PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Denver Museum of Natural HistorySERIES 3, NUMBER 6, JULY 1, 1994

TYPE SPECIMENS OF MAMMALS IN THE

DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

CHERI A. JONESDepartment of Zoology,

Denver Museum of Natural History,2001 Colorado Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80205-5798

ABSTRACT—A systematic list of the nine holotypes of Holocene NorthAmerican mammals retained in the research collection of the Denver Museum ofNatural History is presented. Comments regarding the present taxonomic status and con-dition of the specimens are included.

KEY WORDS: Bovidae, Cervidae, Colorado, Geomyidae, holotype, Muridae,Mustelidae, paratype, Sciuridae

The collection of Holocene mammals in theDenver Museum of Natural History (DMNH), formerlythe Colorado Museum of Natural History, includes ninetype specimens (holotypes) of taxa described between1915 and 1933.

Names of one species and eight subspecies arelisted below, with citations to the original publisheddescriptions, indications of present taxonomic status, orig-inal documentation of type localities, original numbers onspecimen labels, current condition of specimens, andremarks. Taxonomic arrangement follows that of Wilsonand Reeder (1993).

TYPE SPECIMENSORDER CARNIVORA

FAMILY MUSTELIDAE

SUBFAMILY MEPHITINAE

Conepatus mesoleucus figginsi F. W. Miller.Journal of Mammalogy 6:50, 9 February 1925.

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 1961, adult male, skin and skull.Furnace Canon, western Baca County, Colorado.Collected by S. O. Singer on 22 November 1922.Original number, none.Well-made skin in good condition; skull complete.

REMARKS: Another specimen (DMNH 1964), adultmale, skin only, from the same locality, collectedby S. O. Singer on 2 December 1922, bears a skinlabel with the inscription " Co-type. " This is a well-made skin in good condition. Not explicitly men-tioned by Miller, this specimen probably was oneof several examined by him and should be consid-ered a paratype according to Recommendation72B of the International Code of ZoologicalNomenclature (1985).

Conepatus mesoleucus fremonti F. W. Miller.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 1) 12:1, 22 July 1933.

CHERI A. JONES

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 2506, adult male, skin only.Garden Park, near Canon City, Fremont County,Colorado. Collected by C. J. Williams on 1February 1932. Original number, none.Well-made skin in good condition; terminal pha-langes missing on left front foot.

REMARKS: Armstrong (1972:294) reported a secondspecimen of C. in. fremonti from El Paso County inthe E. R. Warren collection. This specimen evi-dently is the second skull examined by Miller(1933:1) and should be considered a paratypeaccording to Recommendation 72B (Code, 1985).

SUBFAMILY TAXIDIINAE

Taxidea taxusphippsi Figgins.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 1) 2:[1], 10 April 1918.Now a junior subjective synonym of T. t. berlandieriBaird according to Schantz. (1950:91).

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 939, adult male, skin and skull.Northeast of Chromo, Archuleta County, Colorado.Collected by L. R. Hersey on 19 July 1913. Originalnumber, none.Tanned skin in good condition; skull in good con-dition, except lower left second premolar is missing.

REMARKS: There are three labels on the skin of the bolo-type; two indicate that the specimen is a male, oneindicates that it is a female. However, based onexamination of the skull and other records, itappears that the specimen is indeed a male.There is a second specimen (DMNII 947), adultfemale, skin and skull, from the same locality, col-lected on 6 July 1913 by H. H. Sheldon. The speci-men bears labels with the original number 864.The skin label bears the inscription "Co-type" andshould be considered a paratype according toRecommendation 72B (Code, 1985). The skin istanned and in good condition; the skull is missingthe upper incisors, the upper right first premolar,and the upper left second premolar.Long (1972:747), in his taxonomic revision of thespecies, upheld Schantz's (1950:91) referral of T.t. phippsi to the subspecies berlandieri.

FAMILY CERVIDAE

SUBFAMILY ODOCOILEINAE

Odocoileus virginianus mcilhennyi F. W. Miller.Journal of Mammalogy 9:57, 9 February 1928.

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 2340, adult male, full-body mount.Near Avery Island, Iberia Parish, Louisiana.Collected on 2 December 1925 by A. M. Bailey.Original number, none.Taxidermy mount with considerable deteriorationof the feet, legs, hips, and right side of the head.Skull within the body mount.

Denver Museum of Natural History

REMARKS: Although on exhibit for some time, the holo-type now is stored properly. This holotype was oneof five animals collected in the area on differentdates and deposited in the DMNH. These speci-mens include DMNH 2339, adult female (skinonly); DMNH 2341, second-year female (full-bodymount); DMNH 2342, yearling female (full-bodymount); DMNH 2343, immature male (skullonly). Cranial measurements of the four paratypesare listed by Miller (1928).

Rangifer mcguirei Figgins.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 1) 3:[1-5], 28 December 1919.Now a junior subjective synonym of R. taranduscaribou (Gmelin) according to Banfield (1961:72).

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 1846, adult male, skull only. KletsonCreek, a tributary of the White River, 4 mi [6.4km] east of the Alaska-Yukon boundary. Collectedby A. C. Rogers on 9 September 1918. Originalnumber, 23.Skull with antlers removed, wired together at mid-sagittal line, upper canines and lower incisors miss-ing; skull cracked and fragile. Antlers have notbeen located.

REMARKS: Figgins (1919) noted that six of these caribouwere collected during August and September of1918, but he did not list specimen numbers orexplicitly designate them as paratypes. Six speci-mens entered as R. mcguirei are listed in theDMNH mammal catalog. A second specimen,DMNH 1847 (adult male, skin only), was collectedby A. C. Rogers on 9 September 1918. This tannedskin is in good condition. Examination of therecords reveals that four additional specimenswere collected in the area by H. C. James and W.H. James in 1918. These specimens includeDMNH 1848 (male), DMNH 1849 (female),DMNH 1850 (male), and DMNH 1851 (female).Except for the dentaries of DMNH 1850, thesespecimens have not been found.

FAMILY BOVIDAE

SUBFAMILY BOVINAE

Bison bison haningtoni Figgins.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 1) 12:30, 5 December 1933.Now a junior subjective syononym of B. b. athabas-rae Rhoads according to Skinner and Kaisen 1947:164.

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 2, adult male, full-body mount.Head of Rock Creek, northeast South Park (alti-tude 10,500 feet [3200 m]), Park County,Colorado. Obtained by E. Carter in late December1872. Original number, none.

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TYPE SPECIMENS OF MAMMALS IN THE DENVER MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Well-made taxidermy mount in good condition;skull within the body mount.

REMARKS: The paratype (erroneously designated "co-type ") mentioned by Figgins (1933:30) is housedin the DMNH vertebrate paleontology collection(EPV# 1369). This specimen is a skull only (nomandible) of an adult male collected at Alma,Park County, Colorado, by F. W. Miller and R.L.Landsberg in May 1932. Horn cores are intact;all teeth except one premolar and two molarsare missing.The holotype was on exhibit until 1993, when itwas removed and stored. It was one of five bisontaken in the area and deposited in the DMNH; allare full-body mounts. The specimens includeDMNH 1 (adult male), DMNH 3 (adult female),DMNH 4 (adult female, not located), and DMNH5 (immature female). Seven additional skulls inthe DMNH vertebrate paleontology collection(EPV# 1370-1374, 1441, and 1442) were desig-nated B. b. haningtoni and presumably representmaterial examined by Figgins. Specimens fromPark County represent the southernmost range ofB. b. athabascae (Hall 1981). Meaney and VanVuren (1993) listed specimens of B. bison knownfrom the mountainous regions of Colorado.

ORDER RODENTIA

FAMILY SCIURIDAE

SUBFAMILY SCIURINAE

Marmots flaviventris campioni Figgins.Proceedings of the Biological Society ofWashington 28:147, 21 September 1915.Now a junior subjective synonym of M. f luteola

A. H. Howell according to Warren (1936:396).HOLOTYPE: DMNH 1235, adult male, skin and skull.

Detached range between the "North Fork " andNorth Platte River, 8 mi [12.87 km] north of Higho,Jackson County, Colorado. Collected by H. H.Sheldon on 19 June 1914. Original number, 832.Well-made skin in good condition; skull complete.

REMARKS: Paratype DMNH 1234, adult female, skin andskull. Collected at the same locality on the samedate by H. H. Sheldon. Original number, 833.Well-made skin in good condition; tail broken atthe base. Skull with zygomatic arches broken; righttemporal with a small hole.Locality is listed as Boettcher Ranch, JacksonCounty on specimen tags. However, Figgins(1915:147) listed the type locality as given above.

FAMILY GEOMYIDAESUBFAMILY GEOMYINAE

Thomomys talpoides macrotis F. W. Miller.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of Natural

Denver Museum of Natural History

History (Ser. 1) 9:41, 14 December 1930.HOLOTYPE: DMNH 2412, adult male, skin and skull.

D'Arcy Ranch, 2 mi [3.2 km] N Parker, DouglasCounty, Colorado, at approximately 5700 feet[1737 m] altitude. Collected by F. W. Miller on 22October 1930. Original number, none.Well-made skin in excellent condition; skull withmandibles separated, lower left incisor split, andupper left incisor broken (fragments retained) .

PARATYPES: DMNH 2411, female, skin and skull; DMNH2413, female, skin and skull (not found); DMNH2414, male, skin and skull; DMNH 2415, male,skin and skull.

REMARKS: Five specimens were collected "along theCherry Creek bottoms on the northern edge of theArkansas-Platte divide, in Douglas Co. " (Miller1930:41). These are the paratypes listed above. Twoadditional specimens, DMNII 2424 and DMNH2425, were collected on 5 November 1930. Miller(1930) listed cranial and external measurements ofall seven specimens.

FAMILY MURIDAE

SUBFAMILY SIGMODONTINAE

Neotoma albigula laplataensis F. W. Miller.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 1) 12:2, 22 July 1933.

HOLOTYPE: DMNH 721, adult male, skin and skull. NearBondad, La Plata County, Colorado. Collected by L.R. Hersey on 20 June 1913. Original number, none.Skin in fair condition; skull complete.

REMARKS: This specimen, reported previously as N. a.albigula Hartley, was among the first specimens ofthe subspecies taken from the state of Colorado(Miller 1931:432). Miller (1933) also examinedthree additional specimens from Four Corners,Montezuma County: DMNH 770 (adult male,skin and skull); DMNH 2507 (adult male, skinand skull), and DMNH 2508 (adult female, skinand skull). These specimens should be consid-ered paratypes.

DISCUSSIONIt is of interest to note that all of the aforemen-

tioned type specimens of mammals (one species, eightsubspecies) in the Denver Museum of Natural Historywere described by personnel employed by the museum. J.D. Figgins was director of the museum from 1910 to 1935.F. W. Miller served as both preparator (1921—1924) andcurator (1925-1935).

Seven of these specimens are of special historicsignificance in that they were used to document early stud-ies of mammals of Colorado. The other two documentearly findings regarding mammals of the NorthwestTerritory and Louisiana. Even in the early parts of the cen-

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CHERI A. JONES

tury, DMNH personnel ranged far and wide in pursuit ofscientific knowledge about mammals documented by spec-imens. In addition, the work of the Denver Museum ofNatural History over the years has been important in mak-ing information about mammals from around the worldavailable to the general public.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSI thank Drs. Jerry R. Choate, Robert B. Finley, Jr.,

and Clyde Jones for reviews of an early draft of themanuscript.

LITERATURE CITEDARMSTRONG, D. M. 1972. Distribution of mammals in

Colorado. Monograph of the Museum of NaturalHistory, The University of Kansas, No. 3. x + 415 pp.

BANFIELD, A. W. F. 1961. A revision of the reindeer andcaribou, genus Rangifer. National Museum ofCanada Bulletin 177:vi + 137 pp.

FIGGINS, J. D. 1915. Diagnosis of a new subspecies of mar-mot from Colorado. Proceedings of the BiologicalSociety of Washington 28:147–148.1918. Description of a new subspecific form ofTaxidea taxus from Colorado. Proceedings of theColorado Museum of Natural History (Ser. 1)2:[1].

1919. Description of a new species of caribou fromthe region of the Alaska-Yukon boundary.Proceedings of the Colorado Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 1) 3:[1—5].1933. The bison of the western area of theMississippi Basin. Proceedings of the ColoradoMuseum of Natural History (Ser. 1) 12:16–33.

HALL, E. R. 1981. The mammals of North America.Second ed. John Wiley & Sons, New York. Vol.2:601–1181 + 90 pp.

INTERNATIONAL CODE OF ZOOLOGICAL NOMEN-CLATURE. 1985. Third ed. International Trust forZoological Nomenclature, London, xx + 338 pp.

LONG, C. A. 1972. Taxonomic revision of the NorthAmerican badger, Taxidea taxus. Journal ofMammalogy 53:725—759.

MEANEY, C. A. & D. VAN VUREN. 1993. Recent distribu-tion of bison in Colorado west of the Great Plains.Proceedings of the Denver Museum of NaturalHistory (Ser. 3) 4:1—10.

MILLER, F. W. 1925. A new hog-nosed skunk. Journal ofMammalogy 6:50—51.1928. A new white-tailed deer from Louisiana.

Journal of Mammalogy 9:57–59.1930. A new Colorado pocket gopher of the genusThomomys. Proceedings of the Colorado Museumof Natural History (Ser. 1) 11:41—43.1931. Notes on some Colorado wood rats. Journalof Mammalogy 12:432.1933. Two new Colorado mammals. Proceedingsof the Colorado Museum of Natural History (Ser.1) 12:1—2.

SCHANTZ, V. A. 1950. A new badger from Montana.Journal of Mammalogy 31:90—92.

SKINNER, M. F. & O. C. KAISEN. 1947. The fossil Bison ofAlaska and preliminary revision of the genus.Bulletin of the American Museum of NaturalHistory 89:123—256.

WARREN, E. R. 1936. The marmots of Colorado. Journalof Mammalogy 17:392—398.

WILSON, D. E. & D. M. REEDER, editors. 1993. Mammalspecies of the world: a taxonomic and geographicreference. Second ed. Smithsonian InstitutionPress, Washington, D.C. xviii + 1206 pp.

Editor: Richard S. PeiglerManaging Editor: Betsy R. Armstrong

Design and Production: Kay F. Herndon

©1994 DMNH

Printed on acid-free paper

Denver Museum of Natural History

Series 3, No. 6, p.4, July 1, 1994