The Runningwater Formation is a
geologic formation
A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exp ...
in
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
. It preserves
fossils
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...
dating back to the
Hemingfordian of the
Early Miocene of the
Neogene
The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...
period. The
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
s and
conglomerates of the formation were deposited in a
fluvial
In geography and geology, fluvial processes are associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them. When the stream or rivers are associated with glaciers, ice sheets, or ice caps, the term glaciofluvial or fluviog ...
environment
Environment most often refers to:
__NOTOC__
* Natural environment, all living and non-living things occurring naturally
* Biophysical environment, the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism or ...
. The formation has provided many fossil mammals.
Fossil content
Among the following fossils have been found in the formation:
[Runningwater Formation]
at Fossilworks
Fossilworks is a portal which provides query, download, and analysis tools to facilitate access to the Paleobiology Database
The Paleobiology Database is an online resource for information on the distribution and classification of fossil animals ...
.org
;Mammals
* ''
Aletomeryx gracilis''
* ''
Arretotherium fricki''
* ''
Barbouromeryx trigonocorneus''
* ''
Cynarctoides acridens''
* ''
Cynelos stenos''
[Hunt & Yatkola, 2020]
* ''
Diceratherium niobrarense''
* ''
Daphoenodon (Borocyon) robustum''
* ''
Desmocyon thomsoni''
* ''
Hypertragulus minor''
* ''
Menoceras barbouri''
* ''
Merychyus arenarum'', ''
M. elegans''
* ''
Metatomarctus canavus''
* ''
Osbornodon iamonensis''
* ''
Pseudoblastomeryx advena''
* ''
Anchitheriomys stouti''
* ''
Desmatippus tyleri''
* ''
Edaphocyon lautus''
* ''
Amphicyon galushai''
* ''
Craterogale cf. simus''
* ''
Leptarctus cf. ancipidens''
* ''
Leptocyon vulpinus''
* ''
Tephrocyon scitulus''
* ''
Merycochoerus proprius
''Merycochoerus'' (Greek: "ruminant" (merux)-like "swine" (khoiros)) is an extinct genus of oreodont of the family Merycoidodontidae, endemic to North America. They lived during the Early Oligocene 33.9—30.8 mya, existing for approximately . ...
''
;Reptiles
* ''
Macrochelys schmidti''
* ''
Rhineura marslandensis
''Rhineura floridana'', known commonly as the Florida worm lizard, graveyard snake, Goin CJ, Goin OB, Zug GR (1978). ''Introduction to Herpetology, Third Edition''. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman and Company. xi + 378 pp. . (''Rhineura floridana ...
''
* ''
Sceloporus sp.''
See also
*
List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nebraska
This article contains a list of fossil-bearing stratigraphic units in the state of Nebraska, U.S.
Sites
See also
* Paleontology in Nebraska
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Nebraska
Nebraska
Stratigraphi ...
*
Paleontology in Nebraska The location of the state of Nebraska
Paleontology in Nebraska refers to paleontological research occurring within or conducted by people from the U.S. state of Nebraska. Nebraska is world-famous as a source of fossils. During the early Paleozoic ...
References
Bibliography
* {{doi, 10.5252/geodiversitas2020v42a5
Geologic formations of Nebraska
Neogene geology of Nebraska
Miocene Series of North America
Hemingfordian
Aquitanian (stage)
Burdigalian
Sandstone formations of the United States
Conglomerate formations
Fluvial deposits
Fossiliferous stratigraphic units of North America
Paleontology in Nebraska
Formations
Formations