1988 in paleontology

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Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils.[1] This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1988.

Plants

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Angiosperms

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymy Notes Images

Hemiptelea mikii[2]

sp nov

Minaki, Noshiro, & Suzuki

Pleistocene

 Japan

An ulmaceous species

Keratosperma[3]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Cevallos-Ferriz & Stockey

Eocene
Ypresian

Okanagan Highlands
Princeton Chert

 Canada
 British Columbia

A lasioid arum family seed genus.
The type species is K. allenbyensis

Pistillipollianthus[4]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Stockey & Manchester

Eocene
Ypresian

Okanagan Highlands
Horsefly Shales

 Canada
 British Columbia

A flower of uncertain affinities
The type species is P. wilsoni.
Producer of the Pistillipollenites macgregorii palynomorph.

Salmonensea[5]

Gen et Comb nov

Valid

Wolfe & Wehr

late Middle Eocene

Salmon Flora

 USA
 Idaho

A rosaceous genus
The type species is S. prefoliolosa
Moved from Chamaebatia prefoliolosa (1935)

Salmonensea prefoliolosa

Sorbaria wahrhaftigii[5]

Sp nov

Valid

Wolfe & Wehr

Eocene
latest Eocene

Rex Creek Flora

 USA
 Alaska

A rosaceous species

Sorbaria wahrhaftigii

Stockeya[5]

Gen, sp et Comb nov

Valid

Wolfe & Wehr

late Oligocene

Creede Formation

 USA
 Colorado

Chamaebatiaria creedensis (1937)

A rosaceous genus
The type species is S. creedensis
Also includes S. montana

Stockeya montana

Stonebergia[5]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Wolfe & Wehr

Eocene
Ypresian

Okanagan Highlands
Allenby Formation

 Canada
 British Columbia

A rosaceous genus
The type species is S. columbiana

Stonebergia columbiana

Arthropods

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Crustaceans

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Pseudotealliocaris palincsari[6]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Schram

Famennian

Huntley Mountain Formation

 USA
 Pennsylvania

Moved to the genus Tealliocaris in 2013.[7] Though initially reported to be from the Pocono Formation, the deposits it was found in are now considered part of the Huntley Mountain Formation.[8]

Insects

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymy Notes Images

Aneuretellus[9]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Dlussky

Middle Eocene

Sakhalin amber

 Russia

An aneuretine ant

Protopone primigena[9][10]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Dlussky

Middle Eocene

Sakhalin amber

 Russia

A ponerine ant

Protopone primigena

Zherichinius[9]

Gen et 2 sp nov

valid

Dlussky

Middle Eocene

Sakhalin amber

 Russia

A dolichoderine ant
The type species is Z. horiibilis
Also includes Z. rapax

Zherichinius horribilis

Archosauromorphs

[edit]

Newly named non-avian dinosaurs

[edit]

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[11]

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymy Notes Images

Anserimimus[12]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Barsbold

Late Cretaceous

Nemegt Formation

 Mongolia

An ornithomimid theropod

Anserimimus planinychus
Brachylophosaurus goodwini[13] Sp nov Junior synonym Horner Campanian McClellend Ferry Member, Judith River Formation  USA  Montana A saurolophine hadrosaurid. Junior synonym of Brachylophosaurus canadensis or an indeterminate brachylophosaurin.[14]

Cathetosaurus[15][16]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Jensen

Late Jurassic

 USA  Colorado

A camarasauromorph sauropod The type species is C. lewisi

Cathetosaurus lewisi

"Chassternbergia"[17]

Subgen Nov

Junior synonym

Bakker

Campanian

Dinosaur Park Formation

 Canada  Alberta

Jr synonym of Edmontonia

Edmontonia rugosidens

Denversaurus[17]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Bakker

Cretaceous late Maastrichtian

Lance Formation

 USA

A nodosaurid

Denversaurus schlessmani (on left)

Giraffatitan

Gen et comb nov

Valid

Paul

Late Jurassic

Tendaguru formation

 Tanzania

Brachiosaurus brancai 1914 Brachiosaurus fraasi 1914

A sauropod The type species is G. brancai

Giraffatitan brancai

"Hironosaurus"

Gen nov

Nomen nudum

Hisa

Late Cretaceous

 Japan

A possible hadrosaurid, undescribed

"Kagasaurus"

Gen nov

Nomen nudum

Hisa

Early Cretaceous

 Japan

A possible dromeosaurid, undescribed

Kotasaurus[18]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Yadagiri

Early Jurassic

Kota Formation

 India

A basal sauropod

Nanotyrannus[19]

Gen et comb nov

Valid?

Bakker, Williams, & Currie

Late Cretaceous

Lance Formation

 USA  Montana

Possible junior synonym of Tyrannosaurus.

Nanotyrannus lancensis

Orodromeus[20]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Horner & Weishampel

Cretaceous Campanian

Two Medicine Formation

An ornithopod The type species is O. makelai

Orodromeus makelai

"Protognathus"[21]

Gen et sp nov

Senior synonym

Zhang

Middle Jurassic

Shaximiao Formation

 China

"Stenotholus"[22]

Gen et sp nov

Junior synonym

Giffin, Gabriel, & Johnson

Late Cretaceous

Hell Creek Formation

 USA  Montana

Junior synonym of Stygimoloch

Stygimoloch spinifer

Newly named birds

[edit]
Name Status Novelty Authors Age Unit Location Synonymy Notes Images

Ciconia kahli [23]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Haarhoff

Early Pliocene

Varswater Formation

 South Africa

A Ciconiidae.

Diomedea rumana [24]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Grigorescu & Kessler

Middle Miocene

 Romania

A Diomedeidae.

Gymnogyps kofordi [25]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Emslie

Pleistocene
Irvingtonian

 USA
 Florida

A Cathartidae.

Hadrogyps [26]

Valid

Gen. et sp. nov.

Emslie

Middle Miocene
Barstovian

Round Mountain Silt

 USA
 California

A cathartid
The type species is H. aigialeus.

Jungornis [27]

Valid

Fam, gen et sp nov.

Karkhu

Early Oligocene

Maykop Formation

 Russia

A Jungornithidae Apodiformes
the type species is J. tesselatus.

Lithornis [28]

Valid

Subord, Fam, Gen et sp. nov.

Houde

Late Paleocene
Early Tiffanian

Fort Union Formation

 USA
 Montana

A lithornithid palaeognathaen
The genus includes L. celetius, L. plebius, & L. promiscuus

Messelornis [29]

Valid

Fam, gen et sp nov.

Hesse

Eocene
Ypresian

Messel Formation

 Germany
 Hessen

A Messelornithidae Ralliformes
The type species is M. cristata.

Morus olsoni [24]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Grigorescu & Kessler

Middle Miocene

 Romania

A Sulidae.

Pachyplichas[30]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Millener

Late Quaternary
Otiran Glacial Stage?

 New Zealand

An Acanthisittidae
The type species is P. yaldwyni.
Also includes P. jagmi

Phocavis maritimus [31]

Valid

Gen et Sp nov.

Goedert

Late Eocene

Keasey Formation

 USA
 Oregon

A Plotopteridae Pelecaniformes
The type species is P. maritimus

Porphyrio paepae [32]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Steadman

Holocene

Tahuata & Hiva Oa

 French Polynesia
 Marquesas Islands

A Rallidae.

Primocolius [33]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Mourer-Chauviré

Late Eocene

Phosphorites du Quercy

 France

A Coliidae.
The type species is P. sigei
Also includes P. minor

Pseudocrypturus [28]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Houde

Eocene
Ypresian

Green River Formation

 USA
 Wyoming

A Lithornithidae Palaeognathae.
The type species is P. cercanaxius.

Psilopterus colzecus [34]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Tonni & Tambussi

Late Miocene
Chasicoan

Arroyo Chasicó Formation

 Argentina

A Psilopterinae Phorusrhacidae.

Sula tasmani [35]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Tets, Meredith, Fullagar, & Davidson

Holocene

Lord Howe & Norfolk Islands

 Australia
 New South Wales

A Sulidae,

Sylphornis [33]

Valid

Fam, gen et sp. nov.

Mourer-Chauviré

Late Eocene

 France

A Sylphornithidae basal Piciformes
The type species is S. bretouensis

Taubacrex [36]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Alvarenga

Late Oligocene-Early Miocene

Tremembé Formation

 Brazil

A Quercymegapodiidae[37]
the type species is T. granivora

Tshulia [38]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Nessov

Late Paleocene

 Kazakhstan

A possibe Rallidae
The type species is T. litorea

Ventivorus [33]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Mourer-Chauviré

Late Eocene

 France

A Caprimulgidae
The type species is V. ragei.

Zheroia [38]

Valid

Gen et sp. nov.

Nessov

Eocene
Bartonian

 Uzbekistan

A Graculavidae genus
The type species is Z. kurochkini.

Zhylgaia [38]

Valid

Gen et sp nov.

Nessov

Late Paleocene

 Kazakhstan

A Prophaethontidae Pelecaniformes
The type species is Z. aestiflua

Pterosaurs

[edit]

New taxa

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymy Notes Images

Tupuxuara[39]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Kellner & Campos

Cretaceous

Santana Formation

 Brazil

A Thalassodromidae pterosaur

Tupuxuara leonardii

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 9780070887398. OCLC 46769716.
  2. ^ Minaki, M.; Noshiro, S.; Suzuki, M. (1988). "Hemiptelea mikii sp. nov. (Ulmaceae), fossil fruits and woods from the Pleistocene of central Japan". The Botanical Magazine - Shokubutsu-gaku-zasshi. 101 (4): 337–351. doi:10.1007/BF02488081. S2CID 41884511.
  3. ^ Cevallos-Ferriz, S; Stockey, RA (1988). "Permineralized fruits and seeds from the Princeton Chert (Middle Eocene) of British Columbia: Araceae". American Journal of Botany. 75 (8): 1099–1113. doi:10.2307/2444092. JSTOR 2444092.
  4. ^ Stockey, R. A.; Manchester, S. R. (1988). "A fossil flower with in situ Pistillipollenites from the Eocene of British Columbia". Canadian Journal of Botany. 66 (2): 313–318. doi:10.1139/b88-051.
  5. ^ a b c d Wolfe, J.A.; Wehr, W.C. (1988). "Rosaceous Chamaebatiaria-like foliage from the Paleogene of western North America". Aliso. 12 (1): 177–200. doi:10.5642/aliso.19881201.14.
  6. ^ "Pseudotealliocaris palincsari n. sp., a pygocephalomorph from the Pocono Formation, Mississippian of Pennsylvania". Transactions of the San Diego Society of Natural History. 21: 221–225. 1988. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.24584. ISSN 0080-5947.
  7. ^ Clark, Neil D.L. (2013-12-20). "Tealliocaris: a decapod crustacean from the Carboniferous of Scotland". Palaeodiversity. 6: 107–133. S2CID 83091612.
  8. ^ Jones, Wade T.; Feldmann, Rodney M.; Schram, Frederick R.; Schweitzer, Carrie E.; Maguire, Evin P. (2016). "The Proof is in the Pouch: Tealliocaris is a Peracarid". Palaeodiversity. 9 (1): 75–88. doi:10.18476/pale.v9.a5. ISSN 1867-6294.
  9. ^ a b c Dlussky, G. M. (1988). "Ants of Sakhalin amber (Paleocene?)" (PDF). Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal (in Russian). 1988 (1): 50–61.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Dlussky, G.M.; Wedmann, S. (2012). "The poneromorph ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae: Amblyoponinae, Ectatomminae, Ponerinae) of Grube Messel, Germany: High biodiversity in the Eocene". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 10 (4): 725–753. doi:10.1080/14772019.2011.628341. S2CID 83928415. – via Taylor & Francis (subscription required)
  11. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  12. ^ Barsbold, R. 1988. A new late Cretaceous ornithomimid of Mongolia [in Russian]. Paleontol. J. 1: pp. 122-125.
  13. ^ Horner, John R. (1988-09-23). "A new hadrosaur (Reptilia, Ornithischia) from the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation of Montana". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 8 (3): 314–321. doi:10.1080/02724634.1988.10011714. ISSN 0272-4634.
  14. ^ Freedman Fowler, Elizabeth A.; Horner, John R. (2015-11-11). "A New Brachylophosaurin Hadrosaur (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) with an Intermediate Nasal Crest from the Campanian Judith River Formation of Northcentral Montana". PLOS ONE. 10 (11): e0141304. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141304. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4641681. PMID 26560175.
  15. ^ Jensen, J.A. 1988. A fourth new sauropod dinosaur from the Upper Jurassic of the Colorado Plateau and sauropod bipedalism. Great Basin Nat. 48 (2), pp. 121-145.
  16. ^ Mateus, O., & Tschopp E. (2013). Cathetosaurus as a valid sauropod genus and comparisons with Camarasaurus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Program and Abstracts, 2013. 173.
  17. ^ a b Bakker, R. T. 1988. Review of the late Cretaceous Nodosaurid Dinosauria, Denversaurus schlessmani, a new armor-plated dinosaur from the Latest Cretaceous of South Dakota, the Last Survivor of the Nodosaurians, with comments on Stegosaur-Nodosaur Relationships. Hunteria 1 (3), pp. 3-23.
  18. ^ Yadagiri, P. 1988. A new sauropod Kotasaurus yamanpalliensis from Lower Jurassic Kota Formation of India. Records of the Geological Survey of India 116 (3-8): pp. 102-127.
  19. ^ Bakker, R.T., M. Williams, and P. Currie. 1988. Nanotyrannus, a new genus of pygmy tyrannosaur, from the latest Cretaceous of Montana. Hunteria 1: pp. 1-30.
  20. ^ Horner, J.R. and D.B. Weishampel. 1988. A comparative embryological study of two ornithischian dinosaurs. Nature 332: pp. 256- 257.
  21. ^ Olshevsky, G. 1991. A Revision of the Parainfraclass Archosauria Cope, 1869, Excluding the Advanced Crocodylia. Mesozoic Meanderings 2 (1st printing): iv + 196 pages.
  22. ^ Giffin, E. B., D.L. Gabriel, and R.E. Johnson. 1987. A new pachycephalosaurid skull (Ornithischia) from the Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of Montana. J. Vert. Palaeontol. 7 (4); pp. 398-407.
  23. ^ Philippa J. Haarhoff (1988). "A New Fossil Stork (Aves, Ciconiidae) from the Late Tertiary of Langebaanweg, South Africa". Annals of the South African Museum. 97: 297–313.
  24. ^ a b Dan Grigorescu; Jenö Kessler (1988). "New Contributions to the Knowledge of the Sarmatian Birds from South Dobrogea in the Frame of the Eastern Paratethyan Avifauna". Revue Roumaine de Géologie, Géophysique et Géographie, Série Géologie. 32: 91–97.
  25. ^ Steven D. Emslie (1988). "The Fossil History and Phylogenetic Relationships of Condors (Ciconiiformes: Vulturidae) in the New World". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 8 (2): 212–228. doi:10.1080/02724634.1988.10011699.
  26. ^ Steven D. Emslie (1988). "An Early Condor-like Vulture from North America" (PDF). The Auk. 105 (3): 529–535. doi:10.1093/auk/105.3.529.
  27. ^ Aleksandr A. Karkhu (1988). "A New Family of Swift-Like Birds from the Paleogene of Europe". Paleontological Journal. 22: 77–88.
  28. ^ a b Peter W. Houde (1988). "Paleognathous Birds from the Early Tertiary of the Northern Hemisphere". Publication of the Nuttall Ornithological Club. 22: 1–148.
  29. ^ Angelika Hesse (1988). "Die †Messelornithidae-Ein Neue Familie der Kranichartigen (Aves: Gruiformes: Rhynocheti) aus dem Tertiär Europas und Nordamerikas". Journal für Ornithologie. 129 (1): 83–95. doi:10.1007/bf01641534. S2CID 23280617.
  30. ^ Philip R. Millener (1988). "Contributions to New Zealand's Late Quaternary Avifauna. I: Pachyplichas, a New Genus of Wren (Aves: Acanthisittidae), with Two New Species". Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 18 (4): 383–406. doi:10.1080/03036758.1988.10426464.
  31. ^ James L. Goedert (1988). "A New Late Eocene Species of Plotopteridae (Aves: Pelecaniformes) from Northwestern Oregon". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. 45 (6): 97–102.
  32. ^ David W. Steadman (1988). "A New Species of Porphyrio (Aves: Rallidae) from Archeological Sites in the Marquesas Islands". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 101 (1): 162–170.
  33. ^ a b c Cécile Mourer-Chauviré (1988). "Le Gisement du Bretou (Phosphorites du Quercy, Tarn-et-Garonne, France) et sa Faune de Vertébrés de l'Éocène Supérieur II. Oiseaux". Palaeontographica A. 205: 29–50.
  34. ^ Eduardo P. Tonni; Claudia P. Tambussi (1988). "Un Nuevo Psilopterninae (Aves: Ralliformes) del Mioceno Tardio de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Republica Argentina". Ameghiniana. 25: 155–160.
  35. ^ Gerard F. van Tets; Charles W. Meredith; Peter J. Fullagar; Peter M. Davidson (1988). "Osteological Differences Between Sula and Morus, and a Description of an Extinct New Species of Sula from Lord Howe and Norfolk islands, Tasman Sea" (PDF). Notornis. 35 (1): 35–57. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
  36. ^ Herculano M. F. de Alvarenga (1988). "Ave Fóssil (Gruiformes: Rallidae) dos Folhelhos da Bacia de Taubaté, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil". Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências. 60: 321–328.
  37. ^ Cécile Mourer-Chauviré (2000). "A New Species of Ameripodius (Aves: Galliformes: Quercymegapodiidae) from the Lower Miocene of France". Palaeontology. 43 (3): 481–493. doi:10.1111/j.0031-0239.2000.00136.x.
  38. ^ a b c Lev A. Nessov (1988). "Novyye ptitsy mela i paleogena Sredney Azii i Kazakhstana i usloviya na mestakh ikh obitaniya. [New Cretaceous and Paleogene Birds from Middle Asia and Kazakhstan, and the Condition Existing at Theire Places of Residence.] [in Russian, with English sum.]". Trudy Zoologicheskogo Instituta Akademii Nauk SSSR. 182: 116–123.
  39. ^ Kellner, A.W.A., and Campos, D.A. (1988). "Sobre un novo pterossauro com crista sagital da Bacia do Araripe, Cretaceo Inferior do Nordeste do Brasil. (Pterosauria, Tupuxuara, Cretaceo, Brasil)." Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 60: 459–469. [in Portuguese]