Commercial limestone quarrying operations northwest of Newberry, Alachua County, Florida have been active for over 50 years. The Eocene bedrock is mined to a depth of about 70 feet, extending below the local water table, using a combination of blasting and draglines. These activities have exposed many important fossil localities over the decades, sites that would otherwise never have been discovered. These quarries and the fossil sites they contain are known in the scientific literature as the Haile localities or Haile complex. The small village of Haile no longer exists, but its name live on in this manner.

To keep track of the numerous Haile fossil sites, UF paleontologists systematically number each quarry. Each individual fossil site within a quarry was assigned a letter. Thus a combination of a number and a letter uniquely identifies each locality. Until recently, the numbers were reported using Roman numerals, although in the early 1990s the Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH) switched to Arabic numerals (so Haile XIVD became Haile 14D).

Continuing mining operations usually destroy the fossil localities at Haile. Therefore, many of the classic sites no long exist. The entire region is private land and fossil collecting is not allowed without permission of both the landowners and mine operators.

HISTORY

The sediments that filled the sinkholes and fissures in northern Florida are rarely exposed by natural processes. Human excavations, either by mining or construction, are necessary to bring them to light. In the first part of this century, there were scattered small-scale phosphate mines in northern peninsular Florida, including the vicinity of Haile. Phosphatic sediments accumulated in sinkholes and channels eroded into the limestone at a time of high sea level during the Miocene Epoch (24 to 5 Ma). These were the sources of the first vertebrate fossils reported from the Newberry-Haile region (Simpson, 1930). Following WWII, small-scale phosphate mining became unprofitable, but limestone quarrying began in the region instead. Sinkholes, fissures, and caves were exposed at a more prolific rate. Scientific publications on vertebrate fossils from Haile began to regularly appear in the early 1950s. This early work was primarily by UF paleontologists Walter Auffenberg and Pierce Brodkorb, or one of their students. Since then, several generations of UF faculty, staff, and students have collected fossils at Haile, and there is no end in sight. As recently as this September, S. D. Emslie published a major review of Pliocene and Pleistocene birds from Florida. Fossils from several Haile sites figured prominently in his work. Additionally, there is on going research on ground sloths, tapirs, armadillos, turtles, mollusks, crabs, corals, and echinoderms from Haile.

GEOLOGY AND GEOCHRONOLOGY

During times of emergence above sea level, sinkholes, caves, and fissures form in this portion of the Florida peninsula. Fissures are narrow, crevasse-like openings in the bedrock, as opposed to the more familiar round sinkholes. Most of the fossiliferous fissures and sinkholes in the Haile region (about 66%) are late Pleistocene in age, probably dating between 10 and 25 thousand years old. They are usually filled with rust red-colored sand. Their fossils are mostly terrestrial mammals, reptiles, and birds; aquatic forms are rare or absent. The second most common age for Haile vertebrate sites is late Miocene (about 16%), approximately 8 Ma. Geologically, these frequently contain abundant phosphatic gravel and sand. Marine and estuarine fossils are most common, including fish, sharks, dugongs, and the crocodile Gavialosuchus. Terrestrial species are also present, especially horses and camels.

Although not found as frequently as late Pleistocene or Miocene sites, some of the largest and most important Haile sites are Pliocene or early Pleistocene (2.5 to 1 Ma). Most sites of this age have abundant clay, or alternating layers of clay and sand, mixed the limestone rubble and boulders. The latter represent collapses of sinkhole or cave walls. In contrast to the late Pleistocene sites, there is a strong aquatic influence to these faunas. It is usually an exclusively fresh water component, unlike the primarily marine nature of the Miocene sites. Pliocene or early Pleistocene Haile sites have produced most of the articulated skeletons from the region. Vertebrates of all sizes have been found, ranging from small bats and frogs to large sloths and proboscideans.

INVERTEBRATE FOSSILS FROM HAILE

Invertebrates with calcite shells are typically better preserved. There are over 20 species of echinoids (sea urchins, sea biscuits, and sand dollars). Among the most common are Oligopygus haldemani and Oligopygus wetherbyi (sea biscuits) and Neolagnum durhami and Weisbordella cubae (sand dollars). Perhaps the most spectacular invertebrate species commonly collected from the Haile quarries is the fossil stone crab Ocalina floridana-dozens of complete specimens have been found. The fossils of Ocalina are preserved a dark blue or brown color, and so are relatively easy to find in the light tan limestone.

SHARKS AND FISH

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

BIRDS

MAMMALS

Pliocene and early Pleistocene sites (Haile 7C, 15A, 16A, and 21A) are rich in mammalian fossils. Among the common large mammals found at these sites are ground sloths, armadillos, pampatheres, tapirs, three- and one-toed horses, peccaries, and mastodonts. The oldest species of vampire bat, Desmodus archaeodaptes, has been found at Haile 16A. The carnivores of this interval include saber-toothed cats (Smilodon and Homotherium), wolves (Canis), and large bears (Arctodus). The late Pleistocene mammals of Haile include numerous small forms such as rodents, rabbits, bats, shrews, and moles. Among the larger mammals of this time, frequent finds include deer, bison, peccary, llama, horse, and mammoth.

PARTIAL HAILE BIBLIOGRAPHY