Valentinella fossil map
Where fossils of Valentinella have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 66 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 66 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 72.2–66 million years ago (Maastrichtian) |
| Periods | Cretaceous |
| Family | Zhelestidae |
| Named by | Tabuce et al. 2004 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | France |
| Rock formations | txn:67569 |
About Valentinella
Valentinella is a Late Cretaceous genus of eutherian mammal from France. It was originally known from some damaged lower and upper jaws, and was cautiously referred to the lainodontine zhelestid mammals. This identification was later questioned and even considered a nomen dubium by some researchers, and remains uncertain due to the scarcity and fragmentary nature of the fossils.
Valentinella was the third known Late Cretaceous eutherian mammal genus from Europe, after Labes and Lainodon. It was found at Vitrolles-La Plaine in the Aix-en-Provence Basin (Maastrichtian in age), in south-eastern France.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Valentinella (revision 1263816688), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q85812678.
