# Valentine Formation

The Valentine Formation is a geologic unit formation or member within the Ogallala unit in northcentral Nebraska near the South Dakota border. It preserves fossils dating to the Miocene epoch of the Neogene period and is particularly noted for Canid fossils. This unit consists of loosely-consolidated sandstone that crumbles easily. These sands carry the water of the Ogallala Aquifer and is the source of much of the water in the Niobrara River. A particular feature of the Valentine is lenticular beds of green-gray opaline sandstone that can be identified in other states, including South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Although three mammalian fauna stages can be mapped throughout the range of the Ogallala, no beddings of the Ogallala are mappable and all attempts of formally applying the Valentine name to any mappable lithology beyond the type location have been abandoned. Even so, opaline sandstone has been used to refer to this green-gray opalized conglomerate sandstone that is widely found in the lower Ogallala Formation.

## Development, the earliest Ogallala deposits

At the beginning of the Ogallala times, as sediments began washing out from the rising Rocky Mountains into the central plains states, the members of the Pierre Shale and Niobrara Formation outcrop had been largely exposed in their present outcrop range. The Niobrara had been broadly incised by the present river systems, but only to a fraction of their present depths. Therefore, the earliest Ogallala deposits, the time of the Valentine deposits, filled in these shallower valleys; but there was no continuous exposure over the range of the eastern outcrop of the Ogallala. Isolated exposures of the Valentine phase have been located along the Niobrara outcrop and quarried along the Smoky Hill River, Solomon River, Republican River, and Niobrara River where these watersheds have cut deeply down through the Niobrara Chalk into the Carlile Shale.

## Lithology

The Valentine Formation presents white, buff, gray to gray-green, unconsolidated, fine-to-coarse grained, fluvial siltstone, channel sandstone, and gravel eroded from uplift of the Rocky Mountains as well as locally eroded materials, particularly Niobrara chalk cobbles and chalk sand. Thin, localized beds of caliche are abundant. A specific index stone for the Valentine is the lenticular beds of grey-green opaline sandstone. Locally thick beds of volcanic ash are associated with the underlying opaline sandstone

## Distribution

Even as discussed above, the term Valentine is not now formally used outside of Northcentral Nebraska, older literature in other states with Ogallala may refer to the name.
The opaline sandstone of the lower Ogallala is recognized in Kansas in outcrops on hills to the east of the limits of the upper Ogallala (e.g., Rush, Graham, and Rooks counties). These outcrops, which formed in the bottoms of shallow valleys, are now found on the upper slopes of deeper valleys; that is, in inverted topographies.
The Ogallala's opaline sandstone is to be found in Arkansas River gravel at Pueblo, Colorado.

## Uses

The silicate cementation makes the opaline sandstone denser and harder than any other local stone, and it has been quarried as ballast, road gravel, and dam outflow rip-rap (e.g., Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sherman Dam). The opaline sandstone has had limited use in construction, and example being the structures in the city park of Hill City, Kansas. Beds of flint or chert can be found higher in the Valentine and the weathered Niobrara Chalk is also silicified where there is contact with these beds in the Valentine.

## Fossil content

| Color key Taxon Reclassified taxon Taxon falsely reported as present Dubious taxon or junior synonym Ichnotaxon Ootaxon Morphotaxon | Notes Uncertain or tentative taxa are in small text; crossed out taxa are discredited. |

### Mammals
#### Bats

Bats reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Cf. Myotis | Cf. M. sp. | Annies Geese Cross Quarry, Knox County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Right dentary lacking posterior end & teeth (UNSM 52004). | A mouse-eared bat approximately the size of Myotis septentrionalis. | |
| Potamonycteris | P. biperforatus | Annies Geese Cross Quarry, Knox County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Left half of a rostrum (UNSM 52008). | A vespertilionid. | |

#### Carnivorans

Carnivorans reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Aelurodon | A. ferox | Boyd, Cherry, Brown, Knox, Keyapaha & possibly Sheridan counties, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge, Cornell Dam, Devil's Gulch, Burge members. | Numerous specimens. | A borophagine dog. |
| Aelurodon | A. mcgrewi | Brown, Cherry & Keya Paha counties, Nebraska. | Devil's Gulch & Crookston Bridge members. | Numerous skull elements. | A borophagine dog. |
| Aelurodon | A. stirtoni | Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge & Burge members. | Numerous remains. | A borophagine dog, originally reported as Strobodon. Also found in the Tesuque Formation. |
| ?Amphicyonidae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Railway Quarry "A", Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Right femur lacking head (UNSM 76638). | Large carnivore, possibly a bear-dog. |
| Bassariscus | B. parvus | Railway Quarry "A", Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Left ramus (UNSM 25466). | A procyonid. |
| Carpocyon | C. compressus | Cherry, Brown, Boyd & Keyapaha counties, Nebraska. | Cornell Dam, Crookston Bridge & Devil's Gulch members. | Numerous specimens. | A borophagine dog also known from the Ogallala, Pawnee Creek & Esmeralda formations. |
| Carpocyon | C. cuspidatus | Railway Quarry "A", Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Skull elements. | A borophagine dog. |
| Carpocyon | C. webbi | Brown & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | Many skull & jaw elements. | A borophagine dog also found in the Ash Hollow, Tesuque & Chamita formations. |
| Cynarctus | C. saxatilis | Cherry, Brown, Knox & Webster counties, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge, Cornell Dam & Devil's Gulch members. | Numerous specimens. | A borophagine dog. |
| Felidae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Railway Quarry "A", Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Partial left maxilla (UNSM 76641). | A large cat. |
| Hyperailurictis | H. intrepidus | Brown & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Ramus remains. | A felid originally reported as Pseudaelurus. |
| Hyperailurictis | H. marshi | Cherry County, Nebraska. | | Articulated left & right rami (YPM 12865). | A felid originally reported as Pseudaelurus. |
| Ischyrocyon | I. gidleyi | Cherry, Brown, Knox & Sheridan counties, Nebraska. | Devil's Gulch & Burge members. | | A bear-dog. |
| Leptarctus | L. cf. bozemanensis | Railway Quary "A", Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Partial left ramus (UNSM 25467). | A mustelid. |
| Leptocyon | L. vafer | Brown, Cherry, Keya Paha, Knox & Sheridan counties, Nebraska. | Cornell Dam, Crookston Bridge, Devil's Gulch, & Burge members. | Abundant specimens. | A canine dog. |
| Mustelidae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Railway Quarry "A", Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Left ramus (UNSM 76640). | A small carnivore. |
| Paratomarctus | P. euthos | Cherry, Brown & Sheridan counties, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | Abundant remains. | A borophagine dog also known from the Ash Hollow Formation. |
| Paratomarctus | P. temerarius | Brown, Cherry & Webster counties, Nebraska. | Cornell Dam, Crookston Bridge & Devil's Gulch members. | Abundant remains. | A borophagine dog. |
| Pseudaelurus | P. intrepidus | Brown & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Ramus remains. | Moved to the genus Hyperailurictis. |
| Pseudaelurus | P. marshi | Cherry County, Nebraska. | | Articulated left & right rami (YPM 12865). | Moved to the genus Hyperailurictis. |
| Pseudocyon | P. sp. | Brown (Norden Bridge, Lucht & June quarries) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | | A bear-dog. |
| Strobodon | S. stirtoni | Railway Quarries, Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Right ramus (UNSM 76620) & right maxilla (UCMP 63657). | Junior synonym of Aelurodon. |
| Tomarctus | T. near T. euthos | Railway Quarries, Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Skull & limb elements. | A borophagine dog. |

#### Lagomorphs

Lagomorphs reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Alilepus | A. sp. | Stewart Quarry. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Teeth. | A leporid. |
| Hypolagus | H. fontinalis | Railway Quarries. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Dentaries & a maxilla. | A leporid. |
| Hypolagus | H. parviplicatus | Railway Quarries. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Dentaries. | A leporid. |
| Leporinae | Indeterminate | Stewart Quarry. | Crookston Bridge Member. | 4 isolated premolars. | A leporid. |
| Pronotolagus | P. albus | Stewart Quarry. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Teeth & jaw elements. | A leporid. |

#### Proboscideans

Proboscideans reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Gomphotherium | G. osborni | Boyd County, Nebraska. | | Near-complete skeleton. | A gomphothere. | |
| Tetrabelodon | T. osborni | Boyd County, Nebraska. | | Near-complete skeleton. | Junior synonym of Gomphotherium. | |

#### Rodents

Rodents reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Anchitheriomys | A. fluminis | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | | A castorid. |
| Ceratogaulus | C. rhinocerus | Crookston Bridge Quarry, Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | UNSM 122005, 122007, 122010 & 122009. | A mylagaulid. |
| Ceratogaulus | C. sp., cf. C. rhinocerus | Northcentral Nebraska. | Burge Member. | Multiple specimens. | A mylagaulid. |
| Cupidinimus | C. nebraskensis | Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Several mandibles. | A heteromyid. |
| Eucastor | E. tortus | Brown, Cherry & Knox counties, Nebraska. | Cornell Dam, Crookston Bridge & Devil's Gulch members. | Skull elements. | A castorid. |
| Megasminthus | M. tiheni | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Jaw elements & teeth. | A zapodine. |
| Monosaulax | M. skinneri | Cherry County, Nebraska. | Cornell Dam, Crookston Bridge & Devil's Gulch members. | Teeth, mandibles & cranial material. | A castorid. |
| Nothodipoides | N. stirtoni | Cherry & Brown counties, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | A skull (FAM 65276) & 2 mandibles (FAM 65277 & 65279). | A castorid. |
| ?Plesiosminthus | ?P. sp. | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Mandibles & teeth. | A sicistine. |
| Prodipoides | P. burgensis | Brown, Cherry & Knox counties, Nebraska. | Burge, Crookston Bridge & Devil's Gulch members. | Mandibles & partial skull. | A castorid. |
| Prodipoides | P. dividerus | Brown & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Burge, Devil's Gulch & Crookston Bridge members. | Mandibles (UCMP 29691, FAM 64314, 64319, 64316, & 64318) & partial cranium (FAM 64324). | A castorid also known from the Ash Hollow & Esmeralda formations. |
| Temperocastor | T. valentinensis | Cherry & Webster counties. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Skull elements, scapula & radius. | A castorid. |

#### Ungulates

Ungulates reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Calippus | C. proplacidus | Brown County, Nebraska. | Devil's Gulch Member. | Skull elements. | An equid. |
| Calippus | C. regulus | Penny Creek localities, Webster County, Nebraska. | | Multiple specimens. | An equid. |
| Colbertchoerus | C. niobrarensis | Deep Creek Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | Devil's Gulch Member. | Partial skull (UNSM 2604). | A peccary also known from the Calvert & Choptank formations. |
| Cormohipparion | C. johnsoni | Burge Quarry, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | Skull elements. | An equid. |
| Cormohipparion | C. merriami | June & Midway quarries, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | Skull elements. | An equid. |
| Cormohipparion | C. quinni | Brown County, Nebraska. | Devil's Gulch, Cornell Dam & Crookston Bridge members. | Multiple specimens. | An equid. |
| Hemiauchenia | H. sp. | June Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | Burge Member. | A metacarpal. | A camelid. |
| Protohippus | P. perditus | Brown County, Nebraska. | Devil's Gulch & Crookston Bridge members. | Numerous specimens. | An equid. |
| Pseudhipparion | P. retrusum | Cherry & Brown counties, Nebraska. | Burge & Devil's Gulch members. | Numerous specimens, including many skulls & mandibles. | An equid. |
| Stirtonhyus | S. xiphidonticus | Cherry & Knox counties, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge & Devil's Gulch members. | Numerous specimens. | A peccary. |
| Tapiravus | T. cf. polkensis | Webster & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Mandibles. | Moved to the genus Tapirus. |
| Tapiridae | Genus & species undetermined | Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Teeth. | A tapir. |
| Tapirus | T. cf. polkensis | Webster & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Mandibles. | A tapir. |
| Ustatochoerus | U. medius | Brown & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Numerous specimens. | A merycoidodontid. |
| Ustatochoerus | U.? schrammi | Boyd & Brown counties, Nebraska. | | Jaw elements. | A merycoidodontid. |

### Birds

Birds reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Dissourodes | D. milleri | Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Distal end of left tibiotarsus (UNSM 5780). | Lumped into the genus Mycteria. |
| Heterochen | H. pratensis | Devil's Gulch, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Nearly complete left tarsometatarsus (UNSM 5781). | A goose-like anseriform. |
| Mycteria | M. milleri | Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Distal end of left tibiotarsus (UNSM 5780). | A stork, originally reported as Dissourodes. |
| Palaeonerpes | P. shorti | Driftwood Creek, Hitchcock County, Nebraska. | Equivalent to the top of the formation. | Distal end of left tibiotarsus (AMNH 1641). | A woodpecker. |

### Reptiles
#### Squamates

Squamates reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Ameiseophis | A. cf. A. robinsoni | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Trunk vertebra (MSUVP 891). | A colubrid snake. |
| Amphisbaenidae? | Indeterminate | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | A centrum of a dorsal vertebra (UNSM 61029). | A worm lizard. |
| Anguidae | Unidentified | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | 3 large osteoscutes (UNSM 61028). | An anguid lizard. |
| Boidae | Indeterminate | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Vertebrae & a fragmentary dentary. | Seems to be near the Ogmophis-Calamagras-Charina group. |
| Boinae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Norden Bridge locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Caudal vertebra. | Similar to Charina. |
| cf. Cnemidophorus | cf. C. sp. | Cherry County, Nebraska. | | A right dentary. | A whiptail lizard. |
| Colubridae | Indeterminate | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Vertebrae. | At least 4 forms, including at least 1 natricine. |
| Colubrinae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Norden Bridge locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | | 2 precaudal vertebrae. | May represent an extinct genus or one found in Central or South America today. |
| Elaphe | E. nebraskensis | Norden Bridge locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Precaudal & anterior vertebrae. | A rat snake similar to E. vulpina in height of neural spine & size. |
| Eumeces | E. minimus | Egelhoff Quarry, Keya Paha County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member, lowermost part of the formation. | A frontal bone (MSU-VP 790). | A skink originally thought to be a species of Peltosaurus, may be a nomen dubium. |
| Eumeces | cf. E. sp. | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Left dentary (MSUVP 966), 2 broken dentaries & a fragment of a maxilla (UNSM 61026). | A skink. |
| Geringophis | G. depressus | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | 1 trunk vertebra (MSUVP 893). | A boid. |
| Gerrhonotus | G. sp. | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | An almost complete right dentary (UC 65857) & 3 vertebrae (UNSM 61027). | An alligator lizard. |
| Iguanidae | Unidentified, form A | Cherry County, Nebraska. | | Fragment of a right dentary (UC 65856). | An iguanid lizard. |
| Iguanidae | Unidentified, form B | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Fragment of a right dentary (UNSM 61025). | An iguanid lizard. |
| Lampropeltis | L. similis | Norden Bridge locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Precaudal vertebrae. | A kingsnake. |
| Natricinae | Gen. et. sp. indet. | Norden Bridge locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | | 2 vertebrae. | "A rather small natricine snake, but not one of the diminutive forms". |
| Nebraskophis | N. skinneri | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Trunk vertebra (UNSM 61037). | A colubrid snake. |
| Neonatrix | N. elongata | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Trunk vertebra (MSUVP 967). | A colubrid snake. |
| Neonatrix | N. magna | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Trunk vertebra (MSUVP 943). | A colubrid snake. |
| Paleoheterodon | P. tiheni | Norden Bridge locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Precaudal vertebrae. | A colubrine closely related to Heterodon. |
| Peltosaurus | P. minimus | Egelhoff Quarry, Keya Paha County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member, lowermost part of the formation. | A frontal bone (MSU-VP 790). | Thought to be a glyptosaurine but reassigned to the skink genus Eumeces. |
| Phrynosoma | P. sp. | Cherry County, Nebraska. | | An almost complete jaw (UC 65855) & 2 less complete jaws. | A horned lizard. |
| Salvadora | S. paleolineata | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Trunk vertebrae (MSUVP 892 & 968). | A patchnose snake. |
| Viperidae | Indeterminate | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Trunk vertebra (MSUVP 889). | A viper. |

#### Testudines

Testudines reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes |
| Chrysemys | C. sp. | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | A near complete hyoplastron. | An emydid turtle. |
| Emydoidea | E. hutchisoni | West Valentine Quarry, Cherry County, Nebraska. | | Remains of at least 4 (probably more) individuals. | An emydid turtle. |
| Geochelone | G. orthopygia | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Shell & limb elements. | A tortoise. |
| Glyptemys | G. valentinensis | Railway Quarry A, Cherry County, Nebraska. | Crookston Bridge Member. | Multiple carapace & bone specimens. | An emydid turtle. |
| Trionyx | T. quinni | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | | Hyoplastrons & pleural bones. | A softshell turtle. |
| Trionyx | T. sp. | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | | Multiple specimens. | A softshell turtle. |

### Amphibians

Amphibians reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes |
| Ambystoma | A. minshalli | Brown (Norden Bridge Locality) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Multiple specimens. | A mole salamander. |
| Andrias | A. matthewi | Norden Bridge Locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | A maxilla & a fragment of a maxilla. | A giant salamander. |
| Bufo | B. hibbardi | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | Right ilium (MSUVP 1013). | A true toad. |
| Bufo | B. cf. hibbardi | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Multiple specimens. | A true toad. |
| Bufo | B. kuhrei | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | Proximal portion of a right tibiofibula (MSUVP 890). | A true toad. |
| Bufo | B. valentinensis | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Multiple specimens. | A true toad. |
| Cryptobranchus | C. mccalli | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | A complete right maxilla & the anterior portion of a left maxilla. | Synonymized with Andrias matthewi. |
| Geophryne | G. nordensis | Brown (Norden Bridge Quarry), Keya Paha (Egelhoff Local Fauna) & Knox (Annie's Geese Cross Local Fauna) counties, Nebraska. | 4 ilia. | A hylid frog. |
| Pseudacris | P. nordensis | Brown (Norden Bridge Quarry), Keya Paha (Egelhoff Local Fauna) & Knox (Annie's Geese Cross Local Fauna) counties, Nebraska. | 4 ilia. | Reassigned to the genus Geophryne. |
| Rana | R. sp. | Brown (Norden Bridge quarry) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | Multiple specimens. | A ranid frog. |
| Scaphiopus | S. (Spea) cf. alexanderi | Brown (Norden Bridge locality) & Cherry counties, Nebraska. | UNSM 61016 & 61017. | An American spadefoot toad. |
| Scaphiopus | S. (Scaphiopus) wardorum | Norden Bridge Quarry, Brown County, Nebraska. | Multiple specimens. | An American spadefoot toad. |

### Fish

Fish reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Material | Notes |
| Amia | A. sp. | Cherry County, Nebraska. | A broken left dentary (UC 65851) & a dorsal vertebra. | A bowfin. |
| Ictalurus | I. sp. | Cherry County, Nebraska. | A pectoral spine, dorsal spine, right dentary, & numerous fragments of spines and vertebrae. | A catfish. |
| Lepisosteus | L. sp. | Norden Bridge Locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | A scale. | A gar. |
| Lepomis | L. cf. microlophus | Norden Bridge Locality, Brown County, Nebraska. | A left dentary. | A sunfish. |

### Plants

Plants reported from the Valentine Formation :
| Genus | Species | Location | Stratigraphic position | Material | Notes | Images |
| Berriochloa | B. communis | | | | A grass also found in the Ash Hollow Formation. | |

## Gallery

* Valentine opaline sandstone with white Niobrara pebbles, Rush County, Kansas
* Valentine opaline sandstone, Hays, Kansas
* Valentine-contact opalized Niobrara, Frontier Park, Hays, Kansas
* Antelope Lake Park buildings in Graham County, Kansas
* Bogue, Kansas Township Hall