Page 8 - DesMoinesRiver

PLEISTOCENE FAUNA IN IOWA

Holocene was characterized by a gradual warm- Taxon Common Name Taxon Common Name
ing trend that began about 11,500 B.P. (Before Rodents (Rodentia),
Present) and lasted until 8,000 B.P. The warmer, Marsupials (Marsupialia) oppossum Continued western jumping mouse
dryer climate resulted in dramatic changes in the woodchuck or ground hog
plant and animal populations. Communities in masked shrew Carnivores (Carnivora) marmots
western Iowa changed to a prairie biome, and gray and fox squirrel
vegetation in central and eastern Iowa shifted northern water shrew Anteaters, Armadillos, southern flying squirrel
from a conifer-dominated environment to mixed Sloths (Edentata) porcupine
deciduous forests of oak and hickory (Baker et arctic shrew coyote
al. 1990; Bettis et al. 1990; Peterson and Wendt Odd-Toed Animals gray wolf
1999:5). Insectivores (Insectovora) pygmy shrew (Perissodactyla) American lion
northern short-tail shrew bobcat
The warm dry climatic episode ended about Even-Toed Animals black bear
5,000 B.P., and conditions gradually became Kirkland’s short-tail shrew (Artiodactyla) short-faced bear
more like those we know today. Throughout the mink
Holocene, familiar modern animals inhabited least shrew Elephants long-tailed weasel
Iowa. In fact, wildlife was a conspicuous feature (Proboscidea) striped skunk
of the land commented upon by early European eastern mole raccoon
visitors to the state. The variety was astonishing, red fox
more than 450 species lived in the state, and at eastern pipistrel badger
least another 190 migrated through or occurred Jefferson’s sloth
occasionally (Dinsmore 1994:1–2). Faunal as- Bats (Chiroptera) northern long-eared bat Harlin’s ground sloth
semblages from archaeological sites in southeast plain nosed bat beautiful armadillo (giant)
Iowa document the presence of deer, elk, bison, complex-toothed horse
wolf, and bear, along with a variety of smaller big brown bat Niobrara horse
animals including fur-bearers such as bobcat, Scott’s horse
otter, fox, raccoon, skunk, muskrat, beaver, Rabbits and Hares cottontails 3-toed horse
and mink (Dinsmore 1994; Peterson and Wendt flat-headed peccary
1999:5). Birds included eagles, trumpeter swans, (Lagomorpha) hares caribou
passenger pigeons, prairie chickens, pelicans, Hartan’s muskox
and whooping cranes, along with game birds like giant beaver fugitive deer
turkey, grouse, waterfowl, and song birds which shrub ox
are still abundant today (Dinsmore 1994). eastern chipmunk moose,extinct
bison
least chipmunk extinct bison
camel
13-lined ground squirrel stag moose
elk (wapiti)
Franklin’s ground squirrel whitetail deer
muskox
prairie dog Columbian mammoth
Imperial mammoth
red squirrel wooly mammoth
Jefferson’s mammoth
northern pocket gopher American mastodon

plains pocket gopher extinct mastodont

deer mouse

white-footed mouse

grasshopper mouse

harvest mouse

woodrats

Rodents (Rodentia) boreal red-back vole
heather vole

meadow vole

yellow-cheeked vole

prairie vole

woodland vole

tundra vole

singing vole

yellow-nosed vole

collard lemming

brown lemming

muskrat

southern bog lemming

northern bog lemming

meadow jumping mouse

8 A River of Unrivaled Advantages—Life Along the Lower Des Moines River