Ancient Bison

''Bison antiquus'' is an extinct species of bison that lived in North America during the Late Pleistocene from over 60,000 years ago until around 10,000 years ago. ''Bison antiquus'' was one of the most common large herbivores in North America during this time period. It is the direct ancestor of the living American bison.C. G Van Zyll de Jong , 1986, A systematic study of recent bison, with particular consideration of the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads 1898), p.53, National Museum of Natural Sciences

History of discovery

The first described remains of ''Bison antiquus'' were collected at Big Bone Lick, Kentucky in Pleistocene deposits in the 1850s and only consisted of a fragmentary posterior skull and a nearly complete horn core. The fossil ( ANSP 12990) was briefly described by Joseph Leidy in 1852. Although the original fossils were fragmentary, a complete skull of an old male was discovered in southern California and were described as a new species, ''B. californicus'', by Samuel Rhoads in 1897, but the species is considered synonymous with ''B. antiquus''. Since the 19th century, several well preserved specimens of ''B. antiquus'' have been discovered in many parts of the United States, Canada, and southern Mexico.

Distribution

''Bison antiquus'' is known from fossils found across North America south of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (whose southernmost extent is around the modern United States-Canada border), ranging from southern Canada (southern Alberta and OntarioMcDonald, J. N., & Lammers, G. E. (2002). ''Bison antiquus'' from Kenora, Ontario, and notes on the evolution of North American Holocene bison. ''Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology'', 93, 83–97.) in the north, and Washington State and California in the west, southwards to Southern Mexico and eastwards to South Carolina and Florida.

Description

Compared to the living American bison (''Bison bison''), ''B. antiquus'' was considerably larger and had longer limbs, with the upper limbs being more slender while the lower limbs were more robust. The skull was also somewhat more elongate and less domed than that of American bison. It reached up to tall, long, and a weight of , with an average of around . The horns were also considerably larger than those of living American bison and differed somewhat in shape, being on average across tip to tip, but could be as much as across.

Ecology

Unlike living American bison, which are almost exclusively grazers, dental wear analysis suggests that ''Bison antiquus'' was a variable mixed feeder (both browsing and grazing) with an adaptable diet depending on geographical location, with diets varying from strict grazing to mixed feeding. ''Bison antiquus'' was likely preyed upon by large carnivores, which may have included the American lion (''Panthera atrox''), the sabertooth cat ''Smilodon fatalis,'' and dire wolves (''Aenocyon dirus'').

Evolution

Around 195,000-130,000 years ago, the steppe bison (''Bison priscus'') crossed the Bering Land Bridge into North America. In North America, ''B. priscus'' evolved into the large long-horned '' Bison latifrons'', which then gave rise to ''B. antiquus'' sometime prior to 60,000 years ago. ''B. antiquus'' became increasingly abundant in parts of midcontinent North America from 18,000 until about 10,000 years ago.

Relationship with humans

A number of sites document the exploitation of ''Bison antiquus'' by Palaeoindian groups, such as those associated with the Clovis culture and the later Folsom tradition. The Folsom tradition in particular is thought to have been reliant on hunting bison.

One of the best educational sites to view ''in situ'' semifossilized skeletons of over 500 individuals of ''B. antiquus'' is the Hudson-Meng archeological site operated by the U.S. Forest Service, northwest of Crawford, Nebraska. A number of paleo-Indian spear and projectile points have been recovered in conjunction with the animal skeletons at the site, which is dated around 9,700 to 10,000 years ago. The reason for the "die-off" of so many animals in one compact location is still in conjecture; some professionals argue it was the result of a very successful paleo-Indian hunt, while others believe the herd died as a result of some dramatic natural event, to be later scavenged by humans. Individuals of ''B. antiquus'' of both sexes and a typical range of ages have been found at the site.

''B. antiquus'' may have been hunted by Clovis people in North and South Carolina, based on blood residue from Clovis points. At Jake Bluff in northern Oklahoma, Clovis points are associated with numerous butchered ''Bison antiquus'' bones, which represented a bison herd of at least 22 individuals. At the time of deposition, the site was a steep-sided arroyo (dry watercourse) that formed a dead end, suggesting that hunters trapped the bison herd within the arroyo before killing them. Other arroyo trap sites include Cooper in northwest Oklahoma and Badger Hole also in Oklahoma, which are associated with Folsom points. ''B. antiquus'' remains exhibiting butchery marks have been found at Ayer Pond on Orcas Island in Washington State.

Extinction

The living American bison (''Bison bison'') is suggested to have evolved from ''Bison antiquus'' in central North America at the very end of the Pleistocene. The last populations of ''B. antiquus'' became extinct during the early Holocene, around 10,000 years ago. Likely intermediates between the species are referred to as '' Bison "occidentalis"''.

References

Further reading

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External links

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Paleobiology Database - Bison antiquus
''dead link'')

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bison Antiquus
Bison
Extinct animals of the United States
Pleistocene Artiodactyla
Pleistocene species extinctions
Prehistoric bovids
Prehistoric mammals of North America
Mammals described in 1852
Fossil taxa described in 1852
Extinct animals of Canada
Taxa named by Joseph Leidy