Early Chadronian (late Eocene) rodents from the Flagstaff Rim area, central Wyoming

摘要

The White River Formation at Flagstaff Rim in central Wyoming is a key sequence for understanding the biochronology and chronostratigraphy of the Chadronian North American Land Mammal Age. The lower part of this section represents early Chadronian time, an interval whose fauna has not been well known. From these early Chadronian levels 15 species of rodents are discussed and/or described. Of these, three are new species, all belonging to the Eomyidae: Namatomys erythrus, Metanoiamys paradoxus, Cristadjidaumo skinneri. These rodent assemblages add substantially to our knowledge of early Chadronian faunas, and show successional changes in the rodent taxa from the earliest Chadronian through middle Chadronian.