Identification of Bison and Bighorn Sheep Remains Found at CRMO (Craters of the Moon National Monument)

Clark, David; Hass, Christine; Miller, Susanne; Hentges; University of Montana; Idaho Museum of Natural History

Correspondences Between CRMO and University of Montana and Idaho Museum of Natural History about Identification of CRMO Museum Specimens. This museum archive folder contains various correspondences (1981-1983) between CRMO, The University of Montana and the Idaho Museum of Natural History about identification of bones and horn sheaths found on CRMO. Specimens were sent to these universities as CRMO sought to get positive identification of these items. The Idaho Museum of Natural History was able to positively identify a femur and two partial skulls as bison which represents the first documented evidence that bison crossed the lava flows. They were not able to identify the bison remains down to subspecies. The Idaho Museum of Natural History was inconclusive as to the the large horn sheath which was also sent for identification, other than to discount the likelihood of desert bighorn sheep (as CRMO personal had speculated) based on known range of the animal and the likely age of the specimen. (It would likely have to date from the Pleistocene to be dessert bighorn). They suggest that carbon 14 dating could be used to date the specimen and thus aid in determination of subspecies (of bighorn sheep). They however, also offer up the possibility that the sheath could be from an extinct woodland musk ox. This corresponds to museum catalog #484, which is currently (2012) labled as Ovibos. This lableing however, is in question as the genus Ovibos is never actually mentioned in the identification and Ovibos is an extant musk ox of the arctic. If this specimen was from a musk ox it would likely be Bootherium bombifrons, a widely distributed musk ox of the Pleistocene.