TEXAS J. SCI. 54(1):17-26
FEBRUARY, 2002
ANALYSIS OF HORSE (EQUUS) METAPODIALS FROM
THE LATE PLEISTOCENE OF THE LOWER NUECES VALLEY,
SOUTH TEXAS
Jon A. Baskin and Antonia E. Mosqueda
Department of Biology, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
Kingsville, TX 78363
Abstract.--Ninety-eight relatively complete metapodials (29 metacarpals and 69 metatarsals) of Equus were recovered from late Pleistocene terrace and valley fill deposits along the Nueces River in western Nueces and San Patricio Counties, Texas. Sixteen measurements were taken on each metapodial. Three species of Equus were determined to be present using discriminant functions and bivariate and multivariate plots of the data. Equus cf. conversidens, the most abundant species, is a small- to average-sized horse with normal length metapodials. It is similar to members of the E. alaskae group. The second species, represented by 24 metapodials, is assigned to E. cf. scotti. These are larger horses with robust limbs that resemble members of the E. scotti and E. laurentius groups. The third, represented by six specimens, is a stilt
-legged horse of the E. francisci group.