Smith Creek Cave

Smith Creek Cave

NV: WHITE PINE CO. 1950 M.

General Description.—LACM, VP Locality 1138 = CIT Locality 251.

Kurtén and Anderson 1980: 1878 m. 33 km N Baker. 242 m above valley floor.

Mead et al. 1982: In Snake Range. South-facing slope, relatively xeric, sparse pinyon-juniper woodland, active talus formation, high above canyon bottom. 1950 m.

Brattstrom (1976): Approximately 34 mi N Baker. Located at 6200 ft, 1500 ft above Smith Creek stream channel, ca. 6 mi W Utah-Nevada state line, N of U.S. Hwy. 6.

Stratigraphy as known from northwest sections of cave established from excavations of Test Pits 2 and 3 as reported by Bryan 1979a— et al. follow this stratigraphy in their work:  lowest unit is the Cemented White Silt Zone; eroded away in northwestern section of cave before deposition of second layer, the Reddish-brown Silt Zone with an erosional disconformity. Reddish-brown Silt Zone very fossiliferous; no organic remains, including charcoal, seen. Permineralization has occurred with all red-stained bone; younger, contaminating bones white, not mineralized. Bryan indicated probable contemporaneity with the Laminated Pink Silt and Rubble Zone recognized at mouth of cave; latter with few bones. Laminated Pink Silt and Rubble Zone overlain by the Bristlecone Pine and Sheep Dung Zone.

Age.—Mead et al. 1982:  Date from lower boundary of Bristlecone Pine and Sheep Dung Zone of 12,600 ± 170 (A-1565). Thus the Laminated Pink Silt and Rubble Zone (and, by correlation, the Reddish-brown Silt Zone) presumably older than this. A ¹⁴C date about which there is some confusion (see Mead et al. 1982) probably is from collagen from unidentified red-stained bone scrap from Test Pit 2 and has an age of 28,650 ± 760 (TX-1639).

Willig and Aikens 1988: Five dates on culturally deposited hearth charcoal bracket the Mt. Moriah occupation between 9,940 ± 160 BP (TX-1420) and 11,140 ± 200 (TX-1637). Cite Bryan (1988) as reporting dates of 10,840 ± 250 (Riddl-795), 12,060 ± 450 (Riddl-797), and 14,220 ± 650 (Riddl-796) on bovid, camelid, and artiodactyl hair samples from the same zone. However, association not guaranteed and pine needles from sterile layer below dated at 12,600 ± 170 (A-1565).

Bryan (1988) records three more dates on the bristlecone layer, indicating that a date(s) between 12,600 and 13,000 is correct for the bottommost level and thus the 14,220 date is wrong. He also argues (probably convincingly) that Thompson's 1985a work on woodrat middens is incorrect.

Comments.—Type locality of Spizaetus willetti (Howard 1935), Teratornis incredibilis (Howard 1952), and Oreamnos harringtoni (Stock 1936). Material listed first below predates Mead et al. (1982) and mostly cannot be placed to stratigraphic level. Mead et al. (1982) also supply lists of mammals from Goodrich (1965) and Miller (1979).  According to Brattstrom (1976), early excavations were by M. R. Harrington of the Southwestern Museum; then a field party from LACM during Oct 1955, with T. Downs, R. M. Ariss, and L. Bessom collecting by careful screening. Brattstrom (1976) gives depths of herp specimens treated. He also lists some invertebrates recovered.

Publications.—Brattstrom 1958,*1976; Brodkorb 1963, 1964, 1967, 1971; Bryan 1979a, 1980, 1988; (Guilday et al. 1967); Goodrich 1965; Harrington 1934; Harris 1985; Howard 1935, 1952, 1964b, 1968; Mead et al. 1982; Kurtén and Anderson 1980; Long and Rippeteau 1974; Miller 1979; Nowak 1979; Stock 1936; Thompson 1979; Thompson and Mead 1982; (Willig and Aikens 1988).

Fauna.— Summary of herps by level (Brattstrom 1976):

• Top 6" and hearth area: Bufo, Phrynosoma, Pituophis, Coluber, Lampropeltis, and Crotalus.
• 6" to 18": Bufo, Rana, Scaphiopus, Uta, Sceloporus magister and S. graciosus, Crotaphytus, Pituophis, Hypsiglena, Lampropeltis, and Crotalus.
• 18" to 60": Bufo, Coluber, Crotaphytus, Lampropeltis, Pituophis, Masticophis, and Crotalus.

AMPHIBIA

• Bufo sp. Brattstrom 1976;
• ? Rana Brattstrom 1976;
• Scaphiopus cf. hammondi Brattstrom 1976;

REPTILIA

• Crotaphytus sp. Brattstrom 1976;
• Sceloporus graciosus Brattstrom 1976 (mummified);
• Sceloporus magister Brattstrom 1976;
• Uta stansburiana Brattstrom 1976;
• Phrynosoma platyrhinos Brattstrom 1976;
• Coluber constrictor Brattstrom 1976;
• Masticophis flagellum Brattstrom 1976;
• Pituophis melanoleucus Brattstrom 1976;
• Lampropeltis getulus Brattstrom 1976;
• Hypsiglena torquata Brattstrom 1976;
• Crotalus viridis Brattstrom 1976;

AVES

• Podilymbus podiceps Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1963;
• Podiceps caspidus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1963;
• Branta canadensis Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1963;
• Anabernicula gracilenta Howard 1952, 1964b; Brodkorb 1964;
• Anas platyrhynchos Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Anas acuta Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Anas crecca carolinensis Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Anas ? discors Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Anas americana Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Anas clypeata Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Aythya marila Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Aythyini gen. et sp. indet. Howard 1952;
• Melanitta perspicillata Howard 1952; not listed by Brodkorb 1964;
• Teratornis incredibilis Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Breagyps clarki Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• [? Gymnogyps californianus Howard 1952— only Breagyps— Steadman and Emslie 1987]
• Coragyps occidentalis Howard 1952, 1968; Brodkorb 1964;
• Cathartes aura (prob. Holocene) Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Neogyps errans Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Spizaetus willetti Howard 1935, 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Aquila chrysaetos Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Buteo swainsoni Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Buteo jamaicensis Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Buteo lagopus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Circus cyaneus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Falco mexicanus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Falco sparverius Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Fulica americana Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964;
• Rallus sp. Howard 1952;
• Centrocercus urophasianus Harris 1985; Howard 1952; Brodkorb
• Tympanuchus ? phasianellus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1964, without query;
• Catoptrophorus semipalmatus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1967;
• Capella ? gallinago Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1967 without question
• Recurvirostra americana Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1967;
• Himantopus ? mexicanus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1967;
• Phalarope sp. Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1967 gives as P. fulicarius, but only cites Howard 1952;
• Zenaida macroura Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Bubo virginianus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Asio flammeus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Strix ? occidentalis Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Aegolius acadicus Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Chordeiles minor Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Aeronautes saxatilis Howard 1952; Brodkorb 1971;
• Nucifraga ? columbiana Howard 1952;
• Corvus corax Howard 1952;
• Corvus brachyrhynchos Howard 1952;
• Pica pica Howard 1952;
• Jay sp. Howard 1952;
• Turdus migratorius Howard 1952;
• ? Agelaius phoeniceus Howard 1952;
• Fringillidae gen. et sp. indet. Howard 1952;

REDDISH-BROWN SILT ZONE

OSTEICHTHYES

• Salmo clarki Mead et al. 1982;
• Gila atraria Mead et al. 1982;

AMPHIBIA

• Scaphiopus cf. intermontanus Mead et al. 1982;
• Bufo boreas Mead et al. 1982;
• Bufo cf. woodhousei Mead et al. 1982;
• Rana sp. Mead et al. 1982;

REPTILIA

• Crotaphytus collaris Mead et al. 1982;
• Crotaphytus wislizeni Mead et al. 1982;
• Sceloporus magister Mead et al. 1982;
• Sceloporus occidentalis/undulatus, cf. occidentalis Mead et al. 1982;
• Sceloporus graciosus Mead et al. 1982;
• Phrynosoma platyrhinos Mead et al. 1982;
• Phrynosoma douglassi Mead et al. 1982;
• Cnemidophorus cf. tigris Mead et al. 1982;
• Pituophis melanoleucus Mead et al. 1982;
• Lampropeltis pyromelana Mead et al. 1982;
• Lampropeltis triangulum Mead et al. 1982;
• Rhinocheilus lecontei Mead et al. 1982;
• Thamnophis sp. Mead et al. 1982;
• Hypsiglena torquata Mead et al. 1982;
• Crotalus cf. viridis Mead et al. 1982;

MAMMALIA

• Soricidae Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• ? Antrozous pallidus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Ochotona princeps Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982; Kurtén and Anderson 1980;
• Sylvilagus sp. Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Brachylagus idahoensis Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Lepus sp. Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Ammospermophilus leucurus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Spermophilus cf. richardsoni (presumably = S. cf. elegans) Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Spermophilus cf. beldingi Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Spermophilus cf. lateralis Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Tamias minimus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Tamias cf. umbrinus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Marmota flaviventris Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Thomomys cf. talpoides Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Perognathus cf. parvus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Microdipodops cf. megacephalus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Dipodomys cf. ordii Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Peromyscus sp. Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Neotoma lepida Harris 1985, Mead et al. 1982;
• Neotoma cinerea Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Phenacomys cf. intermedius Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Microtus cf. montanus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Microtus cf. longicaudus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Erethizon dorsatum Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Canis cf. latrans Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Canis lupus Nowak 1979; Mead et al. 1982 (question identification or age assignment);
• Vulpes vulpes Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Vulpes velox Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• ? Ursus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Bassariscus astutus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Martes nobilis Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Mustela erminea Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Mustela vison Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Taxidea taxus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Spilogale putorius Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Lynx rufus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Felis concolor Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Panthera onca Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Panthera ? leo atrox Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Equus sp. (large) Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Equus sp. (small) Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Camelops sp. Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• ? Hemiauchenia Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Cervus elaphus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• ? Odocoileus Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Antilocapra americana Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• ? Capromeryx Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• ? Bison Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;
• Oreamnos harringtoni Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982; Kurtén and Anderson 1980; Harington 1971;
• Ovis canadensis Harris 1985; Mead et al. 1982;

GENERALIZED (ALL LEVELS)

• Spermophilus cf. townsendii Mead et al. 1982

Last Update: 31 December 1998.