# Dove Spring Formation

The Dove Spring Formation (formerly the Ricardo Formation) is a geologic formation in the western Mojave Desert of California. It preserves fossils dating back to the Miocene epoch of the Neogene period.

## Fossil content

| Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon | Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited. |

### Mammals
#### Bats

Bats reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Chiroptera | Gen. et. sp. undetermined | Kern County, California. | | A bat. | |

#### Carnivorans

Carnivorans reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Barbourofelis | B. osborni | Kern County, California. | | Junior synonym of B. whitfordi. |
| Barbourofelis | B. whitfordi | Red Canyon & other localities, Kern County, California. | Teeth & mandible. | A barbourofelid. |
| Barbourofelis | B. sp. | LACM localities 6260 & 1108, Kern County, California. | Left partial humerus (LACM 140853) & left distal humerus (LACM 59336). | A barbourofelid also found in the Green Valley Formation. |
| Bassariscus | B. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A procyonid. |
| Borophagus | B. littoralis | Red Rock Canyon, Kern County, California. | Left maxillary (LACM 143520). | A borophagine dog also found in the Green Valley, Santa Margarita & Chanac formations. |
| Carpocyon | C. robustus | Kern County, California. | Partial skeleton (UCMP 33569). | A borophagine dog. |
| cf. Eomellivora | cf. E. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A large mustelid similar to the honey badger. |
| Epicyon | E. aphobus | Kern County, California. | | Junior synonym of E. haydeni. |
| Epicyon | E. haydeni | Ricardo Fauna, Kern County, California. | Skull elements. | A borophagine dog. |
| Epicyon | E. saevus | Ricardo Fauna, Kern County, California. | Ramal elements. | A borophagine dog. |
| "Felis" | "F." sp. | Kern County, California. | | A small felid. |
| Ischyrocyon | I. gidleyi | Last Chance Gulch, Kern County, California. | | A bear-dog. |
| Ischyrocyon | I. mohavensis | Kern County, California. | | Junior synonym of I. gidleyi. |
| Leptocyon | L. vafer | Kern County, California (lower & upper parts of the formation). | Skull elements. | A canine dog. |
| Martinogale | M. faulli | Red Rock Canyon, Kern County, California. | A nearly-complete skull (LACM 56230). | A skunk. |
| Martinogale | M. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A skunk. |
| "Mephitis" | "M." sp. | Kern County, California. | | A skunk. |
| Metalopex | M. macconnelli | Red Rock Canyon, Kern County, California. | Skull elements. | A fox also found in the Milk Creek Formation & Malheur County, Oregon. |
| Mustela | ?M. buwaldi | Kern County, California. | | A weasel. |
| Osteoborus | O. diabloensis | Kern County, California. | | Junior synonym of Borophagus littoralis. |
| Pseudaelurus | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A felid. |
| Tomarctus | T. robustus | Kern County, California. | | Moved to the genus Carpocyon. |
| Tomarctus | T. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A borophagine dog. |
| "Vulpes" | "V." sp. | Kern County, California. | | A fox. |

#### Eulipotyphlans

Eulipotyphlans reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Notes |
| Alluvisorex | A. chasseae | Kern County, California. | A shrew. |
| Erinaceidae | Erinaceidae "A" | Kern County, California. | An erinaceid. |
| Lanthanotherium | L. sp. | Kern County, California. | An erinaceid. |
| Limnoecus | L. sp. | Kern County, California. | A shrew. |
| Scapanus | S. (Xeroscapheus) shultzi | Kern County, California. | A mole. |
| "Sorex" | "S." sp. | Kern County, California. | A shrew. |

#### Lagomorphs

Lagomorphs reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Hesperolagomys | H. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A pika. | |
| Hypolagus | H. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A leporid. | |

#### Proboscideans

Proboscideans reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Gomphotherium | G. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A gomphothere. | |
| Serbelodon | S. burnhami | Ricardo, Kern County, California. | Anterior portion of a mandible (F:AM 18228) & 2 tusk fragments (F:AM 18228A & 18228B). | An amebelodontid. | |

#### Rodents

Rodents reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Acrolophomys | A. rhodopetros | | Teeth & dentary. | A cricetid. |
| Ammospermophilus | A. sp. | Kern County, California. | | An antelope squirrel. |
| Antecalomys | A. coxae | | Many teeth. | A sigmodontine. |
| Bensonomys | B. sp. | Kern County, California. | Maxillae, a dentary & teeth. | A sigmodontine. |
| Copemys | C. dentalis | Kern County, California. | Dentaries & teeth. | A cricetid. |
| Copemys | C. cf. C. longidens | Kern County, California. | | A cricetid. |
| Copemys | C. russelli | Kern County, California. | | A cricetid. |
| Copemys | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A cricetid. |
| Copemys | C. sp., cf. C. dentalis | | Teeth & jaw elements. | A cricetid. |
| Cupidinimus | C. avawatzensis | Kern County, California. | | A heteromyid also found in the Avawatz Formation. |
| Cupidinimus | C. tertius | Kern County, California. | | A heteromyid. |
| Cupidinimus | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A small heteromyid. |
| Eucastor | E. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A castorid. |
| Leptodontomys | L. sp. | Kern County, California. | | An eomyid. |
| Lindsaymys | L. takeuchii | Kern County, California. | Multiple specimens. | A cotton rat. |
| Lindsaymys | L. sp., cf. L. takeuchii | Kern County, California. | Multiple teeth. | A cotton rat. |
| Lindsaymys | L. sp. A | Kern County, California. | Molars. | A cotton rat. |
| Lindsaymys | L. sp. B | Kern County, California. | Molars. | A cotton rat. |
| Parapliosaccomys | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A gopher. |
| Paronychomys | P. spp. | Kern County, California. | | A cricetid. |
| Perognathus | P. furlongi | Kern County, California. | | A pocket-mouse. |
| Perognathus | P. minutus | Kern County, California. | | A pocket-mouse. |
| Postcopemys | P. sp., cf. P. valensis | | Teeth & dentary. | A cricetid. |
| Protospermophilus | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A squirrel. |
| Repomys | "R." sp. | Kern County, California. | | A cricetid. |
| Repomys | cf. R. sp. | | M2 (LACM 156378). | A cricetid. |
| Tamias | T. ateles | Kern County, California. | | A chipmunk. |
| "Thomomys" | "T." sp. | Kern County, California. | | A gopher. |

#### Ungulates

Ungulates reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Aphelops | A. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A rhinoceros. |
| Cormohipparion | C. occidentale | Kern County, California. | Isolated teeth & a lower mandible. | Remains reassigned to C. sp. |
| Cormohipparion | C. sp. | El Paso Basin. | Isolated teeth & a lower mandible. | An equid. |
| Cosoryx | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | | An antilocaprid. |
| Dinohippus | D. cf. D. leardi | Kern County, California. | | An equid. |
| ?Hemiauchenia | ?H. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A camelid. |
| Hipparion | H. forcei | Kern County, California. | | An equid. |
| Hipparion | H. tejonensis | Kern County, California. | | An equid. |
| Ilingoceros | I. sp. | Kern County, California. | | An antilocaprid. |
| Megahippus | M. cf. M. matthewi | Kern County, California. | | An equid. |
| ?Megatylopus | ?M. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A camelid. |
| ?Michenia | ?M. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A camelid. |
| Paracosoryx | P. furlongi | Kern County, California. | | An antilocaprid. |
| Peraceras | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A rhinoceros. |
| Plioceros | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | An antilocaprid. |
| Pliohippus | P. tantulus | Kern County, California. | | An equid. |
| Pliohippus | P. tejonensis | Kern County, California. | | An equid. |
| ?Procamelus | ?P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A camelid. |
| ?Prosthennops | ?P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A peccary. |
| Teleoceras | T. cf. T. meridianum | Kern County, California. | | A rhinoceros. |
| Ustatochoerus | U. californicus | Kern County, California. | | A merycoidodontid. |
| Ustatochoerus | U. cf. U. profectus | Kern County, California. | | A merycoidodontid. |

### Reptiles
#### Birds

Birds reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Branta | B. howardae | Kern County, California. | | A goose. | |
| Neophrontops | N. ricardoensis | Kern County, California. | | A gypaetine vulture. | |

#### Squamates

Squamates reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes |
| Anguidae | Gen. indet. | Kern County, California. | | A very large anguid lizard. |
| Callisaurus | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A zebra-tailed lizard. |
| Gerrhonotus | G. cf. G. kingi | Kern County, California. | | An alligator lizard. |
| Lichanura | L. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A rosy boa. |
| Paleoheterodon | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A colubrid snake. |
| Paracoluber | P. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A colubrid snake. |
| Paragerrhonotus | P. ricardensis | Kern County, California. | | An anguid lizard. |
| Proptychophis | P. achoris | Red Rock Canyon State Park, Kern County, California. | Numerous vertebrae & the posterior portion of a right maxilla. | A colubrid snake. |
| Sceloporus | S. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A large spiny lizard. |
| "Thamnophis" | "T." sp. | Kern County, California. | | A garter snake. |
| Uma | U. sp. | Locality LACM 4702. | A partial & fused premaxilla (LACM 159892). | A fringe-toed lizard. |
| ?Uta | ?U. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A side-blotched lizard. |
| Xantusia | X. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A night lizard. |

#### Testudines

Testudines reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Notes |
| Clemmys | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | An emydine turtle. |
| Geochelone | G. sp. | Kern County, California. | A tortoise. |
| ?Gopherus | ?G. sp. | Kern County, California. | A gopher tortoise. |

### Amphibians

Amphibians reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Notes |
| Batrachoseps | B. sp. | Kern County, California. | A lungless salamander. |
| Bufonidae | | Kern County, California. | A true toad. |
| cf. Ensatina | cf. E. sp. | Kern County, California. | A lungless salamander. |
| Ranidae | | Kern County, California. | A true frog. |

### Fish

Fish reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Material | Notes | Images |
| Empetrichthys | E. sp. | Kern County, California. | | A splitfin. | |

### Plants

Plants reported from the Dove Spring Formation :
| Genus | Species | Presence | Notes |
| Acacia | A. sp. | Kern County, California. | An acacia. |
| Ceanothus | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | A buckbrush. |
| Cupressus | C. sp. | Kern County, California. | A cypress tree. |
| Lycium | L. sp. | Kern County, California. | A box thorn. |
| Palmoxylodon | P. mohavensis | Kern County, California. | A palm. |
| Pinus | P. kelloggii | Kern County, California. | A pine. |
| Quercus | Q. ricardensis | Kern County, California. | An oak tree. |
| Robinia | R. alexanderi | Kern County, California. | A legume. |