McAbee Fossil Beds

File:McAbee fossil beds undescribed bird.jpg

Fossil plants from the same area as the McAbee fossil beds (Cache Creek and Kamloops B.C.) were first reported by G.M. Dawson.{{cite book |last1=Dawson |first1=G. M. |year=1877 |chapter=Report on explorations in the southern portion of British Columbia |title=Geological Survey of Canada, Report of Progress for |volume=1875–1876 |pages=233–265 |publisher=Dawson Brothers |location=Montreal, Quebec}} Palaeontological and geological studies of the McAbee Fossil Beds first commenced in the 1960s and early 1970s by Len Hills of the University of Calgary and his students on the fossil palynology (spores and pollen) and leaf fossils,{{cite thesis |last=Hills |first=L.V. |date=1965 |title=Palynology and age of early Tertiary basins, interior British Columbia |type=Ph.D. |chapter= |publisher=University of Alberta |location=Edmonton, Alberta |pages=189 |docket= |oclc= |url= |access-date=}}{{cite journal| last1=Hills| first1=L.V.| last2=Baadsgaard| first2=H.| year=1967| title=Potassium-argon dating of some Lower Tertiary strata in British Columbia| journal=Canadian Petroleum Geologists Bulletin| volume=15| pages=138–149 }}{{cite thesis |last=Verschoor |first=K. van R. |date=1974 |title=Paleobotany of the Tertiary (early Middle Eocene) McAbee Beds, British Columbia |type= M.Sc |chapter= |publisher=University of Calgary |location=Calgary, Alberta |pages=128 |docket= |oclc= |url= |access-date=}} and research on the fossil fish from the fossil beds by Mark Wilson of the University of Alberta. Thomas Ewing provided a detailed analysis of the geology of the Kamloops Group, including the McAbee beds.{{cite journal|last=Ewing|first=T.E.|year=1981|title= Regional stratigraphy and structural setting of the Kamloops Group, south-central British Columbia|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences|volume=18|issue=9|pages=1464–1477|doi=10.1139/e81-137|bibcode=1981CaJES..18.1464E}} More recently, Lowe et al. have assessed in detail the site lithostratigraphy.{{cite journal |last1=Lowe |first1=A. J. |last2=Greenwood |first2=D. R. |last3=West |first3=C. K. |last4=Galloway |first4=J. M. |last5=Sudermann |first5=M. |last6=Reichgelt |first6=T. |year=2018 |title=Plant community ecology and climate on an upland volcanic landscape during the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum: McAbee Fossil Beds, British Columbia, Canada |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=511 |pages=433–448|doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2018.09.010 |bibcode=2018PPP...511..433L |s2cid=134962126 }} Significant research on the fossil plants and insects has only occurred since the late 1980s.{{cite journal |last1=Wolfe |first1=J.A. |last2=Tanai |first2=T. |year=1987 |title=Systematics, Phylogeny, and Distribution of Acer (maples) in the Cenozoic of Western North America |journal=Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University. Series 4, Geology and Mineralogy |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=1–246}}{{cite journal|last1=Douglas|first1=S.D.|last2=Stockey|first2=R.A.|year=1996|title=Insect fossils in Middle Eocene deposits from British Columbia and Washington State: faunal diversity and geological range extensions|journal=Canadian Journal of Zoology|volume=74|issue=6|pages=1140–1157|doi=10.1139/z96-126}}{{cite journal|last1=Greenwood|first1=D.R.|last2=Wing|first2=S.L.|year=1995|title=Eocene continental climates and latitudinal temperature gradients|journal=Geology|volume=23|issue=11|pages=1044–1048|doi=10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<1044:eccalt>2.3.co;2|bibcode=1995Geo....23.1044G}}{{cite journal|last1=Greenwood|first1=D.R.|last2=Archibald|first2=S.B.|last3=Mathewes|first3=R.W.|last4=Moss|first4=P.T.|year=2005|title=Fossil biotas from the Okanagan Highlands, southern British Columbia and northeastern Washington State: climates and ecosystems across an Eocene landscape|journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences|volume=42|issue=2|pages=167–185|doi=10.1139/E04-100|bibcode=2005CaJES..42..167G|url=http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/e05-012|url-access=subscription}}{{cite journal|last1=Archibald|first1=S.B.|last2=Greenwood|first2=D.R.|last3=Smith|first3=R.Y.|last4=Mathewes|first4=R.W.|last5=Basinger|first5=J.F.|year=2012|title=Great Canadian Lagerstätten 1. Early Eocene Lagerstätten of the Okanagan Highlands (British Columbia and Washington State)|journal=Geoscience Canada|volume=38|issue=4|pages=155–164|url=http://journals.hil.unb.ca/index.php/GC/article/view/18964}} The McAbee Fossil Beds are best known for the abundant and well-preserved insect and fish fossils (Amyzon, Eohiodon, and Eosalmo). Eohiodon rosei from the McAbee Fossil Beds and other Eocene sites in British Columbia is now considered to belong to the present-day mooneye genus Hiodon.{{cite journal| last1=Hilton| first1=E.J.| last2=Grande| first2=L.| year=2008| title=Fossil Mooneyes (Teleostei: Hiodontiformes, Hiodontidae) from the Eocene of western North America, with a reassessment of their taxonomy" in "Birth of the modern world: the Tertiary| journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications| volume=295| pages=221–251| doi=10.1144/SP295.13 | s2cid=128680041}}

The climate of the McAbee Eocene lake was reconstructed to be temperate and wet, with a mean annual temperature about {{convert|11|C|F}}, winters lacking frost (coldest month mean temperature ~5 °C), and annual precipitation over {{convert|1000|mm|abbr=on}} a year with little or no seasonality of precipitation.{{cite journal| last1=Dillhoff| first1=R.M.| last2=Dillhoff| first2=T.A.| last3=Greenwood| first3=D.R.| last4=DeVore| first4=M.L.| last5=Pigg| first5=K.B.| year=2013| title=The Eocene Thomas Ranch flora, Allenby Formation, Princeton, British Columbia, Canada| journal=Botany| volume=91| issue=8| pages=514–529| doi=10.1139/cjb-2012-0313 }}{{cite journal| last1=Gushulak| first1=C.A.| last2=West| first2=C.K.| last3=Greenwood| first3=D.R.| year=2016| title=Paleoclimate and precipitation seasonality of the Early Eocene McAbee megaflora, Kamloops Group, British Columbia| journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences| volume=53| issue=6| pages=591–604| doi=10.1139/cjes-2015-0160| bibcode=2016CaJES..53..591G| hdl=1807/71959| hdl-access=free }} The extraordinary detail preserved in the insect fossils, as well as the high diversity of insects, plants and other organisms means the McAbee Fossil Beds represent a Konservat-Lagerstätten.

A volcanic ash exposed in the lake shale beds was originally radiometrically dated using the K-Ar method at ~{{ma|51}}; however, a 2005 paper provided a radiometric date using the ⁴⁰Ar-³⁹Ar method places the McAbee Fossil Beds at {{ma|52.9|error=0.83}}, with both dates placing the McAbee fossil beds in the early Eocene Epoch.{{cite journal|last1= Moss|first1=PT|last2= Greenwood|first2=DR|last3= Archibald|first3= SB|year=2005|title= Regional and local vegetation community dynamics of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands (British Columbia - Washington State) from palynology|journal= Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences|volume= 42|issue= 2|pages= 187–204|doi=10.1139/E04-095|bibcode=2005CaJES..42..187M}}

File:Sassafras hesperia RTMP McAbee site1.jpg from the McAbee Fossil Beds. Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology collection. Collected by L. Hills in 1983.]]

Fossils of plant leaves, shoots, seeds, flowers and cones are abundant and well preserved, and include up to 76 genera of plants.{{cite report|last=Wilson|first=M.V.H.|date=October 24, 2008|title=McAbee Fossil Site Assessment |publisher=Government of British Columbia |url=https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/natural-resource-use/land-water-use/crown-land/fossil-management/mcabee_fossil_site_assessment_report.pdf|access-date=17 May 2021 }} Fossil plants described from the fossil beds include rare fruits such as Dipteronia brownii, a genus of trees now endemic to China,{{cite journal| last1=McClain| first1=A.M.| last2=Manchester| first2=S.R.| year=2001| title=Dipteronia (Sapindaceae) from the Tertiary of North America and implications for the phytogeographic history of the Aceroideae| journal=American Journal of Botany| volume=88| issue=7| pages=1316–1325| doi=10.2307/3558343| jstor=3558343| pmid=11454632| doi-access=free }} extinct members of the birch family (Betulaceae) such as Palaeocarpinus,{{cite journal| last1=Pigg |first1=K.B. |last2=Manchester |first2=S.R. |last3=Wehr |first3=W.C. |year=2003 |title=Corylus, Carpinus, and Palaeocarpinus (Betulaceae) from the Middle Eocene Klondike Mountain and Allenby Formations of Northwestern North America |journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences |volume=164 |issue=5 |pages=807–822 |doi=10.1086/376816 |s2cid=19802370}} maples (Acer rousei), fruits and leaves of the beech Fagus langevinii{{cite journal| last1=Manchester| first1=S.R.| last2=Dillhoff| first2=R.M.| year=2004| title=Fagus (Fagaceae) fruits, foliage, and pollen from the Middle Eocene of Pacific Northwestern North America| journal=Canadian Journal of Botany| volume=82| issue=10| pages=1509–1517| doi=10.1139/b04-112 }} and the elm Ulmus okanaganensis.{{cite journal| last1=Denk| first1=T.| last2=Dillhoff| first2=R.M.| year=2005| title=Ulmus leaves and fruits from the Early-Middle Eocene of northwestern North America: systematics and implications for character evolution within Ulmaceae| journal=Canadian Journal of Botany| volume=83| issue=12| pages=1663–1681| doi=10.1139/b05-122 }}

Below is an incomplete list of the plant genera found in the McAbee fossil beds based on the list found in Dillhoff, Leopold & Manchester (2005) and Wilson (2009) with extinct taxa denoted with a †.{{cite journal |last1=Dillhoff |first1=R.M. |last2=Leopold |first2=E.B. |last3=Manchester |first3=S.R. |year=2005 |title=The McAbee flora of British Columbia and its relations to the Early-Middle Eocene Okanagan Highlands flora of the Pacific Northwest |journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences |volume=42 |issue=2 |pages=151–166 |doi=10.1139/e04-084 |bibcode=2005CaJES..42..151D |url=http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Sites/mcabee/mcabeefossils.pdf }}

class="wikitable"
plant family ! genus or species ! notes
Equisetaceae | Equisetum | Scouring rushes
Cupressaceae | Chamaecyparis, Cunninghamia, Metasequoia, Sequoia, Thuja | cypress, Chinese fir, dawn redwood, California redwood, red or white cedar
Ginkgoaceae | Ginkgo biloba | ginkgo, maidenhair tree
Pinaceae | Abies,{{cite journal|last1=Schorn|first1=H.|last2=Wehr|first2=W.C.|year=1986|title=Abies milleri, sp. nov., from the Middle Eocene Klondike Mountain Formation, Republic, Ferry County, Washington|journal=Burke Museum Contributions in Anthropology and Natural History|issue=1|pages=1–7}} Picea, Pinus, Pseudolarix,{{Cite journal|last1=LePage|first1=B.A.|last2=Basinger|first2=J.F.|year=1995|title=Evolutionary history of the genus Pseudolarix Gordon (Pinaceae)|journal= International Journal of Plant Sciences|volume=156|issue=6|pages=910–950|doi=10.1086/297313|s2cid=84724593}} Tsuga | fir, spruce, pine, golden larch, hemlock
Taxaceae | cf. Amentotaxus, cf. Torreya | catkin yew, nutmeg yew or 'torreya'
Betulaceae | Alnus, Betula, †Palaeocarpinus | alder, birch, extinct hornbeam
Cercidiphyllaceae | †Joffrea / Cercidiphyllum | extinct / katsura
Cornaceae | Cornus | dogwood
Fagaceae | †Fagus langevinii | beech
Grossulariaceae | Ribes | currant/gooseberry
Hamamelidaceae | †Langeria magnifica | extinct witch hazel relative
Lauraceae | Sassafras hesperia | sassafras
Malvaceae | †Florissantia | extinct mallow relative
Myricaceae | Comptonia columbiana | sweet fern
Platanaceae | †Macginicarpa, †Macginitiea | extinct sycamore/plane tree relative
Rosaceae | Amelanchier, Crataegus, Prunus | serviceberry, hawthorn, cherry
Salicaceae | Populus | cottonwoods/poplars
Sapindaceae | Acer, Aesculus, †Cruciptera,{{cite journal|last1=Manchester|first1=S.R.|year=1991|title=Cruciptera, a new juglandaceous winged fruit from the Eocene and Oligocene of Western North America|journal=Systematic Botany|volume=16|issue=4|pages=715–725|doi=10.2307/2418873|jstor=2418873 }} Dipteronia, Koelreuteria | maples, buckeyes/horse chestnuts, golden rain trees
Trochodendraceae | †Paraconcavistylon wehrii,{{Cite journal|last1=Manchester|first1=S.|last2=Pigg|first2=K. B.|last3=Kvaček|first3=Z|last4=DeVore|first4=M. L.|last5=Dillhoff|first5=R. M.|year=2018|title=Newly recognized diversity in Trochodendraceae from the Eocene of western North America|journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences|volume=179|issue=8|pages=663–676|doi=10.1086/699282|s2cid=92201595|url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=Newly+Recognized+Diversity+in+Trochodendraceae+from+the+Eocene+of+Western+North+America&btnG= |url-access=subscription}}{{cite journal|last1=Manchester|first1=S. R.|last2=Kvaček|first2=Z.|last3=Judd|first3=W. S.|year=2020|title=Morphology, anatomy, phylogenetics and distribution of fossil and extant Trochodendraceae in the Northern Hemisphere|journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society|volume=195|issue=3|pages=467–484|doi=10.1093/botlinnean/boaa046|doi-access=free }} †Trochodendron drachukii,{{cite journal|last1=Pigg|first1=K.B.|last2=Dillhoff|first2=R.M.|last3=DeVore|first3=M.L.|last4=Wehr|first4=W.C.|year=2007|title=New diversity among the Trochodendraceae from the Early/Middle Eocene Okanogan Highlands of British Columbia, Canada, and Northeastern Washington State, United States|journal= International Journal of Plant Sciences|volume=168|issue=4|pages=521–532|doi= 10.1086/512104|s2cid=86524324}} Trochodendron nastae, †Zizyphoides | wheel tree, extinct trochodendron relatives
Ulmaceae | Ulmus okanaganensis | elm
Vitaceae | Vitis | grape
incertae sedis | Dillhoffia cashensis | Flower of uncertain affliliation

The fossil insects are particularly diverse and well preserved, and include an extinct bulldog ant Macabeemyrma ovata,{{Cite journal|last1=Archibald|first1=S.B.|last2=Cover|first2=S. P.|last3=Moreau|first3=C. S.|title=Bulldog Ants of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands and History of the Subfamily (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmeciinae)|journal=Annals of the Entomological Society of America|year=2006|volume=99|issue=3|pages=487–523| doi=10.1603/0013-8746(2006)99[487:BAOTEO]2.0.CO;2|doi-access=free }} a species of green lacewing (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) (Archaeochrysa profracta), and stick insects (Phasmatodea).{{cite journal |last1=Archibald |first1=S.B. |last2=Bossert |first2=W.H. |last3=Greenwood |first3=D.R. |last4=Farrell |first4=B.D. |year=2010 |title=Seasonality, the latitudinal gradient of diversity, and Eocene insects |volume=36 |issue=3 |pages=374–398 |doi=10.1666/09021.1 |jstor=40792296 |url-access=subscription |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/abs/seasonality-the-latitudinal-gradient-of-diversity-and-eocene-insects/5B7F54DD1A929AFA7BCFB52F5E057CBC |journal=Paleobiology |bibcode=2010Pbio...36..374A }}{{cite journal| last1=Makarkin| first1=V.N.| last2=Archibald| first2=S.B.| year=2013| title=A diverse new assemblage of green lacewings (Insecta, Neuroptera, Chrysopidae) from the early Eocene Okanagan Highlands, western North America| journal=Journal of Paleontology| volume=87| issue=1| pages=123–146| doi=10.1666/12-052R.1 | bibcode=2013JPal...87..123M| s2cid=130797848}}{{cite journal|last1=Archibald|first1=SB|last2=Bradler|first2=S|year=2015|title=Stem-group stick insects (Phasmatodea) in the early Eocene at McAbee, British Columbia, Canada, and Republic, Washington, United States of America|journal=The Canadian Entomologist|volume=147|issue=6|pages=744–753|doi=10.4039/tce.2015.2|s2cid=86608533}} A species of fossil freshwater crayfish (Aenigmastacus crandalli) was described from the McAbee Fossil Beds.{{cite journal| last1=Feldmann| first1=R.A.| last2=Schweitzer| first2=C.E.| last3=Leahy| first3=J.| year=2011| title=New Eocene crayfish from the McAbee Beds in British Columbia: First record of Parastacoidea in the Northern Hemisphere| journal=Journal of Crustacean Biology| volume=31| issue=2| pages=320–331| doi=10.1651/10-3399.1| doi-access=free }} The very high diversity of fossil insects in the McAbee fossil beds is comparable to that of modern-day tropical forest areas.{{cite journal| last1=Archibald| first1=S.B.| last2=Greenwood| first2=D.R.| last3=Mathewes| first3=R.W.| year=2013| title=Seasonality, montane beta diversity, and Eocene insects: Testing Janzen's dispersal hypothesis in an equable world| journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology| volume=371| pages=1–8| doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.10.043 | bibcode=2013PPP...371....1A}} Additionally, fossil palm beetles (Bruchinae) were detailed from the beds, confirming the presence of palms (Arecaceae) in the local environment in the early Eocene.{{cite journal| last1=Archibald| first1=S.B.| last2=Morse| first2=G.| last3=Greenwood| first3=D.R.| last4=Mathewes| first4=R.W.| year=2014| title=Fossil palm beetles refine upland winter temperatures in the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum| journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences| volume=111| issue=22| pages=8095–8100| doi=10.1073/pnas.1323269111| pmid=24821798| pmc=4050627| bibcode=2014PNAS..111.8095A| doi-access=free}}

Below is an incomplete list of the insect Orders, superfamilies and families, and genera found in the McAbee Fossil Beds based on information in Archibald, Bossert, Greenwood, and Farrell (2010), Archibald, Mathewes, and Greenwood (2013), Archibald, Rasnitsyn and Akhmetiev (2005){{cite journal|last1=Archibald|first1=S.B.|last2=Rasnitsyn|first2=A.P.|last3=Akhmetiev|first3=M.A.|year=2005|title=The ecology and distribution of Cenozoic Eomeropidae (Mecoptera), and a new species of Eomerope Cockerell from the Early Eocene McAbee locality, British Columbia, Canada|journal=Annals of the Entomological Society of America|volume=98|issue=4|pages=503–514|doi=10.1603/0013-8746(2005)098[0503:EADOCE]2.0.CO;2|doi-access=free}} and other sources cited in the list below, with extinct taxa denoted with a †.

class="wikitable sortable" align="center" width="100%"
Arthropod order ! Super family/family ! Genus/Species ! Authors ! Notes ! Images
Ephemeroptera | | | | |
Odonata | Aeshnidae | | | Darners (dragonflies) |
Odonata | Megapodagrionidae | | | Flatwing damselflies |
Blattodea | Blaberidae | | | blaberid cockroaches |
Isoptera | Hodotermitidae | | | harvester termites |
Dermaptera | | | | earwigs |
Orthoptera | Prophalangopsidae | | | Grigs |
Orthoptera | Tettigoniidae | | | katydids |
Hemiptera | Aphididae | | | aphids |
Hemiptera | Cicadellidae | | | leaf hoppers |
Hemiptera | Cercopoidea | | | spittlebugs |
Neuroptera | Chrysopidae | †Protochrysa | | Green lacewings |
Neuroptera | Chrysopidae | †Okanaganochrysa | | Green lacewings |
Neuroptera | Chrysopidae | †Adamsochrysa | | Green lacewings |
Neuroptera | Chrysopidae | †Archaeochrysa | | Green lacewings |
Neuroptera | Hemerobiidae | | | brown lacewings |
Neuroptera | Osmylidae | | | osmylid lacewings |
Coleoptera | Cupedidae | | | reticulated beetles |
Coleoptera | cf. Cantharidae | | | soldier beetles |
Coleoptera | Cerambycidae | | | long horned beetles |
Coleoptera | Chrysomelidae | | | leaf beetles |
Coleoptera | Curculionidae | | | weevils, snout beetles |
Coleoptera | cf. Elateridae | | | click beetles |
Coleoptera | Mordellidae | | | tumbling flower beetles |
Mecoptera | Bittacidae | | | hangingflies |
Mecoptera | †Cimbrophlebiidae | †Cimbrophlebia | | extinct group |
Mecoptera | Panorpidae | Panorpa | | panorpid scorpionflies |
Mecoptera | †Dinopanorpidae | †Dinokanaga | | extinct family |
Mecoptera | †Holcorpidae | †Holcorpa | | extinct family |
Mecoptera | †Eorpidae | †Eorpa | | extinct family |
Mecoptera | Eomeropidae | †Eomerope | | eomeropid mecopterans |
Diptera | Bibionidae | Plecia | | March flies |
Diptera | Cylindrotomidae | | | long-bodied crane flies |
Diptera | Limoniidae | | | limoniid crane flies |
Diptera | Mycetophilidae | | | fungus gnats |
Diptera | Tipulidae | | | crane flies |
Diptera | Trichoceridae | | | winter crane flies |
Diptera | Syrphidae | | | flower flies, hover flies |
Trichoptera | | | | caddisflies |
Hymenoptera | Braconidae | | | braconid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Cephidae | †Cuspilongus cachecreekensis{{Cite journal|last1=Archibald|first1=S.B.|last2=Rasnitsyn|first2=A.P.|year=2015|title=New early Eocene Siricomorpha (Hymenoptera: Symphyta: Pamphiliidae, Siricidae, Cephidae) from the Okanagan Highlands, western North America|journal=The Canadian Entomologist|volume=148|issue=2|pages=209–228|doi=10.4039/tce.2015.55 |s2cid=85743832}} | Archibald & Rasnitsyn, 2015 | Sawfly |
Hymenoptera | Cimbicidae | | | cimbicid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Diapriidae | | | diapriid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Figitidae | | | figitid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Avitomyrmex elongatus{{Cite journal|last1=Archibald|first1=S.B.|last2=Cover|first2=S. P.|last3=Moreau|first3=C. S.|title=Bulldog Ants of the Eocene Okanagan Highlands and History of the Subfamily (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmeciinae)|journal=Annals of the Entomological Society of America|year=2006|volume=99|issue=3|pages=487–523|url=http://antbase.org/ants/publications/21067/21067.pdf| doi=10.1603/0013-8746(2006)99[487:BAOTEO]2.0.CO;2|doi-access=free }} | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ants |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Avitomyrmex mastax | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ants |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Avitomyrmex systenus | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ants |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Macabeemyrma ovata | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ants |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Ypresiomyrma bartletti | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ants |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Ypresiomyrma orbiculata | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ants |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Myrmeciites(?) goliath | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ant form taxon |
Hymenoptera | Formicidae | †Myrmeciites herculeanus | Archibald, Cover, & Moreau, 2006 | bulldog ant form taxon |
Hymenoptera | Ichneumonidae | | | ichneumon wasps |
Hymenoptera | Proctotrupidae | | | proctotrupid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Siricidae | †Ypresiosirex orthosemos | Archibald & Rasnitsyn, 2015 | horntail wasps |
Hymenoptera | Sphecidae | | | Sphecid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Tenthredinidae | | | tenthredinid wasps |
Hymenoptera | Vespidae | | | hornets |
Phasmatodea | †Susumanioidea | | | stick insects |

Collections of fossils are housed in the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, B.C.; the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Drumheller Alberta; the Royal Ontario Museum; the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa; the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, WA; as well as in university collections, principally Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C.; and Brandon University in Manitoba. Significant collections of fossils from the McAbee Fossil Beds were in private ownership and fossils from the McAbee Fossil Beds are listed for sale on the internet. In August 2018 a substantial private collection of fossils from McAbee was donated to the Royal British Columbia Museum.[https://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/about/our-work/publications-news/latest-news/royal-bc-museum-accepts-world’s-largest-collection Royal British Columbia Museum]

The cessation of fossil collecting at the McAbee Fossil Beds through heritage listing is consistent with British Columbia's Fossil Management Framework[http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=581E56736871492E80229C27F1662222 Fossil Management Framework (accessed May 4, 2015)] which seeks to:

:* clarify the rules governing the management and use of fossils;

:* manage impacts on fossils from other activities;

:* provide for the stewardship of significant fossil sites;

:* raise internal and external awareness of the framework and the importance of fossils;

:* build knowledge of the nature and extent of the resource in British Columbia; and

:* clarify the rights and obligations of the public, business, government and other stakeholders.

{{Reflist}}

Category:Cenozoic paleontological sites of North America

Category:Natural history of British Columbia

Category:Fossil parks in Canada

Category:Eocene plants

Category:Lagerstätten

Category:Paleontology in Canada

Category:Thompson Country

Category:Thompson-Nicola Regional District

Category:2012 in paleontology

Category:Heritage sites in British Columbia

Category:Eocene paleontological sites

Category:Paleontology in British Columbia