Occasional Papers Museum of Texas Tech University NUMBER 204 02 February 2001 Effects of the Pecos River on the Geographic Distributions OF Mammals in Western Texas Clyde Jones and Deidre A. Parish It has been demonstrated that some rivers in North America are important physiographic features with regard to the geographic distributions of mam¬ mals (Grinnell, 1914; Goldman, 1937; Davis, 1939; Kelson, 1951; Findley and Anderson, 1956; Hoffmeister, 1971). In addition, some nvers serv'e as boundaries between distinctive ecological units and biogeographic regions. From the southern Rocky Mountains, the Pecos River parallels the western edge of the Llano Estacado in eastern New iMexico, In Texas, the Pecos River flows for about 350 miles in a southeasterly di¬ rection from the New Mexico border to where it confluences with the Rio Grande between Comstock and Langtry in western Val Verde County at lake Amistad (Fig. 1). The upper valley of the river (Carlsbad-Iraan Subbasin) extends from the New Mexico-Texas border southward to the vicinity of McCamey and Iraan; the lower canyon (Iraan-Langtry Subbasin) is entrenched into the Edwards-Stockton Plateau (Leonard and Fry, 1962; Thomas, 1972). The complex geologic history of the Pecos River was controlled by a sequence of tectonic events (Thomas, 1972). The upper portion of the river (Carlsbad-lraan Subbasin) probably was formed in late Tertiary and early Pleistocene times (Thomas, 1972). The lower portion of the river (Iraan-Langtry Subbasin) may have become entrenched into the Edwards-Stock¬ ton Plateau either during the Eocene (Thomas, 1972) or in the early Pleistocene (Leonard and Fry, 1962). The middle portion of the Pecos River and associated valley was considered distinctive enough in land form and climate, that recognition as a unique physiographic unit was warranted (Fenneman, 1931). The Pecos River has been regarded generally as the southwestern boundary of the Great Plains (Graves and Meinzer, 1999). The river also was considered as the eastern boundaiy' of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States (Bryant, 1977; Wells, 1977; Schmidly, 1977a, 1977b; Johnson, 1979). In Texas, the Pecos River w'as designated as the primary boundary between the distinctive ecological units of the Trans-Pecos to the west and the Edwards Plateau to the east (Schmidly, 1977a). Also, Schmidly (1983) designated the Pecos River as the boundary between tw'o of the major mam¬ malian distributional regions (Trans-Pecos, Plains Country) recognized in Texas. Because tlic Pecos River is recognized as a boundary between diverse ecologi¬ cal regions, it may serve as either a biogeographic bar¬ rier or a filter zone for some of the unique mammalian faunas associated with those regions in Texas (Hol¬ lander, et ah, 1990), 2 Occasional Papers, Mcselim of Texas Tech University Figure 1. The Pecos River in Western Texas. The crossbar indicates the division between the upper valley (Carlsbad- Iraan Subbasin) and the lower canyon (Iraan-Langtry Subbasin). From north to south, counties on the west side of the river are Culberson, Reeves, Pecos, Terrell, and the western portion of Val Verde County. From north to south, counties on the east side of the river are Loving, Ward, Crane, Upton, Crockett, and the eastern portion of Val Verde County. Records of distributions of mammals in the region of western Texas bisected by the Pecos River were obtained from the literature (Schmidly, 1977a, 1991; Geonoways and Baker, 1979; Hall, 1981; Davis and Schmidly, 1994; Stangletal, 1994; Yancey, 1997; Goetze, 1998; Manning and Jones, 1998; and others). Information associated with specimens housed in the Collection of Recent Mammals in the Natural Science Research Laboratory of the Museum of Texas Tech University also was included in our examination of dis¬ tributions of mammals in the region. Inasmuch as the Pecos River is the boimdaiy between the Trans-Pecos area and the Edwards Pla¬ teau in Texas, species of extant, native mammals known to occur in these major ecological regions are listed in Table L The Trans-Pecos region has 97 species of mammals; 79 species are known from the Edwards Plateau. Of these, 67 species are known to occur in both the Trans-Pecos area and on the Edwards Pla¬ teau. Twenty seven species occur in the Trans-Pecos area and not on the Edwards Plateau; whereas, 11 spe¬ cies of mammals known from the Edwards Plateau Jones and Parish— Effects of the Pecos River on Mammalian Distributions 3 Table 1. Extant, native mammals of the Trans-Pecos region and the Edwards Plateau of Texas. The presence ofspecies of mammals is the areas in designated by an X. Mammals Trans-Pecos Edwards Plateau Mammals Trans-Pecos Edwards Plateau Order Didelphimorphia Family Didelphidae Didelphis virginiana X Order Itisectivora Family Soncidae Cryplods parva N olio so rex crawfordi X Family Talpidae Scaiopus aquadciis X Order Cbiroptera Family Mprmoopidae Mormoops megalophylla X Family Phyllostomidae Leptonycleris nivalis X Diphylla ecaudota Family Vespertilionidae My Otis californicus X My/ois ciliolabrum X Myods htcifugus X Myotis thysanodes X Myods velifer X Myotis volans X Myods yurnariensis X Lnsionycieris noctivngans X Pipistrelhts hesperus X Pipistrellus subjlavus X Eptesicns fttscits X Lashtrus biossevilU X Lasinrus borealis X Lasiurns cinereus X Losiurus intermedius X Lasiurns xanthinus X Nycticeius humeratis X Euderma maculadtm X Plecolus townsendii X Antrozous pollidus X Family Molossidae Tadarida brosiliensis X Nyctinomops femorosaccus X Nyctinomops macrotis X Eumops perotis X Order Xenarlhra Family Dasypodidae Dcisypus novemcinctus X Order Lagomorpha Family Leporidae Sylvilagus aquaticus SyJvilagus nudobonii X Sylvilagus flon'danus X Sylvilagus rohusius X Lepus californicus X Order Rodentia Family Sciuridac Tamias canipes X Ammospermophiliis inlerpres X Spermophilus mexiconus X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Spermophilus variegatus X Cynomys ludoviciamts X Sciurus carolinensis Sciurus niger X Family Geomyidae Thomomys boitae X Geomys arenarius X Ceomys bursanuS Geomys lexensis Cratogeomys cast an ops X Family Heteromyidae Perognathus Jlavescens X Perognathus flavus X Perognathus tnerriami X Chaetodipiis hispidus X Chaetodipus eremicus X Chaeiodipus intermedius X Chaetodipus nelsoni .X Dipodomys merriami X Dipodomys ordii X Dipodomys spectabilis X Family Castoridac Castor canadensis X Family Muridae Reithrodontomys fulvescens X Reiihrodontomys mega lot is X Reithrodontomys monianus X Peromyscus atn^aieri X Peromyscus boylii X Peromyscus nasuius X Peromyscus eremicus X Peromyscus leucopus X Peromyscus maniculatus X Peromyscus pectoralis X Peromyscus truei X Baiomys tnylori Onychomys arenicola X Onychomys leucogaster X Sigmodon fulviventer X Sigmodon hispidus X Sigmodon ochrognathus X Neotoma albigula X Neoioma floridana X Neotoma micropus X Neoioma mexicana X Microtus mexicanus X Microtus pinetorum Ondatra zibethicus X Family Erethizontidae Erethizon dorsatum X Order Carnivora Family Canidae Canis latrans X Vulpes macrotis X Vulpes vulpes X Urocyon cinereoargenteus X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 4 Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University Table I. cont. Mammals Traf\s-Pecos Edviiards Plateau Family Unidae Units amen'eanus X Family Procyonidac Bnssahscus asiuius X X Procyon loior X X narfea X X Family Mustelidae Musteia frennla X X Afusfela vison X T(i\idert laxtts X X Family Mephitidae Spihgale gracilis X X Mephitis macroura X Mephitis mephitis X X Conepatus mesoleucus X X Family Felidae Leopardus pardalis X X Lynx rufus X X Puma concQlor X X Order Ariiodaciyla Family Tayassuidae Pecan tajacu X X Family Cervidac Cenus elaphns X Odocolleus hemionits X Odocoiieiis virginianus X X Family Antilacapridac Antiheapra amcricana X X are not recorded from the Trans-Pecos region. Some species, such as Tamias canipes and Kficrottt^ mextcanus^ listed for the Trans-Pecos occur only in the Guadalupe Mountains (Genoways et al., 1979). In both areas, there are some extralimital records of dis¬ tributions of mammals, such as Myotis lucifugus in the Trans-Pec os and Diphylla ecaudata on the Edwards Plateau (Schmidly, 1991). The differences in the richness of the mam¬ malian faunas of the two regions may be explained in several ways. Topographic features and correspond¬ ing habitats are more diverse in the Trans-Pecos area than those of the Edwards Plateau. For example, some montane areas of the Trans-Pecos surrounded by Chihuahuan Desert vegetation result in considerable diversity of habitats. In general, areas with large ranges in elevations tend to have greater species diversity than those comprised of lower variability of elevations (Williamson, 1981). Furthermore, Goeize( 1998) found a rather strong affinity between the mammalian fauna on the Edwards Plateau with those of the Llano Estacado and the Rolling Plains regions of Texas. This relationship was noticed by Schmidly (1983), who suggested a combination of the Llano Estacado, Roll¬ ing Plains, and Edwards Plateau into a Plains Region. In the Trans-Pecos region, mammalian faunas of the montane areas have closer affinities to each other than to the faunas of other areas (Genoways et al., 1979; Starigl et al., 1994). Mammals of some of the low¬ land, Chihuahuan Desert areas in the Trans-Pecos re¬ gion have some levels of similarity to the mammalian faunas of Chihuahua and Coahuiia, Mexico (Yancey, 1997). However, Chihuahua and Coahuiia are sepa¬ rated from the Trans-Pecos area by the Rio Grande, which has been indicated as an important filler barrier to the dispersal of Chihuahuan Desert mammals (Schmidly, l977b,Yancey. 1997). In order to examine more closely the importance of the Pecos River with regard to geographic distribu¬ tions of mammals, we assembled information on the presence of species of extant, native mammals known to occur in the counties of Texas adjacent to the river (Table 2). Some of this infomiation is similar to the data given by Hollander et al. (1990); however, we included all species of mammals known from the ar¬ eas adjacent to the river. Twelve species of mammals occur in the counties just west of the Pecos River; 11 species have been recorded from the counties just east of the over. Species of mammals known to occur in at least some of the counties on both sides of the Pecos River total 61 (Table 2). Of the 84 species of mam¬ mals listed in Table 2, the known disinbutional limits of 23 species are at cither the west or east side of the Pecos River. Of the species of mammals with known geo¬ graphic ranges in the Trans-Pecos area west of the Pecos River that occur also in the region east of the river, 21 species are represented by different subspe¬ cies, at least in part, on the tw'o sides of the river (Table 3). It is important to note, however, that some spe¬ cies of mammals with broad distnbuiions in Texas are known from the Trans-Pecos region based on single specimens captured one lime at one locality. For ex¬ ample, for some information on the presence of Scalopus aquaticus and Pipistrellus subjlavus in the Trans-Pccos area, see the comments by Hollander et Jones and Parish— Effects of the Pecos River on Mammalian Distributions 5 aL, (1990), Yancey et al. (1997), Yancey (1997), and Maiming and Jones (1998). Distribution of subspe¬ cies of some mammals, such as Odocoileus virginiams, may have been changed as a result of re¬ location or restocking. Delineation of geographic ranges of subspecies of some mammals in the area is tenu¬ ous, at best, because of lack of appropriate informa¬ tion. The Holocene mammalian fauna of the region in general and the Trans-Pecos in particular is in a dy¬ namic state (Stangl, 1994). For example, several taxa of mammals unkno\Mi previously to occur in the Trans- Pecos have been reported recently (Stangl, 1992); Yancey et al., 1995; Bradley et al., 1999; Dowleret al., 1999; Higginbotham et al., 1999; Jones et al, 1999). There is general agreement that the present system of the Pecos River became established in the Pleistocene (Leonard and Fry, 1962; Thomas, 1972). At that time, when the upper portion of the river was becoming a southeasterly-heading, eroding stream and the southern portion was entrenching, the Pecos River may have been a major barrier to tlie dispersal of mam¬ mals (Leonard and Fry, 1962; Thomas, 1972). For example, Hollander et al. (1990) suggested that the river was a major factor during the Pleistocene in the creation of a hiatus in the geographic distribution of Scalopus aquaticiis in this area of Texas. The prob¬ able function of the Pecos River as a major barrier to the dispersal of mammals is indicated, at least in part, by the differences in the mammalian faunas on either side of the river (Tables 1-3). In historic time, during the early exploration and settlement in the region, the Pecos River was a major, flovving stream. Reports by early travelers in the area described the river as “anywhere from 40 to 100 feet wide and four to 15 feet deep with a strong, fast, turbid current” (Graves and Meinzer, 1999). The lower canyon area of the river mostly was avoided in the establisliment of travel and trade routes; travelers relied on crossings of the Pecos River near the New Mexico-Texas border (Jacobson and Nored, 1993; Graves and Meinzer, 1999). For some additional de¬ tails on the hazards of crossing the Pecos River, as well as some photographs and descriptions of the crossings, see the work by Dearen (1996). At the present time, the Pecos River is a rather sluggish, highly mineralized stream, especially in the upper portion; rapids are still present in the lower can¬ yon (Graves and Meinzer, 1999). The reduction of flow of water in the river probably is the result of development of rcser\'oirs, such as Red Bluff Lake just below the New Mexico-Texas border, as well as some additional impoundments upstream, interception of the water for irrigation, changing land-use patterns, and cyclic climatic events. Some changes in the veg¬ etation adjacent to the river have occurred, as well. For example, although honey mesquite {Prosopis glandulosa) and desertwillow {Chilopsis linearis) are common trees along parts of the nver, the introduced salt cedar (Tamarix sp,) is thick along the Pecos River and is choking out the upper half of the river (Poweil, 1988). The Pecos River is an important feature with regard to the geographic distributions of mammals. The lower canyon apparently has had more impact on the geographic distributions of mammals in the area than has the upper section of the nver. Based on the analyses of the data available, it seems warranted to suggest that the formation of the Pecos River was a vicariance event that was important with regard to the subsequent evolution and development of patterns of distributions of the Recent mammals m western Texas. As implied previously, the influence of the Pecos River on geographic distributions of mammals seemingly has diminished in historic times. Details of presence and distributions of mammals, as well as relationships among and between the mammals in the area in gen¬ eral and the Trans-Pecos in particular are imperfectly known. 6 Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech UiNivERSixy Table!. Extant, native mammals known to occur in counties of Texas adjacent to the Pecos River. From north to south, counties west of the river are Culberson, Reeves, Pecos, Terrell, and the western portion ofVal Verde County'. From noi th to south, counties east of the river include Loving, Ward, Crane, Upton, Crockett, and eastern Val Verde County. See Figure J Presence of taxa of mammals in the areas is designated by an X, Species marked with an * do not occur either in the Trans-Pecos region or on the Edwards Plateau, but range into some of the aforementioned counties on the east side of the Pecos River. Pecos River Mammals West Side East Side Order Didelphimorphia Family Didelphidae Didelphis virginiana Order Insectivora Family Soricidae Cryptotis parva Notiosorex crawfordi Order Chiroptera Family Mormoopidae Mormoops niegalophylla Family Phyllostomidae Leploiiycteris n walis Diphyila ecaudala Family Vcspcrtilionidae Myotis califonuciis X Afyotisciliolahmm X Myotis thysanodes X Myotis velifer Myotis VO I a ns X M) v tis yi tmanensis Lasionycteris noctivagans X Pipisirellus hesperus Pipistrellus subflavus Ep tes i cus fuse us X Lasiurus borealis La stunts cinereus Plecoius lownsetidii A ntrozous pallidus Family Molossidae Tadarida brasiltensis Nyctinomops macrotis X Eumops perotis X Order Xenarthra Family Dasypodidae Dasypus novemchictus Order Lagomorpha Family Lepondae Sylvilagiis auduboaii Sylvilagus floridanus Lepus Californians Order Rodentia Family Sciuridae Ammosperrnoph ilus interpres Sperniophilus me.xicanus Spermophiliis spdosoma X X X X X X Both Sides X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Jones and Parish— Effects of the Pecos River on Mammalian Distributions 7 Table 2. coni Pecos River Mammals West Side East Side Both Sides Spermophilns variegatus X Cynomys ludovicianus X Sciunisniger X Family Geomyidac Thomomys bottae X Geoniys knoxjonesi* X Ceomys personatus* X Cratogeomys castanops X Family Heteromyidae Perognaih us fla vescens X Perogn athusflavus X Perogn alh us mer riant i X Chaeiodipus hispidus X Chaetodipus eretniciis X Chaeiodipus intermedius X Chaeiodipus nelsoni X Dipodoniys merrianii X Dipodoniys ordii X Dipodomys sp ecta bii is X Family Castoridae Casio r ca n adensis X Family Muridae Reahrodontomys fulvescens X Reithrodontomys megalotis X Reithrodoniomys montanus X Peromyscus attwateri X Peromyscus boy Hi X Peromyscus eremicus X Peromyscus leucopus X Peromyscus maniculaius X Peromyscus nasutus X Peromyscus pectoralis X Baiomys taylori X Onychomys areuicola ^ Onychoniys leucogaster X Sigmodon hispidus X Neoioma albigula ^ b/eoionia micropus X Family Erethizontidae Order Carnivora Family Canidae Cants iatrans X Vulpes macrotis X Vulpes vulpes X Urocyon cinereoargenteus X Family Procyonidae Bassariscus astutus X Procyo/i /oror X 8 Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University Table 2 conL Mammals Pecos River West Side East Side Both Sides Family Mustelidae Mustela frenata X Taxidea iaxus X Family Mephitidae Spilogale gracilis X Mephitis macroura X Mephitis mephitis X Conepaius mesoieucus X Family Felidae Lynx rufus X Puma concolor X Order Artiodactyla Family Tayassuidae Pecari tajocu X Family Cervidae Odocoileus hemionus X Odocoileus virginianus X Family Antilocapridae Antitocapra americann X Table 3. Extant, native mammals that are represented by different subspecies on the two sides of the Pecos River. Order Insectivora Family Talpidae Scnlopus aquaticus Order ChiVoptcra Family Vesperttlionldae Pipistrellus sitbflavus Order Lagomorpba Family Leporidae Sylvilagus auduboftii Order Rodenti a Family Sciundae Spermophilus spilosoma Spermophilus variegatus Cynomys ludoviciamts Family Geomyidae r/iO/7jip;ny5 bottae Cnilogeomys castatiops Family Heteromyidae Perognathus flavescens Chaetodipus hispidus Dipodomys ordii Family Castoridae Castor canadensis Family Muridae Reiihrdontomys fulvescens Reithrodontomys ntonianus Peromyscus leucopus Peromyscus maniculalus Neoloma albigida NeoWina micropus Onychomys leucogasler Order Carnivora Family Procyonidae Procyon (otor Order Artiodactyla Family Cervidae Odocoileus virginianus Jones and Parish— Effects of the Pecos River on Mammalian Distribltions 9 Acknowledgments We are grateful to R. Richard Monk for the construction of the map in Fig.l. Larry L. Choate and Robert S. DeBaca provided constructive comments on a previous version of the manuscript. In addition, we are appreciative of the many hours of discussions with David J. Schmidly about the mammals of Texas in general and the mammals of the Trans-Pecos re¬ gion in particular. Literature Cited Bradley, R. D., D. S. Carroll, M. L. Clary, C. W. Edwards, I. Tiemann-Boege, M. J. Hamilton, R. A. Van Den Bussche, and C. Jones. 1999, Comments on some small mam¬ mals from the Big Bend and Trans-Pecos re¬ gions of Texas. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University, 193:1-6. Bryant, V. M., Jr. 1977. Late Quaternary pollen records from the east-central periphery of the Chiluiahuan Desert. Pp. 3-21 m Transactions of the symposium on the biological resources of the Chihuahuan Desert region, United States and Mexico (R. H. Wauer and D. H. Riskind, eds.). U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Proceedings and Trans¬ actions Series, 3:xxii + 1-658. Davis, W. B. 1939. The Recent mammals of Idaho. Claxton Printers, Ltd., Caldwell, Idaho,400 pp. Davis, W. B., and D. J. Schmidly. 1994. The mam¬ mals of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife De¬ partment, Austin, X + 1-338. Dearen, P. 1996. Crossing Rio Pecos. Texas Chris¬ tian University Press, Fort Worth, x + 1-196. Dowler, R. C., R. C. Dawkins, and T. C. Maxwell. 1999. Range extensions for the evening bat {Nycticeius humeralis) in West Texas. Texas Journal of Science, 51:193-195. Fenneman, N. M. 1931. Physiography of western United States. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, xiii -F 1-534. Findley, J. S., and S. Anderson. 1956. Zoogeography of the montane mammals of Colorado. Jour¬ nal of Mammalogy, 37:80-82. Genoways, H. H., and R. J. Baker (eds.). 1979. Bio¬ logical investigations in the Guadalupe Moun¬ tains National Park, Texas. U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Proceed¬ ings and Transactions Series, 4;xvii + 1-442. Genoways, H, H., R. J. Baker, and J. E. Comely. 1979. 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L., L. K. Ammerman, and M. T. Dixon. 1999. First record of Las/wrws’ xanthinus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in Texas. Southwestern Naturalist., 44:343-347. 10 Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University Hoffmeister, D. F. 1971. Mammals of Grand Can¬ yon. University of Illinois Press, Urbana, 183 pp, Hollander, R. R., C. Jones, J. K. Jones, Jr., and R. W. Manning. 1990. Preliminar>'analysis of the effects of the Pecos River on geographic dis¬ tribution of small mammals in western Texas. Journal of Big Bend Studies, 2:97-107. Jacobson, L. M., and M. B. Nored. 1993. Jeff Davis County, Texas, Fort Davis Historical Soci¬ ety, Inc., xii + 1-676. Johnson, M. C. 1979. The Guadalupe Mountains—a chink in the mosaic of the Chihuahuan Desert. Pp. 45-49 in Biological investigations in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas (H. H. Genoways and R. J. Baker, eds.). U.S, Department of Interior, National Park Service, Proceedings and Transactions Series, 4:xvii + 1-442. Jones, C,, L. Hedges, and K. Bryan. 1999. The west¬ ern yellow bat, Lasiunis xanthinus (Chiroptera: Vespcrtilionidae), from the Davis Mountains, Texas. Texas Journal of Science, 51:267-269. Kelson, K.R. 1951. Speciation of rodents of the Colo¬ rado River drainage. University of Utah Bio¬ logical Series, 11 :vii +125. Leonard, A. B., and J. C. Frye. 1962. Pleistocene molluscan faunas and physiographic history of Pecos Valley in Texas. University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, Report and In¬ ventory, 45:1-42. Manning, R. W., and C. Jones. 1998. Annotated checklist of Recent land mammals of Texas, 1998. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University, 182:1-19. Powell, A. M. 1988. Trees & shrubs of Trans-Pecos Texas including Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Big Bend Natural History Association, Big Bend, Texas, 536 pp, Schmidly, D. J. 1977a. The mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas including Big Bend National Park and Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, xiii + 1-225. Schmidly, D. J. 1977b. Factors governing the distn- bution of mammals in the Chihuahuan Desert region. Pp. 163-192 in Transactions of the symposium on the biological resources of the Chihuahuan Desert region, United Slates and Mexico (R. H. Wauer and D. H. Riskind, eds). U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service, Proceedings and Transactions Series, 3:xxii + 1-658. Sclimidly, D. J. 1983. Texas mammals east of the Balcones Fault Zone. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, xvii + 1-400. Schmidly, D. J. 1991. The bats of Texas. Texas A&M University Press, College Station, xviii + 1-188. Siangl, F. B., Jr. 1992. A new subspecies of the tawny-bellied cotton rat, Sigmodon fulviventer, from Trans-Pecos Texas. Occasional Papers, Museum of Te.xas Tech University, 145:1-4. Stangl, F. B., Jr., W. W. Dalquest, and R. R. Hollander. 1994. Evolution of a desert mammalian fauna: a 10,000-year history of mammals from Culberson and Jeff Davis counties, Trans- Pecos Texas. Midwestern State University Press, Wichita Falls, Texas, xix + 1-264. Thomas, R. G. 1972. The geomorphic evolution of the Pecos River system. Baylor Geological Studies Bulletin, 22:1-40. Wells, P. V. 1977. Post-glacial origin of the present Chihuahuan Desert less than 11,500 years ago. Pp. 67-83 in Transactions of the symposium on the biological resources of the Chihuahuan Desert region, United States and Mexico (R. H. Wauer and R. H, Riskind, eds.). U.S. De¬ partment of Interior, National Park Service, Proceedings and Transactions Series, 3:xxii + 1-658. Williamson, M. 1981. Island populations. Oxford University Press, Oxford, England, xi + 1- 268. Yancey, F. D., II. 1997. The mammals of Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas. Special Publications, Museum of Texas Tech University, 39:1-210. Jones and Parish— Effects of the Pecos River on Mammalian Distributions Yancey, F. D., II, C. Jones, and R. W. Manning. 1995. The eastern pipistrelle, Pipistrellus subflavus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), from the Big Bend region of Texas. Texas Journal of Sci¬ ence, 47:229-231. Addresses of authors: Clyde Jones Texas Tech University Department of Biological Sciences and the Museum Lubbock. TX 79409-3/9! e-mail: cjones@packrat. musm.ttu. edu Deidre a. Parish Texas Tech University Department of Biological Sciences and the Museum Lubbock, TX 79409-3/9! e-mail: dparish@,ttu.edu Publications of the Museum of Texas Tech University' It was through the efforts of Horn Professor J Knox Jones, as director of Academic Publications, that Texas Tech University initiated several publications series including the Occasional Papers of the Museum. This and future editions in the series are a memorial to his dedication to excellence in academic publications. Profes¬ sor Jones enjoyed editing scientific publications and served the scientific community as an editor for the Journal of Mammalogy, Evolution, The Texas Journal of Science, Occasional Papers of the Museum, and Special Publications of the Museum. It is with special fondness that we remember Dr. J Knox Jones. Institutional subscriptions are available through the Museum of Texas Tech University, attn: NSRL Publica¬ tions Secretary, Box 43191, Lubbock, TX 79409-3191. Individuals may also purchase separate numbers of the Occasional Papers directly from the Museum of Texas Tech University. ISSN 0149-175X Museum of Texas Tech University, LubbocK TX 79409-3191