The fauna of the Merychippus zone, north Coalinga District, California

Abstract

The fauna from the Merychippus zone, north of Coalinga, California, was first described by J. C. Merriam in 1915. The assemblage as listed by Merriam included four genera of land mammals, namely, Merychippus, Proethennops, Procamelus and Telrabelodon. As recognized by Dr. Merriam, the discovery of mammalian remains in the marginal marine series of California possesses particular significance in that it furnishes an important aid in determining the time relationships between the marginal marine deposits of the Pacific Coast and the continental formations of the Great Basin and Great Plains areas of North America. The present studies were initiated, therefore, with a view to enlarging the fauna from this horizon and to establishing more accurately the time relationships of the assemblage. Moreover, it seemed desirable to record information concerning the mode of accumulation of the fossiliferous deposits and of the ecologic conditions under which the fauna existed.