Changes in Coyotes (Canis latrans) in Response to the Ice Age Megafaunal Extinctions. PLoS ONE 9(12)
Meachen, J. A. & Samuels, J. X. 2012. Evolution in coyotes (Canis latrans) in response to the megafaunal extinctions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(11): 4191-6
Owen-Smith, N. 1987. Pleistocene extinctions: the pivotal role of megaherbivores. Paleobiology 13 (3): 351-362.
Ripple, W. J., and B. Van Valkenburgh. 2010. Linking Top-down Forces to the Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinctions. Bioscience 60 (7): 516-526.
Scott, E. 2010. Extinctions, scenarios, and assumptions: Changes in latest Pleistocene large herbivore abundance and distribution in western North America. Quaternary International 217:225-239.
Functional Morphology
Functional morphology involves the study of relationships between the structure of an organism and the function of its various parts. How did saber-toothed cats use their canines, for example.
Akersten, W. A. 1985. Canine function in Smilodon (Mammalia: Felidae: Machairodontinae). Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 356, 1-22.
Andersson, K., Norman D. & Werdelin L. 2011. Sabretoothed Carnivores and the Killing of Large Prey. PLoS ONE 6(10)
Anyonge, W. 1996. Microwear on canines and killing behavior in large carnivores: Saber function in Smilodon fatalis. Journal of Mammalogy, 77 (4), 1059-1067.
Anyonge, W. 1993. Body mass in large extant and extinct carnivores. Journal of Zoology, London, 231, 339-350.
Anyonge, W. & Baker, A. 2006. Craniofacial morphology and feeding behavior in Canis dirus, the extinct Pleistocene dire wolf. Journal of Zoology, 269, 309-316.
Anyonge, W. & Roman, C. 2006. New body mass estimates for Canis dirus, the extinct Pleistocene dire wolf. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 26 (1), 209-212.
Bever, G. S. 2005. Morphometric variation in the cranium, mandible, and dentition of Canis latrans and Canis lepophagus (Carnivora: Canidae) and its implications for the identification of isolated fossil specimens. The Southwestern Naturalist, 50(1), 42-56.
Biknevicius, A. R., B. Van Valkenburgh, and J. Walker.1996. Incisor size and shape: implications for feeding behaviors in saber-toothed ''cats''. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 16(3):510-521.
Binder W. J., Cervantes, K.S. & Meachen, J.A. 2016. Measures of Relative Dentary Strength in Rancho La Brea Smilodon fatalis over Time. PLoS ONE 11(9)
Binder, W. J. & Van Valkenburgh, B. 2010. A comparison of tooth wear and breakage in Rancho La Brea sabertooth cats and dire wolves across time. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 30 (1), 255-261.
Binder, W. J., Thompson, E.N. & Van Valkenburgh, B. 2002. Temporal variation in tooth fracture among Rancho La Brea dire wolves. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 22(2):423–428.
Bryant, H. N. 2009. Implications of the dental eruption sequence in Barbourofelis (Carnivora, Nimravidae) for the function of upper canines and the duration of parental care in sabretoothed carnivores. Journal of Zoology 222: 585-590.
Bryant, H. N., 1996. Force generation by the jaw adductor musculature at different gapes in the Pleistocene sabretoothed felid Smilodon. In: Stewart, K. M., Seymour K. L. (Eds.), Palaeoecology and Palaeoenvironments of Late Cenozoic Mammals. Univ. of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada, pp. 283-299.
Campbell, K. E. Jr. & Tonni, E. P. 1983. Size and locomotion in teratorns (Aves: Teratornithidae). The Auk, 100, 390-403.
Christiansen P. 2012. The Making of a Monster: Postnatal Ontogenetic Changes in Craniomandibular Shape in the Great Sabercat Smilodon. PLoS ONE 7(1)
Christiansen, P. 2011. A dynamic model for the evolution of sabrecat predatory bite mechanics. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2011: 1-23.
Christiansen, P. 2008. Evolution of Skull and Mandible Shape in Cats (Carnivora: Felidae). PLoS One 3(7)
Christiansen, P. 2007. Comparative bite forces and canine bending strength in felines and sabertooth felids: implications for predatory ecology. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 151:423–437.
Christiansen, P. 1999. What size were Arctodus simus and Ursus spelaeus? Ann. Zool Fennici 36: 93-102.
Christiansen, P. & Harris, J. M. 2012. Variation in Craniomandibular Morphology and Sexual Dimorphism in Pantherines and the Sabercat Smilodon fatalis. PLoS ONE 7 (10)
Christiansen, P. & Harris, J. M. 2009. Craniomandibular morphology and phylogenetic affinities of the great Pleistocene felid Panthera atrox. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 29 (3), 934-945.
Christiansen, P. & Harris, J. M. 2005. The body size of Smilodon (Mammalia: Felidae). Journal of Morphology, 266, 369-384.
Cuff, A. R., Goswasmi, A. & Hutchinson, J. 2017. Reconstruction of the musculoskeletal system in an extinct lion. Palaeontologia Electronica
Cuff, A. R., Stockey, C. & Goswami, A. 2017. Endocranial Morphology of the Extinct North American Lion (Panthera atrox). Brain Behavior and Evolution 88:213-221
Dunn, R. H., Cooper, C., Lemert, J., Mironov, N., Meachen, J. A. 2019. Locomotor correlates of the scapholunar of living and extinct carnivorans. Journal of Morphology. 1–10. Volume 280 (8).
Duckler, G. L., 1997. Parietal depressions in skulls of the extinct saber-toothed felid Smilodon fatalis: Evidence of mechanical strain. Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 17: 600-609
Emerson, S. B. & Radinsky, L. 1980. Functional analysis of sabertooth cranial morphology. Paleobiology, 6 (3), 295-312.
Figueirido, B., J. A. Pérez-Claros,, V, Torregrosa, A. Martín-Serra, & P. Palmqvist. 2010. Demythologizing Arctodus simus, the 'short-faced' long-legged and predaceous bear that never was. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 30:262-275.
Figueirido, B., P. Palmqvist, & J. A. Pérez-Claros. 2009. Ecomorphological correlates of craniodental variation in bears and paleobiological implications for extinct taxa: an approach based on geometric morphometrics. Journal of Zoology, 277: 70-80.
Freeman, P. W. and C. Lemen. 2007. An experimental approach to modeling the strength of canine teeth. Journal of Zoology 271:162-169.
Giles, E. 1960. Multivariate analysis of Pleistocene and recent coyotes (Canis latrans) from California. University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 36 (8), 369-390.
Gonyea, W. J. 1976. Behavioral implications of saber-toothed felid morphology. Paleobiology, 2 (4), 332-342.
King, L. M. 2012. Phylogeny of Panthera, Including P. atrox, based on cranialmandibular characters. Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1444.
King, L. M., & Wallace, S. C. 2013. Phylogenetics of Panthera, including Panthera atrox, based on craniodental characters. Historical Biology, 1-7.
Klide, A. M. 1989. Overriding vertebral spinous processes in the extinct horse, Equus occidentalis. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 50 (4), 592-593.
Long K., Prothero D., Madan M., & Syverson V. 2017. Did saber-tooth kittens grow up musclebound? A study of postnatal limb bone allometry in felids from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. PLoS ONE 12(9)
Mawby, J. E. 1960. Cranial anatomy of the late Cenozoic Machairodonts. Master of Science Thesis, University of California, Berkeley.
May-Davis, S., Hunter, R., & Brown, W. 2021. A comparative morphological study of the sixth and seventh spinous processes of the cervical vertebrae in extinct and extant species of Equus . Vertebrate Anatomy Morphology Palaeontology, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.18435/vamp29373
Meachen J. A. 2012. Morphological convergence of the prey-killing arsenal of sabertooth predators. Paleobiology 38 (1), 1-14
Meachen-Samuels, J. A. & Van Valkenburgh, B. 2010. Radiographs reveal exceptional forelimb strength in the sabertooth cat, Smilodon fatalis. PLos ONE, 5 (7)
Meachen-Samuels, J. A. & Binder, W. 2009. Sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic growth in the American lion and the sabertoothed cat from Rancho La Brea. Journal of Zoology, November 2009.
Meloro, C. 2012. Mandibular shape correlates of tooth fracture in extant Carnivora: implications to inferring feeding behaviour of Pleistocene predators. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 106: 70-80.
Meloro, C., & Slater, G. J. 2012. Covariation in the skull modules of cats: The challenge of growing saber-like canines. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 32 (3), 677-685.
Menard, H. W., Jr. 1947. Analysis of measurements in length of the metapodials of Smilodon. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 46 (3), 127-135.
Miller, G. J. 1984. On the jaw mechanism of Smilodon californicus Bovard and some other carnivores. Imperial Valley College Museum Occasional Paper, 7, 1-107.
Miller, G. J. 1983. Some new evidence in support of the stabbing hypothesis for Smilodon californicus Bovard. Carnivore, 3 (2), 8-19.
Naples, V. L. 1990. Morphological changes in the facial region and model of dental growth and war pattern development in Nothrotheriops shastensis. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 10 (3), 372-389.
Naples, V. L. 1989. The feeding mechanism in the Pleistocene ground sloth, Glossotherium. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 415, 1-23.
Naples, V. L. 1987. Reconstruction of cranial morphology and analysis of function in the Pleistocene ground sloth Nothrotheriops shastense (Mammalia: Megatheriidae). Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 389, 1-21.
O'Keefe F. R., Binder, W. J., Frost, S. R., Sadlier, R. W. & Van Valkenburgh, B. 2014. Cranial morphometrics of the dire wolf, Canis dirus, at Rancho La Brea: temporal variability and its links to nutrient stress and climate. Palaeontologia Electronica, 17.1.17A
Owen, P. R. 1994. Comparative morphology of the atlas-axis complex in large felids and canids of Rancho La Brea. Master of Science Thesis, California State University, Long Beach.
Riviere, H. L., & Wheeler, H. T. 2005. Cementum on Smilodon sabers. The Anatomical Record Part A, 285A, 634-642. Wiley Interscience.
Rooney, J. R., and E. Scott. 1998. Sidebone in a fossil horse. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 18: 519-520.
Samuels, J. X., Meachen, J. A. & Sakai, S. A. 2013. Postcranial morphology and the locomotor habits of living and extinct carnivorans. Journal of Morphology 274: 121–146.
Schmieder J. U. 2000. Killing behavior in Smilodon fatalis (Mammalia, Carnivora, Felidae) based on functional anatomy and body proportions of the front- and hind limbs [dissertation]. Geologisches Institut der Eberhardt-Karls-Universität Tubingen. 83 p.
Shaw, C. A., & Tejada-Flores, A. E. 1985. Biomechanical implications of the variation in Smilodon ectocuneiforms from Rancho La Brea. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 359, 1-8.
Sinclair, W. J. 1910. Dermal bones of Paramylodon from the asphaltum deposits of Rancho La Brea, near Los Angeles, California. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 49, 191-195.
Slater, G. J. & VanValkenburgh, B. 2008. Long in the tooth: Evolution of saber-tooth cat cranial shape. Paleobiology, 34 (3), 403-419.
Stock, C. 1917. Further observation on the skull structure of mylodont sloths from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 10 (11). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1916-1918, (pp. 165-178). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Stock, C. 1917. Recent studies on the skull and dentition of Nothrotherium from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 10 (10). In Andrew C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1916-1918, (pp. 137-164). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Stock, C. 1917. Structure of pes in Mylodon harlani. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 10 (16). In Andrew C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1916-1918, (pp. 267-286). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Stock, C. 1914. Skull and dentition of the mylodont sloths from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 8 (18). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, (pp. 319-334). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Stock, C., & Lance, J. F. 1948. The relative lengths of limb elements in Canis dirus. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 47 (3), 79-83.
Tejada-Flores, A. E. & Shaw, C. A. 1984. Tooth replacement and skull growth in Smilodon from Rancho La Brea. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 4 (1), 114-121.
Therrien, F. 2006. Mandibular force profiles of extant carnivorans and implications for the feeding behaviour of extinct predators. Journal of Zoology 267 (3):249-270.
Tomiya S. & J.A. Meachen 2018. Postcranial diversity and recent ecomorphic impoverishment of North American gray wolves. Biology Letters 14 (1): 201706
Van Valkenburgh, B. 2009. Costs of carnivory: tooth fracture in Pleistocene and Recent carnivorans. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 96(1), 68-81.
Van Valkenburgh, B. 1987. Skeletal indicators of locomotor behavior in living and extinct carnivores. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 7: 162-182.
Van Valkenburgh, B. & Hertel, F. 1993. Tough times at La Brea: Tooth breakage in large carnivores of the late Pleistocene. Science Magazine, 261, 456-459.
Van Valkenburgh, B., & Ruff, C. B. 1987. Canine tooth strength and killing behavior in large carnivores. Journal of Zoology 212:379-397.
Wheeler, H. T. 2010. Experimental paleontology of the scimitar-tooth and dirk-tooth killing bites. In V. L. Naples, L. D. Martin, & J. P. Babiarz (Eds.), H. T. Wheeler (Graphics Ed.) The Other Saber-tooths: Scimitar-tooth cats of the Western Hemisphere (pp. 18-33). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Wheeler, H. T. & Jefferson, G. T. 2009. Panthera atrox: Body proportions, size, sexual dimorphism, and behavior of the cursorial lion of the North American plains. In L. B. Albright, III (Ed.), Papers on geology, vertebrate paleontology, and biostratigraphy in honor of Michael O. Woodburne. Museum of Northern Arizona Bulletin 65, Flagstaff, Arizona.
Yozgyur, Zeynep. Evolutionary Development of the Mammalian Pre-Sternum (2019). Honors Thesis Collection. 670.
A unique combination of complex geologic events are responsible for the rich accumulations of fossils found at Rancho La Brea. Oil formed, tectonic actions forced it to the surface, and sediments were deposited from the Santa Monica Mountains.
Arnold, R. & Anderson, R. 1907. Metamorphism by combustion of the hydrocarbons in the oil-bearing shale of California. Journal of Geology, 15 (8), 750-758.
Crowder, R. E. & Johnson, R. A. 1963. Recent developments in the Jade-Buttram area of the Salt Lake Oil Field. California Oil and Gas, Summary of Operations, 49 (1), 53-60.
Driver, H. L. 1948. Genesis and evolution of the Los Angeles Basin, California. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 32 (1), 109-125.
Eaton, J. E. 1928. Divisions and duration of the Pleistocene in Southern California. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 12 (2), 111-141.
Etiope, G., Doezema, L. A., & Pacheco, C. 2017. Emission of methane and heavier alkanes from the La Brea Tar Pits seepage area, Los Angeles. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027675
Hoots, H. W. 1931. Geology of the eastern part of the Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County, California. United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper, 165-C, 1-134.
Jeffrey, A.W.A., Alimi, H.M., and Jenden, P.D., 1991, Geochemistry of Los Angeles Basin oil and gas systems, in Biddle, K.T. ed., Active margin basins, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir 52, p. 197-219.
Nudds, J., and P. Selden. 2008, Fossil–Lagerstätten. Geology Today, 24(4), 153-158.
Quinn, J. P. 1992. Rancho La Brea: Geologic setting, late Quaternary depositional patterns and mode of fossil accumulation. In E. G. Heaph, & W. L. Lewis (Eds.), South Coast Geological Society annual field trip guide book, no. 20: The regressive Pleistocene shoreline Southern California, (pp. 221-232). South Coast Geological Society.
Ruddell, M. W. 1990. Was a taphonomic bias present in the fossil accumulation at Pit 13, Rancho La Brea, California?: An interpretation using dire wolf (Canis dirus). In J. I. Mead (Ed.), Current research in the Pleistocene, 1990 (7), (pp. 122-124). Orono, Maine: A Peopling of the Americas Publication, Center for the Study of the First Americans, University of Maine.
Shaw, C. A., and J. P. Quinn. 1986. Rancho La Brea: A look at coastal southern California's past. California Geology 39, 123-133.
Soper, E. K. 1943. Salt Lake Oild Field. In O. P. Jenkins (Ed.), Geology of California – The occurrence of oil and gas. California Division of Mines Bulletin, 118 (8), 284-286.
Stoner, R. C. 1913. Recent observations on the mode of accumulation of the Pleistocene bone deposits of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 7 (20). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1912-1914, (pp. 387-396). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Tieje, A. J. 1926. The Pliocene and Pleistocene history of the Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles County, California. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 10, 502-512.
Weber, D., Marquez, B.A., Taylor, C., Raya, P., Nwachuku, I., Fusco, K., Morales, F. & Doezema, L. 2016. Macroseepage of methane and light alkanes at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, DOI:10.1007/s10874-016-9346-4
Woodard, G. D., & Marcus, L. F. 1973. Rancho La Brea fossil deposits: A re-evaluation from stratigraphic and geological evidence. Journal of Paleontology, 47 (1), 54-69.
Wright, T. 1987. Geological setting of the Rancho La Brea tar pits. In AAPG Pacific Section 2009 - Petroleum Geology of Coastal Southern California (1987), pp. 87-91.
Zechmeister, L., & Lijinsky, W. 1953. Some neutral constituents of a natural tar originating from the La Brea pits. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 47 (2), 391-395.
Herbivore Fossil Descriptions
Many of the large herbivores from Rancho La Brea have been described but questions about their diets, migrations patterns, and distributions still remain to be studied.
Brown, K. E., Akersten, W. A., & Scott, E. 2015. Equus occidentalis. Leidy From "Asphalto," Kern County, California. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 81-89.
Chandler, A. C. 1916. A study of the skull and dentition of Bison antiquus Leidy, with special reference to material from the Pacific coast. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 9 (11). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1915-1916, (pp. 121-135). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Chandler, A. C. 1916. Notes on Capromeryx material from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 9 (10. Found in A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam, (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences,1915-1916, (pp. 111-120). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Chandler, A. C. 1914. Antelopes in the fauna of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, 25, 25-155.
Furlong, E. L. 1946. Generic identification of the Pleistocene antelope from Rancho La Brea. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication, 551, 137-140.
Jefferson, G. T. 1989. Late Cenozoic tapirs (Mammalia: Perissodactyla) of western North America. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 406, 1-22.
Jefferson, G. T. 1986. A new specimen of tapir from Rancho La Brea. Current Research in the Pleistocene, 3, 68-69.
McDonald, J. N. 1978. The North American bison: A revised classification and interpretation of their evolution. Ph. D. Dissertation.
Merriam, J. C. 1913. Preliminary report on the horses of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 7 (21). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1912-1914, (pp. 397-418). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1913. The skull and dentition of a camel from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 7 (14). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1912-1914, (pp. 305-323). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. & Stock, C. 1921. Notes on peccary remains from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geological Sciences, 13 (2). In A. C. Lawson (Ed.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1921-1922, (pp. 9-17). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, W. E. 1968. Occurrence of a giant bison, Bison latifrons, and a slender-limbed camel, Tanupolama, at Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 147, 1-9.
Miller, W. E. & Brotherson, J. D. 1979. Size variation in foot elements of bison from Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 323, 1-19.
Owen, P. R. 1992. Skeletal remains of a juvenile Bison sp. (extinct bison) from the Page Museum Salvage, Rancho La Brea. [Most likely Bison antiquus.] In Steadman, et al (Eds.), Current Research in the Pleistocene: Paleoenvironments: Vertebrates, 1992 (9), (pp. 109-110).
Reynolds, R. L. 1976. New record of Antilocapra americana Ord, 1818, in the late Pleistocene fauna of the Los Angeles Basin. Journal of Mammalogy, 57 (1), 176-178.
Richards, G. D. & McCrossin, M. L. 1990. A new species of Antilocapra from the late Quaternary of California. Geobios, 24 (5), 623-635.
Scott, E. 1989. Skeletal remains of Equus from the Page Museum Salvage, Rancho La Brea: A preliminary report. In Current Research in the Pleistocene: Paleoenvironments: Vertebrates, 1989 (6), (pp. 78-81).
Stirton, R. A. 1938. Notes on some Tertiary and Pleistocene antilocaprids. Journal of Mammalogy, 19 (3), 336-370.
Stock, C. 1925. Cenozoic gravigrade edentates of western North America with special reference to the Pleistocene Megalonychinae and Mylodontidae of Rancho La Brea. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication, 331, 1-206. [TYPE: Megalonyx jeffersoni californicus ssp. nov.]
Stock, C. 1920. A mounted skeleton of Mylodon harlani. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 12 (6). In Andrew C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences,1919-1921, (pp.425-430). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Stock, C. 1914. The systematic position of the mylodont sloths from Rancho La Brea. Science, 39, 761-763.
Stock. C. 1913. Nothrotherium and Megalonyx from the Pleistocene of Southern California. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology, 7 (17). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1912-1914, (pp. 341-358). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Taylor, W. P. 1911. A new antelope from the Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 6 (10). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1910-1911, (pp. 191-197).
Walker, D. N. 2000. Pleistocene and Holocene records of Antilocapra americana: a review of the FAUNMAP data. Plains Anthropologist 45: 13-28.
Webb, S. D. 1965. The osteology of Camelops. Bulletin of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Science, 1, 1-54.
Winans, M. C. 1989. A quantitative study of North American fossil species of the genus Equus. In D. R. Prothero, & R. M. Schoch (Eds.). The evolution of the Perissodactyls (pp.262-297). New York: Oxford University Press.
Winans, M. C. 1985. Revision of North American fossil species of the genus Equus (Mammalia: Perissodactyla: Equidae). Doctoral Dissertation, University of Texas at Austin.
People have been drawn to Rancho La Brea for hundreds of years and so we have a rich historical record as well as a prehistoric one.
Akersten, W. A., Shaw, C. A., & Jefferson, G. T. 1983. Rancho La Brea: Status and future. Paleobiology, 9 (3), 211-217.
Baker, C. C. 1914. Mexican Land Grants In California. Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 9(3), 236-243.
Bennett, C. G. 1938. A history of Rancho La Brea to 1900. Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California.
Denton, W. 1875. On the asphalt bed near Los Angeles, California. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, 18, 185-186.
Driver, H. L. 1943. Economic paleontology and mineralogy – An appraisal. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 27 (7), 938-947.
Gilbert, J. Z. 1927. The bone drift in the tar beds of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 26 (3), 59-66.
Gilbert, J. Z. 1910. The fossils of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 9 (1), 11-51.
Guinn, J. M. 1909. History of the Cahuenga Valley and the Rancho La Brea. Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 8(1/2), 82-94.
Hayes, S. 1979. Tarry time capsule finds home: George Page crowns Allan Hancock's dream with real gem. Pacific Oil World, 72 (4), 60-67. Brea, CA: Petroleum Publishers, Inc.
Heric, T.M. 1969. Rancho La Brea: Its history and its fossils. Journal of the West, 8 (2), 209-230.
Hillaby J. 1981. California sketchbook: John Hillaby goes giant fossil hunting. [Smilodon californicus, Panthera atrox, etc.]. New Scientist, 1981 (10 Dec.) 762-763.
Hillaby, J. 1981. Californian sketchbook: John Hillaby goes super bird watching. [Teratornis.]. New Scientist, 1981 (3 Dec.) 692-693.
Masoner, G. 1981. The Spring of the Alders of San Estevan. Lapidary Journal: Original National Gem Cutting Magazine, 35 (4), 918-922. San Diego, CA: Lapidary Journal, Inc.
Olympia & York/O'M. & M. Associates (Presenters). 1990. Journey through time: Artifacts from the collection of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. July 6, 1990 to November 28, 1990, 400 South Hope Street Gallery, Los Angeles, California.
Seaman, F. J. 1914. A brief history of Rancho La Brea. Annual Publication of the Historical Society of Southern California, 9 (3):253-256
The study of the phylum Mollusca which includes snails, slugs, clams, and squid among others is called Malacology. At Rancho La Brea we have a collection of freshwater Mollusca, much of which remains to be studied.
Lamb R. V. 1989. The nonmarine mollusks of Pit 91, Rancho La Brea, Southern California, and their paleoecologic and biogeographic implications. Master of Science Thesis, California State University, Northridge.
Lamb, R. V. & Jefferson, G. T. 1988. Mollusks associated with articulated vertebrate remains from Rancho La Brea. Current Research in the Pleistocene, 5, 59-60.
Valentine, V. W. & Lipps, J. H. 1970. Marine fossils at Rancho La Brea. Science Magazine, 169, 277-278.
There has been much interest in recent years in the microbes and the oil fly that live in and digest the asphalt. They help break down this natural substance in the park and can be used to help clean up accidental oil spills in other areas.
Baquirin, J-P. M. 2010. Application of Metagenomics for identification of novel petroleum hydrocarbon degrading enzymes in natural asphalts from the Rancho La Brea tar pits. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Riverside.
Belcher, R. W., Huynh, K. V., Hoangy, T. V., & Crowley, D. E. 2012. Isolation of biosurfactant-producing bacteria from the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits. World Journal of Microbiology & Technology.
Crawford, D. L. 1912. The petroleum fly in California. Pomona College Journal of Entomology, 4 (2), 687-697.
Esterly, C. O. 1913. The "oil fly" of Southern California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 12 (1), 9-11.
Kadavy, D. R. 2001. Characterization of microorganisms associated with Helaeomyia petrolei (oil fly) larvae. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Kadavy, D. R., J. M. Hornby, T. Haverkost, and K. W. Nickerson. 2000. Natural antibiotic resistance of bacteria isolated from larvae of the oil fly Helaeomyia petrolei. Applied and Environmental Biology November 2000: 4615-4619
Kadavy, D. R., B. Plantz, Shaw, C.A., Myatt, J., Kokjohn, T.A. and Nickerson, K.W. 1999. The biology of the oil fly Helaeomyia petrolei. Applied and Environmental Biology April 1999:1477-1482.
Kim, J-S., and D. E.Crowley. 2007. Microbial Diversity in Natural Asphalts of the Rancho La Brea Tar Pits. Applied and Environmental Microbiology.73 (14): 4579-4591.
Zhao, Y., Boone, D. R., Mah, R. A., Boone, J. E., & Xun, L. 1989. Isolation and characterization of Methanocorpusculum labreanum sp. nov. from the La Brea tar pits. [Non-fossil.]. International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology, 39 (1), 10-13.
Molecular Analyses
Advances in technology have meant new ways to study the molecules preserved in fossils. At Rancho La Brea we can directly date a bone to find out its age as well as studying other molecules to learn about diets and migration.
Adli, J. J., Cherney, M. D., Fisher, D. C., Harris, J. M., Farrell, A. B., & Cox, S. M. 2015. Last Years of Life and Season of Death of a Columbian Mammoth from Rancho La Brea. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 65-80.
Albareda, R-M. 1992. Etude biogeochimique de restes fossils du Geiseltal, de Rancho de Brea et de Teghenif: Extraction et caracterisation de leur matiere organique. Master of Science Thesis, Universite des Sciences et Techniques due Languedoc.
Barnett, R., Shapiro, B., Ho, S. Y., Barnes, I., Burger, J., Yamaguchi, N., Higham, T., Wheeler, H. T., Rosendhal, W., Sher, A. V., Baryshnikov, G., & Cooper, A. 2009. Phylogeography of lions (Panthera leo spp.) reveals three distinct taxa and a late Pleistocene reduction in genetic diversity. Molecular Ecology, 18, 1668-1677.
Berger, R. 1992. Libby's UCLA radiocarbon laboratory: contributions to archaeology. In Radiocarbon After Four Decades, Springer New York, (pp. 421-434)
Berger, R. 1975. Advances and results in radiocarbon dating: Early man in America. World Archaeology, 7(2), 174-184.
Berger, R., Protsch, R., Reynolds, R. L., Rozaire, C. & Sackett, J. R. 1971. New radiocarbon dates based on bone collagen of California Paleo-Indians. Contributions of the University Archaeological Research Facility, Department of Anthropology, Berkeley, 12, 43-49.
Berger, R. & Libby, W. F. 1968. UCLA radiocarbon dates VIII. Radiocarbon, 10 (29), 402-416.
Berger, R. & Libby, W. F. 1966. UCLA radiocarbon dates V. Radiocarbon, 8, 467-497.
Bierstedt, A., Stankiewicz, B.A., Briggs, D.E.G. and Evershed, R.P. 1998. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of chitin in fossil arthropods: comparison of a colorimetric assay and Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. The Analyst 123, 139-145.
Bump, J. K., K. Fox-Dobbs, J. L. Bader, P. L. Koch, R. O. Peterson, and J. A. Vucetich. 2007. Stable isotopes, ecological integration and environmental change: wolves record atmospheric carbon isotope trend better than tree rings. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 274: 2471-2480.
Chamberlain, C. P., J. R. Waldbauer, K. Fox-Dobbs, S. D. Newsome, P. L. Koch, D. R. Smith, M. E. Church, S. D. Chamberlain, K. J. Sorenson, and R. Risebrough. 2005. Pleistocene to recent dietary shifts in California condors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 102 (46): 16707-16711.
Coltrain, J. B., Harris, J. M., Cerling, T. E., Ehleringer, J. R., Dearing, M-D., Ward, J., & Allen, J. 2004. Rancho La Brea stable isotope biogeochemistry and its implications for the paleoecology of late Pleistocene, coastal California. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 205, 199-219.
Connin, S. L., Betancourt, J., Quade, J., 1998. Late Pleistocene C4 plant dominance and summer rainfall in the southwestern United States from isotopic study of herbivore teeth. Quaternary Research 50:179-130.
Czerwonogora, A., Fariña, R. A. & Tonni, E. P. 2011. Diet and isotopes of Late Pleistocene ground sloths: first results for Lestodon and Glossotherium (Xenarthra, Tardigrada). N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh. 262/3, 257–266
Das, S., Doberenz, A., & Wyckoff, R. W. G. 1967. The lipids in fossils. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 23, 519-525.
Doberenz, A. R. & Wyckoff, R. W. G. 1967. Fine structure in fossil collagen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 57, 539-541.
Doberenz, A. R. 1967. Ultrastructure of fossil dentinal collagen. California Tissue Research, 1, 166-169.
Doberenz, A. R. & Matter, P., III. 1965. Nitrogen analysis of fossil bones. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 16, 253-258.
Feranec, R. S., Hadley, E. A. & Paytan, A. 2009. Stable isotopes reveal seasonal competition for resources between late Pleistocene bison (Bison) and horse (Equus) from Rancho La Brea, Southern California. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 271 (1-2), 153-160.
Feranec, R. S. 2005. Growth rate and duration of growth in the adult canine of Smilodon gracilis, and inferences on diet through stable isotope analysis. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History, 45(4), 369-377.
Feranec, R. S. 2004. Isotopic evidence of saber-tooth development, growth rate, and diet from the adult canine of Smilodon fatalis from Rancho La Brea. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 206:303-310.
Fergusson, G. J. & Libby, W. F. 1963. UCLA radiocarbon dates II. Radiocarbon, 5, 1-22.
Fergusson, G. J. & Libby, W. F. 1962. UCLA radiocarbon dates I. Radiocarbon, 4, 109-114.
Flannery, M. B., A. W. Stott, D. E. G. Briggs, and R. P. Evershed. 2001. Chitin in the fossil record: identification and quantification of D-glucosamine. Organic Geochemistry, 32 (5): 745-754.
Fox-Dobbs, K., Bump, J. K., Peterson, R. O. , Fox, D. L. & Koch, P. L. 2007. Carnivore-specific stable isotope variables and variation in the foraging ecology of modern and ancient wolf populations: case studies from Isle Royale, Minnesota, and La Brea. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 85 (4): 458-471.
Friscia, A. R., Van Valkenberg, B., Spencer, L. & Harris, J. M. 2008. Chronology and spatial distribution of large mammal bones in Pit 91, Rancho La Brea. Palaios, 23, 35-42.
Fuller B. T., Southon, J. R. , Fahrni, S. F., Farrell, A. B., Takeuchi, G. T., Nehlich, O. , Guiry, E.J., Richards, M.P., Lindsey, E. L. & Harris, J. M. 2019. Pleistocene paleoecology and feeding behavior of terrestrial vertebrates recorded in a pre-LGM asphaltic deposit at Rancho La Brea, California. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Volume 537, 1 January 2020
Fuller, B.T., Southon, J.R., Fahrni, S. M., Harris, J.M., Farrell, A.B., Takeuchi, G. T., Nehlich, O. Richards, M.P., Guiry, E.J. & Taylor, R.E. 2016. Tar Trap: No Evidence of Domestic Dog Burial with "La Brea Woman". PaleoAmerica, Vol 2 (1)
Fuller, B. T., Harris, J. M., Farrell, A. B., Takeuchi, G. T., & Southon, J. R. 2015. Sample Preparation for Radiocarbon Dating and Isotopic Analysis of Bone from Rancho La Brea. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 151-167.
Fuller B. T., Fahrni, S. F., Harris, J. M., Farrell, A. B., Coltrain, J. B., Gerhart, L. M., Ward, J. K., Taylor, R. E. & Southon, J. R. 2014. Ultrafiltration for asphalt removal from bone collagen for radiocarbon dating and isotopic analysis of Pleistocene fauna at the tar pits of Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California. Quaternary Geochronology 22, pp 85-98
Fuller, B. T., Campbell, Jr. K. E., Nehlich, O., Guiry, E. J., Richards, M. P. & Southon, J. R. (in prep). Ice Age Wonder Birds: Diet and chronology of Teratornis merriami at Rancho La Brea.
Gold, D. A., Robinson, J., Farrell, A. B., Harris, J. M., Thalmann, O. and Jacobs, D. K. 2014. Attempted DNA extraction from a Rancho La Brea Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi): prospects for ancient DNA from asphalt deposits. Ecology and Evolution.
Ho, T. Y. 1967. Relationship between amino acid contents of mammalian bone collagen and body temperature as a basis for estimation of body temperature of prehistoric mammals. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 22, 113-119.
Ho, T. Y. 1967. The amino acids of bone and dentine collagens in Pleistocene mammals. Biochemica Biophysica Acta, 133, 568-573.
Ho, T. Y. 1966. The isolation and amino acid composition of the bone collagen in Pleistocene mammals. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 18(2), 353-358.
Ho, T. Y. 1965. The amino acid composition of bone and tooth proteins in late Pleistocene mammals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 54, (1), 26-31.
Ho, T. Y., Marcus, L. F. & Berger, R. 1969. Radiocarbon dating of petroleum-impregnated bone from tar pits at Rancho La Brea, California. Science Magazine, 164, 1051-1052.
Howard, H. 1960. Significance of Carbon-14 dates for Rancho La Brea. Science, 131, 712-714.
Hubbs, C. L., Bien, G. S, & Seuss, H. E. 1960. La Jolla natural radiocarbon measurements, I. Radiocarbon, 2, 197-223.
Janczewski, D. N., Yuhki, N., Gilbert, D. A., Jefferson, G. T. & O'Brien, S. J. 1992. Molecular phylogenetic inference from saber-toothed cat fossils of Rancho La Brea. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 89, 9769-9773.
Marcus, L. F. and R. Berger. 1984. The significance of radiocarbon dates for Rancho La Brea; pp. 159-193 in P. S. Martin and R. G. Klein (eds) Quaternary Extinctions: a prehistoric revolution.
McMenamin, M. A. S., Blunt, D. J., Kvenvolden, K. A., Miller, S. E., Marcus, L. F., & Pardi, R. 1982. Amino acid geochemistry of fossil bones from the Rancho La Brea asphalt deposit, California. Quaternary Research, 18, 174-183.
O'Keefe, F. R., Fet, E. V. & Harris, J. M. 2009. Compilation, calibration, and synthesis of faunal and floral radiocarbon dates, Rancho La Brea, California. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Contributions in Science, 518.
Passey, B. H., T. E. Cerling, and N. E. Levin. 2007. Temperature dependence of oxygen isotope acid fractionation for modern and fossil tooth enamels. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 21: 2853-2859.
Ruiz, D. R. 2005. Diet of Pleistocene Paramylodon harlani (Xenarthra: Mylodontidae): Review of methods and preliminary use of carbon isotopes. Texas Journal of Science 57 (4): 329-344.
Shackelford, J. M., & Wyckoff, R. W. G. 1964. Collagen in fossil teeth and bones. Journal of Ultrastructure Research, 11, 173-180.
Stankeiwicz, B. A., D. E. G. Briggs, R. P. Evershed, and I. J. Duncan. 1997. Chemical preservation of insect cuticle from the Pleistocene asphalt deposits of California, USA. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 61 (11): 2247-2252.
Woodard, G. D., & Marcus, L. F. 1976. Reliability of late Pleistocene correlation using C-14 dating: Baldwin Hills—Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California. Journal of Paleontology, 50 (1), 128-132.
Wyckoff, R. W. G. 1964. Proteins from Rancho La Brea fossils. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Quarterly, 2 (4), 11.
Wyckoff, R. W. G., & Davidson, F. D. 1973. Gelatinized pleistocene collagen. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Comparative Biochemistry, 46(1), 143-146.
Wyckoff, R. W. G., McCaughey, W. F., & Doberenz, A. R. 1964. The amino acid composition of proteins from Pleistocene bones. Biochemical Biophysica Acta, 93, 374-377.
Wyckoff, R. W. G., Wagner, E., Matter, P., III, & Doberenz, A. R. 1963. Collagen in fossil bone. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 50 (2), 215-218.
The study of life on earth through investigation of fossil plants, animals, and protists.
Bohlin, B. 1940. Food habit of the Machaerodonts, with special regard to Smilodon. Bulletin of the Geological Institute, Upsala, 28, 157-174.
Campbell, K. E. Jr. & Tonni, E. P. 1982. Preliminary observations on the paleobiology and evolution of teratorns (Aves: Teratornithidae). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 1 (3-4), 265-272.
Figuerido, B., A. Perez-Ramos, B.W. Schubert, F. Serrano, A.B. Farrell, F.J. Pastor, A.A. Neves & A. Romero. 2017. Dental caries in the fossil record: a window to the evolution of dietary plasticity in an extinct bear. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 17813 doi:10.1038/s41598-017-18116-0
Gobetz, K. E. and S. R. Bozarth. 2001. Implication of late Pleistocene mastodon diet from opal phytoliths in tooth calculus. Quaternary Research 55:115-112.
Goillot, C., Blondel, C., & Peigné, S.. 2009. Relationships between dental microwear and diet in Carnivora (Mammalia) — Implications for the reconstruction of the diet of extinct taxa. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 271:13-23.
Howard, H. 1962. A comparison of (prehistoric) avian assemblages from individual pits at Rancho La Brea, California. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 58, 1-24.
Lambert, W. D., and C. S. Holling. 1998. Causes of ecosystem transformation at the end of the Pleistocene: evidence from mammal body-mass distributions. Ecosystems 1: 157-175.
Leonard, J. A., C. Vila, K. Fox-Dobbs, P. L. Koch, R. K. Wayne, and B. Van Valkenburgh. 2007. Megafaunal extinctions and the disappearance of a specialized wolf ecomorph. Current Biology 17: 1146-1150.
MacDonald, H. G. 2005. Paleoecology of extinct xenarthrans and the Great American Biotic Interchange. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 45 (4): 313-333.
Martin, R. 1985. Biology of the dire wolf, an extinct Pleistocene carnivore. A proposal submitted to Fairleigh Dickinson University Grant-in-Aid Program, 1985-1986.
McDonald, H. G. 1996. Biogeography and paleoecology of ground sloths in California, Arizona and Nevada. San Bernardino County Museum Association Quarterly, 43(1):61-65
Meachen, J. A. & Roberts, T.E. 2014. A Novel Multiscale Assessment of Community Assembly across Time, Space, and Functional Niche. The American Naturalist, Vol 183, No. 5
Miller, A. H. 1937. Biotic associations and life-zones in relation to the Pleistocene birds of California. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 39 (6), (pp. 248-252). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, G. J. 1969. A new hypothesis to explain the method of food ingestion used by Smilodon californicus Bovard. Idaho State Museum Tebiwa, 12 (1), 9-19.
Miller, L. H. 1932. The Pleistocene storks of California. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 34 (5), (pp. 212-216). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, L. H. 1925. The birds of Rancho La Brea. Extracted from Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication #349, (pp. 63-106).
Miller, L. H. 1921. A synopsis of California's fossil birds. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 23 (4), (pp. 129-130). Berkeley: Cooper Ornithological Club.
Miller, L. H. 1912. Contributions to avian paleontology from the Pacific coast of North America. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 7 (5). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences,1912-1914, (pp. 61-115). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Miller, L. H. 1911. A synopsis of our knowledge concerning the fossil birds of the Pacific coast of North America. In J. Grinnell (Ed.), The Condor, 13 (4), (pp. 117-118). Hollywood, CA: Cooper Ornithological Club of California.
Raymond, K. R. & Prothero, D. R. 2011. Did climate changes affect size in late Pleistocene bison? New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin #53, 636-640.
Saarinen, J., Karme, A., Cerling, T., Uno, K., Saäilä, L., Kasiki, S., Ngene, S., Obari, T., Mbua, E., Kyalo Manthi, F. & Fortelius, M. 2015. A new tooth wear-based dietary analysis method for Proboscidea (Mammalia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 35 (3).
Sorkin, B. 2005. Ecomorphology of the giant short-faced bear Agriotherium and Arctodus. Historical Biology, 2005 (Preview), 1-20.
VanValkenburgh, B., Maddox, T., Funston, P. J., Mills, M. G. L., Grether, G. F. & Carbone, C. 2009. Sociality in Rancho La Brea Smilodon: Arguments favour 'evidence' over 'coincidence'. Biology Letters, 5 (March, 2009), 563-564.
Van Valkenburgh, B., and T. Sacco, T., 2002. Sexual dimorphism, social behavior, and intrasexual competition in large Pleistocene carnivorans. Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology 22, 164-169.
Van Valkenburgh, B. and Hertel, F. 1998. The decline of North American predators during the Late Pleistocene. In: J.J. Saunders, B.W. Styles, and G.F. Baryshnikov (Eds.) Quaternary paleozoology in the Northern Hemisphere Illinois State Museum Scientific Papers Springfield, Illinois 27: 357-374.
Van Valkenburgh, B., Teaford, M. F., & Walker, A. 1990. Molar microwear and diet in large carnivores: Inferences concerning diet in the sabretooth cat, Smilodon fatalis. Journal of Zoology, London, 222, 319-340.
Willoughby, D. 1948. A statistical study of the metapodials of Equus occidentalis Leidy. Bull. Southern California Acad. Sci, 47, 84-94.
Wysocki, M. A., Feranec, R. S., Tseng, Z. J., & Bjornsson, C. S. 2015. Using a Novel Absolute Ontogenetic Age Determination Technique to Calculate the Timing of Tooth Eruption in the Saber-Toothed Cat, Smilodon fatalis. PloS one,10(7). e0129847. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129847
Paleoecology
The study of interactions among organisms, as well as between organisms and their environment, over geologic timescales
Carbone, C. T., Maddox, P. J., Funston, M. G., Mills, L., Grether G. F. & B. Van Valkenburgh. 2009. Parallels between playbacks and Pleistocene tar seeps suggest sociality in an extinct sabretooth cat, Smilodon. Biology Letters 5: 81-89.
Edwards, S. W. 1998. Further notes on Rancholabrean ecology. The Four Seasons, 10 (4), 25-28.
Hemmer, H. 1978. Considerations on sociality in fossil carnivores. Carnivore, 1 (1), 105-107.
Jefferson, G. T. 1988. Late Pleistocene large mammalian herbivores: Implications for early human hunting patterns in Southern California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 87 (3), 89-103.
Jefferson, G. T. & Goldin, J. 1989. Seasonal migration of Bison antiquus from Rancho La Brea. Quaternary Research, 31, 107-112.
Kiffner, C. 2009. Coincidence or evidence: was the sabretooth cat Smilodon social? Biology Letters 5:561-562.
Kurtén, B., 1984. Geographic differentiation in the Rancholabrean dire wolf (Canis dirus Leidy) in North America. Contributions in Quaternary Vertebrate Paleontology: A Memorial Volume to John E. Guilday, Special Publication of Carnegie Museum of Natural History No. 8, Pittsburgh, PA. pp. 218-227.
Martin, L. D., Naples, V. L., & Wheeler, H. T. 2001. Did mammoths have non-human predators?; pp. 27-34 in D. West (ed) Proceedings of the International Conference on Mammoth Site Studies. Publications in Anthropology No. 22, University of Kansas, Lawrence.
McCall, S., Naples, V. L. & Martin, L. 2003. Assessing behavior in extinct animals: was Smilodon social? Brain, Behavior, and Evolution 61: 159-164.
McHorse, B. K., Orcutt, J. D. & Davis, E. B. 2012. The carnivoran fauna of Rancho La Brea: Average or aberrant?, Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.
Paleopathology
Due to the exceptional preservation by the asphalt many pathologies are preserved in the bones. There are over 8,000 specimens in our pathology collection.
Balisi, M. A., Sharma, A. K., Howard, C. M., Shaw, C. A., Klapper, R. Lindsey, E. L. 2021. Computed tomography reveals hip dysplasia in the extinct Pleistocene saber-tooth cat Smilodon. Scientific Reports, 11 (1) doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99853-1
Bjorkengren, A. G., Sartoris, D. J., Shermis, S., & Resnick, D. 1987. Patterns of paravertebral ossification in the prehistoric saber-toothed cat. American Journal of Roentgenology, 148(4), 779-782.
Brown, C., Balisi, M., Shaw, C. A. & Van Valkenburgh, B. 2017. Skeletal trauma reflects hunting behaviour in extinct sabre-tooth cats and dire wolves. Nature Ecology & Evolution doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0131
Heald, F. P. 1986. Paleopathology at Rancho La Brea. Anthroquest, 36, 6-7.
MacDonald, J. R. & Sibley, G. 1969. Paleopathological ponderings or how to tell a sick saber-tooth. Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 8 (2), 26-30.
Moodie, R. L. 1930. Studies in paleodontology, 22: Apical closure of root canals in adult Pleistocene Carnivora. Pacific Dental Gazette, 38 (1), 1-4.
Moodie, R. L. 1930. Studies in paleopathology 25: Hypertrophy in the sacrum of the sabre tooth, Pleistocene of Southern California. The American Journal of Surgery, New Series, 8 (6), 1313-1315. In R. L. Moodie, Papers on paleopathology
Moodie, R. L. 1930. Studies in paleopathology 26: Pleistocene luxations. The American Journal of Surgery, New Series, 9 (2), 348-362. In R. L. Moodie, Papers on paleopathology
Moodie, R. L. 1930. Studies in paleopathology 27: A suggestion of rickets in the Pleistocene. The American Journal of Surgery, 10 (1), 162-163. In R. L. Moodie, Papers on paleopathology
Moodie, R. L. 1930. Studies in paleopathology 28: The phenomenon of sacralization in the Pleistocene sabre-tooth. The American Journal of Surgery, New Series, 10 (3), 587-589. In R. L. Moodie, Papers on paleopathology
Moodie, R. L. 1929. Excess callus in Pleistocene bird. American Journal of Science, Series 5, 17 (97), 81-84. In R. L. Moodie, Papers on paleopathology (not paginated).
Moodie, R. L. 1929. Studies in paleodontology 16: The California sabre-tooth: The mandibular teeth and associated structures. Pacific Dental Gazette, 37 (6), 317-321.
Moodie, R. L. 1929. Studies in paleodontology, 17: The California sabre-tooth: Two impactions and an abscess. Pacific Dental Gazette, 37 (12), 767-770.
Moodie, R. L. 1929. Studies in paleodontology, 20: The teeth and jaws of Nothrotherium. Pacific Dental Gazette, 37 (11): 677-680.
Moodie, R. L. 1929. Studies in paleodontology, 25: The California sabre-tooth: facial asymmetry following loss of sabre. Pacific Dental Gazette, 37 (12), 764-766.
Moodie, R. L. 1928. Studies in paleodontology 4: The evidences of pyorrhea, dead teeth, and gingival infections in the mandibles of the Pleistocene giant wolf (Aenocyon dirus) from Rancho La Brea. Pacific Dental Gazette, 36, 414-419.
Moodie, R. L 1927. Studies in paleopathology 20: Vertebral lesions in the sabre-tooth, Pleistocene of California, resembling the so-called myositis ossificans progressiva, compared with certain ossifications in the dinosaurs. Annals of Medical History, 9 (1), 91-102.
Moodie, R. L. 1926. La paleopatholigie des mammifers due Pleistocene. Biologie Medicale, 16, 431-440.
Moodie, R. L. 1923. Paleopathology: An introduction to the study of ancient evidences of disease. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
Moodie, R. L. 1922. On the endocranial anatomy of some Oligocene and Pleistocene mammals. Journal of Comparative Neurology, 34, 343-379.
Moodie, R. L. 1918. Paleontological evidences of the antiquity of disease. Scientific Monthly, September 1918, 265-281.
Moodie, R. L. 1918. Studies in paleopathology: Pathological evidences of disease among ancient races of man and extinct animals. Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics, November 1918, 498-510.
Rothschild, B. M., & Laub, R. 2006. Hyperdisease in the late Pleistocene: Validation of an early 20th century hypothesis. Naturwissenschaften, 93, 557-564.
Rothschild, B. M., & Martin, L. D. 2006. Did ice-age bovids spread tuberculosis? Naturwissenschaften, 93, 565-569.
Rothschild, B. M., Martin, L. D., Lev, G., Bercovier, H., Bar-Gal, G. K., Greenblatt, C., et al. 2001. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA from an extinct bison dated 17,000 years before the present. Origins of tuberculosis in North America. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2001 (1 Aug), 305-311. The Infectious Disease Society of America.
Scott, E., Rega, E., Scott, K., Bennett, B., & Sumida, S. 2015. A Pathological Timber Wolf (Canis lupus) femur from Rancho La Brea Indicates Extended Survival After Traumatic Amputation Injury. La Brea and Beyond: The paleontology of asphalt preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 33-36.
Sharp, C. 2016. The Palaeopathology of Zed (M. columbi): Analysing health to discern hunting in Pleistocene mammoths. MSc. in Archaeological Science, Durham University Department of Archaeology, UK
Shaw, C. A., Romig, M. L., & Heald, F. P. 2008. Congenital scoliosis in Smilodon fatalis (Mammalia; Felidae) from Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California. In X. Wang, & L. G. Barnes (Eds.), Geology and vertebrate paleontology of western and southern North America: Contributions in honour of David P. Whistler: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Science Series, 41, 383-388.
Shermis, S. 1985. Alveolar osteitis and other oral diseases in Smilodon californicus. Ossa, 12, 187-196.
Shermis, S. 1985. Canine fracture avulsion in Smilodon californicus. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 84 (2), 86-95.
Shermis, S. 1983. Healed massive pelvic fracture in a Smilodon from Rancho La Brea. PaleoBios, 1 (3), 121-126.
Young, F. B., & Cooper, A. L. (1927). A study in paleopathology. Radiology: Journal of the Radiological Society of North America, March, 1-11.
Young, F. B., & Cooper, A. L. 1926. Evidence of diseases as shown in fossil and prehistoric remains: Paleopathology. Transactions of the Section on Pathology and Physiology of the American Medical Association, 1926, 1-11.
For some lighter reading, a number of popular articles have been written that are inspired by Rancho La Brea.
Akersten, W. A. 1985. Of dragons and sabertooths. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 23 (5), 13-19.
Akersten, W.A. 1984. Metro Rail meets the Tar Pits. Terra Magazine: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 23 (1), 17-20.
Akersten, W. A. 1980. Fossils in asphalt. Science, 208, 550.
Barrows, A. G. 1970. New excavations for fossils at Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles. Mineral Information Service, 23 (1), 14-15.
Besser, R. 1977. The La Brea story and the history of man. George C. Page Museum, La Brea Discoveries. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Binkly, J. (Ed.) 1979. Putting California's museums on exhibit. Silver Circle News, 25 (Fall 1979), 20-23.
Black, C. C. 1992. From the director. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 2.
Borell, A. E. 1936. A modern La Brea tar pit. The Auk, 53, 298-300.
Branning, T. 1977. Oily grave of extinction. Seventy Six, Sept./Oct., 1977, 56 (5), 32-36. Union Oil Company of California.
Bryan, W. A. 1927. A Pleistocene park in the making. Los Angeles Museum Graphic, 1 (3), 77-82.
Burroughs, H. 1938. Pleistocene reborn: Prehistoric beasts feature of Los Angeles park. Nature Magazine, 31 (6), 329-332.
Camp, C. L. 1970. Earth song, a prologue to history. Palo Alto, CA: American West Publishing Company.
Campbell, K. E. Jr. 1992. The Teratorns. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 24.
Cox, S. M. 1992. The short-faced bear. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 25.
Dedera, D. 1978. Looking back at La Brea. The Lamp, 60 (2), 32-37. New York: Exxon Corporation.
Dedera, D. 1976. Petroleum and the American Indians. Exxon USA (Third Quarter), 15 (3), 16-21. The Public Affairs Department of Exxon Company, U.S.A.
Dorr, J. A. Jr. 1956. Terrors of the tar pits – two toenail sketches. Michigan Alumni Quarterly Review, 62 (18), 1-10.
Duque, J. & Barnes, L. G. 1975. Smilodon, is this how you looked? Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 14 (1), 18-24.
Edholm, C. L. 1914. Prehistoric man of Los Angeles. Technical World Magazine, 22 (2), 216-217.
Engstrand, I. H. W. 1989. California's ranchos: An enduring legacy. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 28 (2), 6-15.
Frost, R. 1925. The pits of Rancho La Brea. Mentor, 13 (7), 19-21.
Gill, D. 1970. The coyote and the sequential occupants of the Los Angeles Basin. American Anthropologist, 72(4), 821-826.
Hancock, G. A. 1964. A pictorial account of one man's score in fourscore years. San Jose, CA: Paramount Printing Company.
Hanna, G. D. 1924. Succinea avara Say, from the Tar Pits of California. Nautilus, 37 (3), 106.
Harris, J. M. 2010. (Ed.) Rancho La Brea: Treasures of the Tar Pits (2nd edition). Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Foundation.
Harris, J. M. 2001. (Ed.) Rancho La Brea: Death trap and Treasure Trove. Terra, 38 (2), 1-56. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Harris, J. M. 1996. Knight mural of Rancho La Brea. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 33 (2), 8-9.
Harris, J. M. 1992. Reconstructing a late Pleistocene environment. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 12-21.
Harris, J. M. 1989. Trapped in time: Restoration of Charles R. Knight mural. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 28 (2), 36-37.
Harris, J. M. & Jefferson, G. T. 1985. (Ed.) Rancho La Brea: Treasures of the Tar Pits (1st edition). Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Foundation.
Hebert, G. J. 1989. Rancho La Brea today. The Chesopiean, Chesopiean Library of Archaeology, 27 (1), 21-26.
Holliday, K. 1972. By tar preserved. West Magazine, 1972 (July), 11-14.
Howard, H. 1953. Forty years at Rancho La Brea. Reprinted from the Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 10 (2), 6-12. Los Angeles County Museum.
Howard, H. 1949. Adaptations. Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 7 (4), 11-15.
Hubbs, C. L. & Walker, B. W. 1947. Abundance of desert animals indicated by capture in fresh road tar. Ecology Magazine, 28 (4), 464-466.
Ineman, K. (Ed.). 1979. The tar pits yield their mysteries at Rancho La Brea. Adventure Road Magazine, 15 (3). 21-23. Chicago, IL: Amoco Enterprises, Inc.
Irwin, T. 1939. Hollywood deathtraps. The Family Circle, 14 (7), 10-12, & 22. Newark, NJ: The Family Circle, Inc.
Jefferson, G. T. 1992. A new view of an ancient landscape. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 22-23.
Jefferson, G. T. 1992. People and brea: A brief history of a natural resource. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 3-9.
Kemmerer, J. B. 1965. Nature's filing cabinets. Public Employees News (PEN), 34 (12), 15-19. Denver, CO: Federal Postal Employees Assn.
Kemmerer, J. B. 1963. Los Angeles 60,000 years ago. Science Digest, 1963 (Sept.), 48-51.
King, C. L. (n.d.). The accidental archaeologist. In Stanford Magazine, Centennial Issue, 147.
King, G. 1953. The mystery of the La Brea tar pits. Sir! Magazine (A Magazine for Males), 10 (7), 22-23, 51-52. New York: Volitant Publishing Corporation.
Kroeber, A. L. 1962. The Rancho La Brea skull. In R. F. Heizer (Ed.), American Antiquity, 27 (3), 416-417.
Lindsey, E. L. 2018. (Ed.) Rancho La Brea: Treasures of the Tar Pits (3rd edition). Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Foundation.
Link, H. A. 1992. Mount Fuji and the La Brea Tar Pits. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 44-47.
Los Angeles County Museum, Section of Paleontology. 1959. Prehistoric animals illustrated. Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles County Museum.
Lytle, J. W. 1926. The Rancho La Brea asphalt pits. Los Angeles Museum Graphic, 1 (1), 22-24.
MacDonald, J. R. 1969. Death trap of the ages. National Wildlife Magazine, 7 (6), 24-29.
MacDonald, J. R. & Macdonald, L. J. 1974. Sabretooth cats and imperial mammoths: A guidebook to fossil hunting in Southern California. Los Angeles, CA: The Ward Richie Press.
Marcus, L. F. 1992. Avenues of research. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 9-10.
Martin, C. M. 1950. Monsters of old Los Angeles: The prehistoric animals of the La Brea Tar Pits. New York: The Viking Press.
Matthew, W. D. 1913. The asphalt group of fossil skeletons. The tar pits of Rancho La Brea, California. American Museum Journal, 13, 292-297.
McDonald, H. G. 1991. Chester's sloths. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 32-33.
McNassor, C. 2011. Los Angeles's La Brea Tar Pits and Hancock Park. Arcadia Publishing, Charleston, South Carolina.
McNassor, C. 1992. Chester Stock, 1892-1950: A memorable fossil hunter. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 28-34.
McNassor, C. 1992. George Allan Hancock, 1875-1965. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 35.
McNassor, C. 1992. George C. Page. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 36-37.
Merriam, J. C. 1930. The living past. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Merriam, J. C. 1915. Significant features in the history of life on the Pacific coast. In J. C. Merriam, Nature and science of the Pacific coast (pp. 88-103). San Francisco: Paul Elder and Company.
Merriam, J. C. 1909. A death trap which antedates Adam and Eve: The discovery of a Californian tar-swamp that holds the bones of extinct monsters. Harper's Weekly, 53 (December), 11-12.
Merriam, J. C. 1908. Death trap of the ages. Sunset Magazine, 21 (6), 465-475.
Miller, G. J. 1972. Science and education at the Tar Pits (Part 2). Ward's Bulletin, 11 (80), 1, 4-5. Rochester, NY: Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Inc.
Miller, G. J. 1971. Science and education at the Tar Pits (Part 1). Ward's Bulletin, 11 (79), 1, 4, 6. Rochester, NY: Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Inc.
Miller, G. J. 1970. The Rancho La Brea project: 1969-1970. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Quarterly, 9 (1), 26-30.
Murray, C. S. 1977. The thrill of discovery. Los Angeles Times Home magazine, March 6, 1977. The Los Angeles Times.
Olsen, S. F. 1982. Caribou Creek. Audubon, 1982 (March) , 42-43.
Orcutt, M. L. 1954. The discovery in 1901 of the La Brea fossil beds. Historical Society of Southern California Quarterly, 36 (4), 338-341.
Osborn, H. F. 1925. Mammals and birds of the California tar pools: Rancho La Brea and McKittrick. Natural History, 527-543.
Pierce, W. D. 1949. A modern asphalt seep tells a story. Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 7 (3), 12-17
Quinn, J. P. 1992. The geologic setting of Rancho La Brea. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 38-41.
Raab, M. L. and J. F. Porcasi. 1994. Memorial to Roy Arnold Salls (1934-1993). Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology 16 (2):146-148.
Radinsky, L. & Emerson, S. 1982. The late, great sabertooths: Paleontologists wonder how these prehistoric animals killed their prey and why they evolved more than once. Natural History, 91 (4), 50-57. New York: American Museum of Natural History.
Randau, J. A. 1967. Making prehistory at the La Brea Tar Pits. Westways Magazine, 59 (8), 33-35. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Robinson, W. W., & Robinson, I. 1932. Beasts of the tar pits: Tales of ancient America. Los Angeles, CA: The Ward Ritchie Press.
Romig, M. L. 1984. The resurrection of Pit 91. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 23 (1), 14-16.
Salls, R. A. 1979. Chapapote. Desert Magazine, 42 (6), 24-27.
Scott, E. 1988. Treasures of the tar pits: Mount up! The skeletons of Rancho La Brea on display. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 26 (6), 11-13.
Scott, E. 1986. Out of the past: Hancock Park statuary brings prehistoric beasts to life. California Living, 27 April 1986, 18-21.
Scott, E. 1985. They live again: Sixty years of sculpture in Hancock Park. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 24 (1), 23-29.
Seidenbaum, A. 1972. Down at the digs, Feb. 24, 1972. Down at the digs II, Feb. 25, 1972. Tar Pit triumph, Mar. 28, 1972. Los Angeles Times.
Shaw, C. A. 1992. How the fossils were preserved. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 43.
Shaw, C. A. 1992. Old wounds: The paleopathology of Rancho La Brea. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 17.
Shaw, C. A. 1992. The sabertoothed cats. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 26-27.
Shaw, C. A. 1988. Body by Fischer and Bessom. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 26 (6), 13-26.
Shaw, C. A. & Cox, S. M. 1993. The giant short-faced bear. In Bears: Majestic creatures of the wild (pp. 22-23). Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, Incorporated.
Shaw, C. A., Quinn, J. P. 1992. Entrapment events. Terra Magazine, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 31 (1), 42.
Sibley, G. 1979. Seventieth anniversary of Academy excavations at Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 78 (3), 151-162.
Sibley, G. 1977. A new home for Rancho La Brea fossils. Ward's Bulletin: Biology, Earth Science, and Chemistry, 17 (105), 1 & 3. Rochester, NY: Ward's Natural Science Establishment, Inc.
Sibley, G. 1967. Exhibits in Hancock Hall. Los Angeles County Museum.
Sibley, G. 1967. La Brea story. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Education Division.
Sibley, G. (n.d.). La Brea fossils. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Division of Education, Education Series no. 4. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, George C. Page La Brea Discoveries Museum.
Simpson, D. (Ed.) 1972. Skulldiggery in La Brea: Recent diggings in the La Brea Tar Pits promise new insight into Ice Age man. Cosmos, 6 (8), 20-22.
Stevenson, M. 1978. Dire wolf systematics. Wolf and Man: Evolution in Parallel. Academic Press, New York, 179-196.
Stock, C. 2001. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. (7th ed., 2nd printing.). Revised by J. M. Harris. Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series No. 37. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Stock, C. 1992. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. (7th ed.). Revised by J. M. Harris. Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, No. 37. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Stock, C. 1956. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. (6th ed., Golden Anniversary Printing). Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, no. 20, Paleontology, 11. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum.
Stock, C. 1953. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. (5th ed.). Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, No. 15, Paleontology Publication, 9. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum.
Stock, C. 1946. Future development of Earth history and the study of fossils at Los Angeles County Museum. Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 5 (3), 8-9.
Stock, C. 1946. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. (3rd ed.). Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, No. 11, Paleontology Publication, 7. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum.
Stock, C. 1943. New Ice Age bison mount for Rancho La Brea exhibit. Los Angeles County Museum Quarterly, 3 (2), 12.
Stock, C. 1942. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. (2nd ed.). Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, No. 4, Paleontology Publication, 4. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum.
Stock, C. 1941. The ascent of Equus. The Thoroughbred, 1 (1), 11.
Stock, C. 1937. California buffalo of long ago. Balch Graduate School of the Geological Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Contribution No. 221. Reprinted from Westways Magazine, 29 (2), 29. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Stock, C. 1937. Tar babies. Westways Magazine, 29 (9), 26-27. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Stock, C. 1936. Ursus, or the past of the California bears. Balch Graduate School of the Geological Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Contribution No. 213. Reprinted from Westways Magazine, 28 (11) (November), 30. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Stock, C. 1932. Asphalt deposits and Quaternary life of Rancho La Brea. In H. S. Gale (Ed.), International Geological Congress, Sixteenth Session, United States, 1933,Guidebook 15, Excursion C-1: Southern California, (pp. 21-23). Washington: United States Government Printing Office.
Stock, C. 1930. Rancho La Brea: A record of Pleistocene life in California. Los Angeles County Museum, Science Series, No. 1. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum.
Stock, C. 1929. Report of researches by Chester Stock. Carnegie Institution Year Book Number 28, 1928-1929, 390-391.
Stock, C. 1927. Pleistocene flora and fauna. Science Magazine, 66 (1702), 1-2.
Stock, C. 1926. Report of Dr. Chester Stock. Carnegie Institution Year Book Number 25, 1925-1926, 403-407.
Stock, C. 1924. A recent discovery of ancient human remains in Los Angeles, California. Science Magazine, 60 (1540), 2-5.
Stock, C., & Butler, L. 1940. Out of the sea comes a land. (Geology). Westways Magazine, 1940 (July), 14-15. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Stock, C. & Butler, L. 1940. Fossils of our forebears. Westways Magazine, 1940 (August), 14-15. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Swarth, H. S. 1915. Guide to the exhibit of fossil animals from Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles Museum of History, Science and Art, Miscellaneous Publications, 1, 1-34.
Thomas, R. (Writer), Colan, G. (Artist), & Lee, S. (Ed.). 1970. Trapped in the Tar Pits of death! Daredevil, 66 (July 1970). New York: Marvel Comics Group.
Thompson, S. E. 1995. Death trap: The story of the La Brea tar pits. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Company.
Thorpe, W. H. 1931. The biology of the petroleum fly. Science Magazine, 73, 101-103.
Van Valkenburgh, B. 2001. A Review of Past and Present Carnivore Community Dynamics. Meat-eating and human evolution, 2, 101.
Van Valkenburgh, B. 1994. Tough times in the tar pits. Natural History 4: 84-85
Webster, R. 1979. Birding the Tar Pits – 12,000 B. C. Los Angeles Audubon Society, 45 (10), 1-5.
Wright, E. J. 1973. Making bones about it. Westways Magazine, 65 (12), 2-4. Los Angeles: Automobile Club of Southern California.
Wyman, L. E. 1927. La Brea in retrospect. Los Angeles Museum Graphic, 1 (3) 82-87.
Wyman, L. E. 1926. Museum sketches: An unwieldy exhibit explained. Los Angeles Museum Graphic, 1 (1), 32-34.
Wyman, L. E. 1918. Notes on the Pleistocene fossils obtained from Rancho La Brea asphalt pits. Los Angeles Museum, Miscellaneous Publications, 2, 1-35. (Revised 1922 and 1926.)
Small Vertebrates
Thousands of bones and teeth from small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish are found in the sediment we call matrix. Many more studies remain to be done on these ecosystems.
Akersten, W. A., Reynolds, R. L., & Tejada-Flores, A. E. 1979. Research notes: New mammalian records from the late Pleistocene of Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 78 (2), 141-143.
Bell, C. J. & Whistler, D. P. 1996. Fossil remains of the legless lizard, Anniella Gray, 1852 from late Pleistocene deposits at Rancho La Brea, California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 95 (2), 99-102.
Bell, C. J. & Dundas, R. G. 1993. Fossil lizards from Rancho La Brea in the collections of the University of California Museum of Paleontology. PaleoBios, 15 (2), 14-17.
Brattstrom, B. H. 1953. The amphibians and reptiles from Rancho La Brea. Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History, 11, 365-392.
Camp, C. L. 1917. An extinct toad from Rancho La Brea. University of California Publications Bulletin of the Department of Geological Services, 10 (17), 287-292. [TYPE: Bufo nestor sp. nov.]
Compton, L. V. 1937. Shrews from the Pleistocene of the Rancho La Brea asphalt. University Publications, Bulletins of the Department of Geological Sciences. In C. A. Andersen, C. L. Camp, R. W. Chaney, G. D. Louderback, & H. Williams, (Eds.). (1940). University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1936-1939, 24 (5), (pp. 85-90). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Dice, L. R. 1925. Rodents and lagomorphs of the Rancho La Brea deposits. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication, 349, 119-130.
Fox N.S., J.J. Veneracion and J.L. Blois. 2020. Are geometric morphometric analyses replicable? Evaluating landmark measurement error and its impact on extant and fossil Microtus classification. Ecology and Evolution, 10:3260–3275.
Fox, N.S., G.T. Takeuchi, A.B. Farrell and J.L. Blois. 2019. A protocol for differentiating late Quaternary leporids in southern California with remarks on Project 23 lagomorphs at Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California, USA. PaleoBios, 36. ucmp_paleobios_46192.
Grinnell, J. 1923. The burrowing rodents of California as agents in soil formation. Journal of Mammalogy, 4(3):137-149.
Hall, E. R. 1936. Mustelid mammals from the Pleistocene of North America with systematic notes of some recent members of the genera Mustela, Taxidea, and Mephitis. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication, 473, 41-119.
Kellogg, L. 1912. Pleistocene rodents of California. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology. In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 7 (8), (pp. 151-168). Berkeley: University of California Press.
LaDuke, T. C. 1991. The fossil snakes of Pit 91, Rancho La Brea, California. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 424, 1-28.
LaDuke, T. C. 1983 The fossil snake fauna of Pit 91, Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles County, California. Master of Science Thesis, Department of Zoology, Michigan State University.
Swift, C. C. 1989. Late Pleistocene freshwater fishes from the Rancho La Brea deposit, Southern California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 88 (3), 93-102.
Whistler, D. P. 1989. Late Pleistocene chipmunk Tamias (Mammalia: Scuiridae) from Rancho La Brea, Los Angeles, California. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 88 (3), 117-122.
Techniques, Curation, and Experiments
Science in action! There are still lots of new techniques and experiments being tested at Rancho La Brea.
Brown, C., Curd, E. & Friscia, A. 2017. An Actualistic experiment to determine skeletonization and disarticulation in the La Brea tar seeps. PALAIOS 32:119-124
Jefferson, G. T. 1989. Digitized sonic location and computer imaging of Rancho La Brea specimens from the Page Museum salvage. Current Research in the Pleistocene, 6, 45-47.
Johnson Pham, K. 2015. GIS data curation and web map application for La Brea Tar Pits fossil occurrences in Los Angeles, California. Master of Science Thesis, University of Southern California.
Miller, G. J. 1971. Some new and improved methods for recovering and preparing fossils as developed on the Rancho La Brea project. Curator, 14 (4), 293-307.
Mount, R. L. 1972. Abrasive techniques greatly enhance fossil recovery. Abrasive Engineering, 19 (5), 16-19. Hitchcock Publishing.
Rice, K., Sessions, A., Lai, K., & Takeuchi, G. T. 2015. New Technique to Remove Asphalt from Microfossil-rich Matrix from Rancho La Brea. La Brea and beyond: The paleontology of asphalt-preserved biotas, ed. JM Harris. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Science Series, (42), 169-174.
Shaw, C. A. 1982. Techniques used in excavation, preparation, and curation of fossils from Rancho La Brea. Curator, 25 (1), 63-77.
Thomer, A.K. 2017. Curatorial Processes at Scientifically significant sites. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Winans, M. C., & Winans, R. C. 1982. Measuring systems, techniques, and equipment for taphonomic studies. Practical Archaeology: Field and Laboratory Techniques and Archaeological Logistics. Dillion, B. Ed. Archaeological Research Tools, Institute of Archaeology, 2, 45-58. University of California Los Angeles.
Wyckoff, R. W. G., & Doberenz, A. R. 1965. The electron microscopy of Rancho La Brea bone. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, 53 (2), 230-233.
Taphonomy
This is the study of how an organism decayed and became a fossil.
Spencer, L. M., B. Van Valkenbergh, and J. M. Harris. 2003. Taphonomic analysis of large mammals recovered from the Pleistocene Rancho La Brea tar seeps. Paleobiology 29 (4): 561-575
Stock, C. 1929. Significance of abraded and weathered mammalian remains from Rancho La Brea. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 28 (1), 1-5.
Marcus, L. F. 1960. A census of the abundant large Pleistocene mammals from Rancho La Brea. Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science, 38, 1-11.
Merriam, J. C. 1921. An outline of progress in palaeontological research on the Pacific coast. University of California Publications, Bulletin of the Department of Geology/University of California Publications in Geology, 12 (3). In A. C. Lawson, & J. C. Merriam (Eds.), University of California Publications in Geological Sciences, 1919-1921, (pp. 237-266). Berkeley: University of California Press.
Merriam, J. C. 1911. The fauna of Rancho La Brea: Part 1: Occurrence. Memoirs of the University of California, 1 (2), 197-213.
Merriam, J. C. 1906. Recent discoveries of Quaternary mammals in Southern California. Science, 24, 248-250.
Savage, D.E. Downs, T., & Poe, O. J. 1954. Cenozoic land life of Southern California. In Geology of Southern California, Division of Mines Bulletin 170 (Chapter 3, Contribution 6, pp. 43-58). Reprinted for the Museum Association, Los Angeles County Museum (1959).
Stock, C. 1929. A census of the Pleistocene mammals of Rancho La Brea, based on the collections of the Los Angeles Museum. Journal of Mammalogy, 10 (4), 281-289.