2018 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 2018.
Flora
[edit]Plants
[edit]Fungi
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sp. nov | Valid | Rikkinen & Schmidt in Rikkinen et al. | A fungus, a species of Chaenotheca. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Frolov in Frolov & Mashchuk | Early and Middle Jurassic | Prisayanskaya Formation | A member of the family Microthyriaceae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | A fungus described on the basis of pycnidia. Genus includes new species P. epallelus. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | |||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Poinar & Vega | An ambrosia fungus associated with the beetle Palaeotylus femoralis. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Krings, Harper & Taylor | A small, chytrid-like organism. Genus includes new species P. tayloriana. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Kaasalainen, Rikkinen & Schmidt in Kaasalainen et al. | A lichenized fungus, a species of Phyllopsora. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Strullu-Derrien in Strullu-Derrien et al. | Early Devonian | A fungus belonging to the group Blastocladiomycota, of uncertain phylogenetic placement within the latter group. Genus includes new species R. lyonii. | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Khan, Bera & Bera | Late Pliocene to early Pleistocene | A fossil fungus found on the surface of fossilized leaf fragments. Genus includes new species V. siwalika. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Krings & Harper | Early Devonian | A fungal reproductive unit. |
Cnidarians
[edit]Research
[edit]- New three dimensionally phosphatized microfossils of coronate scyphozoan Qinscyphus necopinus, including a new type of fossil embryo, are described from the Cambrian (Fortunian) Kuanchuanpu Formation (China) by Shao et al. (2018), who interpret their findings as indicating that Qinscyphus underwent direct development.[11]
- A study on the morphology of the conulariid species Carinachites spinatus based on a new specimen collected from the lower Cambrian Kuanchuanpu Formation (China) is published by Han et al. (2018).[12]
- Revision of stony corals from the Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian) Oehrli Formation (Austria and Switzerland) is published by Baron-Szabo (2018), who compares this fauna with five additional Berriasian coral faunas.[13]
New taxa
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sp. nov | Valid | Berezovsky & Satanovska | A stony coral, a species of Acropora. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Gameil, El-Sorogy & Al-Kahtany | A solitary coral. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Wang, Gorgij & Yao | Late Carboniferous | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Wang, Gorgij & Yao | Late Carboniferous | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Gameil, El-Sorogy & Al-Kahtany | A solitary coral. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Haplaraeoidea and the family Astraraeidae. The type species is A. bachi. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Ricci, Lathuilière & Rusciadelli | A member of the family Rhipidogyridae. The type species is A. giadae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Król, Zapalski & Berkowski | A tabulate coral belonging to the family Aulocystidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Król, Zapalski & Berkowski | A tabulate coral belonging to the family Pyrgiidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | McLean | A rugose coral. | ||||
| Battersbyia sentosa[20] | Sp. nov | Valid | McLean | Devonian | A rugose coral. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Chang et al. | Early Cambrian | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Niko | Bihoku Group | A species of Caryophyllia. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Liang, Elias & Lee | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Liang, Elias & Lee | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Liang, Elias & Lee | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Ricci, Lathuilière & Rusciadelli | A member of the family Montlivaltiidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Heterocoenioidea and the family Carolastraeidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Heterocoenioidea and the family Carolastraeidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Gameil, El-Sorogy & Al-Kahtany | A solitary coral. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Niko | Bihoku Group | A stony coral. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Liang et al. | A syringoporoid tabulate coral. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. et comb. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Cyclolitoidea and the family Synastraeidae. The type species is G. alexi; genus also includes G. audiensis (Reig Oriol, 1992), G. haueri (Reuss, 1854) and G. parvistella (Oppenheim, 1930). | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Löser, Steuber & Löser | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Felixaraeoidea and the family Lamellofungiidae. The type species is K. pachysepta. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Berezovsky & Satanovska | A stony coral, a species of Lithophyllon. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Rodríguez, Schönlaub & Kabon | A rugose coral belonging to the family Axophyllidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | McLean | Devonian | A rugose coral. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Phyllosmilioidea and the family Phyllosmiliidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Phyllosmilioidea and the family Phyllosmiliidae. | ||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Wang in Wang et al. | A rugose coral belonging to the new family Amplexoididae. The type species is "Ningqiangophyllum" crassothecatum Cao (1975); genus also includes "Ningqiangophyllum" tenuiseptatum irregulare Cao (1975) (raised to the rank of a separate species Neopilophyllia irregularis), "Ningqiangophyllum" ephippium Cao (1975) and "Pilophyllia" alternata Chen in Wang et al. (1986). | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Berezovsky & Satanovska | A stony coral, a species of Oculina. | ||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Morycowa | Karchowice Beds | A stony coral belonging to the family Eckastraeidae. The type species is "Coelocoenia" exporrecta Weissermel (1925). | |||
| Gen. et sp. et comb. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Heterocoenioidea and the family Heterocoeniidae. The type species is P. leipnerae; genus also includes P. grandis (Reuss, 1854) and P. fuchsi (Felix, 1903). | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Phyllosmilioidea and the family Phyllosmiliidae. The type species is P. magnum. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Cyclolitoidea and the family Negoporitidae. The type species is P. uliae; genus might also include P. ? elegans (Reuss, 1854). | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Löser, Steuber & Löser | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Misistelloidea. The type species is P. winnii. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Cladocoroidea and the family Columastraeidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | McLean | Devonian | A rugose coral. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Król, Zapalski & Berkowski | A tabulate coral belonging to the family Pachyporidae. | ||||
| Gen. et 2 sp. nov | Valid | Löser, Steuber & Löser | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Heterocoenioidea and the family Heterocoeniidae. The type species is S. hellenensis; genus also includes S. brunni. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Niko, Suzuki & Taguchi | Katsuta Group | A species of Stylophora. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Niko et al. | A tabulate coral belonging to the order Favositida and the family Favositidae. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. et comb. nov | Valid | Löser & Heinrich | A stony coral belonging to the superfamily Cyclolitoidea and the family Synastraeidae. The type species is S. wagreichi; genus also includes and S. multilamellosa (Reuss, 1854). | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Berkowski | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Yu | Early Devonian | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | McLean | Devonian | A rugose coral. |
Arthropods
[edit]Bryozoans
[edit]New taxa
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino & Taylor | A bryozoan belonging to the group Cheilostomata and the family Membraniporidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino & Taylor | A bryozoan belonging to the group Cheilostomata and the family Bitectiporidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino & Taylor | A bryozoan belonging to the group Cheilostomata and the family Cleidochasmatidae. | ||||
| Gen. nov | Valid | Ernst, Krainer and Lucas | Mississippian | Lake Valley Formation | A cystoporate bryozoan of the family Fistuliporidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino & Taylor | Early Pleistocene | A bryozoan belonging to the group Cheilostomata and the family Smittinidae. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino & Taylor | A bryozoan belonging to the group Cheilostomata and the family Celleporidae. |
Brachiopods
[edit]Research
[edit]- Studies on the ontogenetic development of early acrotretoid brachiopods based on well preserved specimens of the earliest Cambrian species Eohadrotreta zhenbaensis and Eohadrotreta? zhujiahensis from the Shuijingtuo Formation (China) are published by Zhang et al. (2018).[37][38]
- A study on the extinction and origination of members of the order Strophomenida during the Late Ordovician mass extinction is published by Sclafani et al. (2018).[39]
- A study on the body size of several brachiopod assemblages recorded into the extinction interval prior to the Toarcian turnover, collected from representative localities around the Iberian Massif (Spain and Portugal), is published by García Joral, Baeza-Carratalá & Goy (2018).[40]
New taxa
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sp. nov | Valid | Lavié | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Gaetani in Gaetani et al. | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Dielasmatidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Benedetto | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Benedetto | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Choristitidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Baeza-Carratalá, Dulai & Sandoval | A member of Rhynchonellida. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baranov & Blodgett | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Stringocephalidae. The type species is A. coronadosensis. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Sproat & Zhan | Ordovician (late Katian) | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang & Ma | |||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | A member of the family Cyrtosririferidae. The type species is "Spirifer" latus Abrahamian (1974). | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | García-Alcalde | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Mystrophoridae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Benedetto, Lavie & Muñoz | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Buxtoniidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Stenoscismatidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Echinoconchidae. | ||
| Calliprotonia umbonalis[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Echinoconchidae. | |
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Strophomenata belonging to the superfamily Orthotetoidea and the family Schuchertellidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baranov & Blodgett | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Stringocephalidae. The type species is C. craigensis. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Proboscidelloidea and the family Paucispinauriidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Wahoo Formation | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baranov & Blodgett | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Stringocephalidae. The type species is C. mica. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | García-Alcalde | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Dalmanellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Zong & Ma | A brachiopod belonging to the group Spiriferida. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Afanasjeva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl | |||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Baranov | Early Devonian | A member of Atrypida. The type species is D. datnensis (Baranov, 1995). | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Athyrida belonging to the superfamily Athyroidea. | ||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Baliński in Skompski et al. | Szydłówek Beds | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Oleneva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Retariidae. The type species is D. dutroi. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Strophalosioidea and the family Dasyalosiidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Echinoconchidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Strusz & Percival | |||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Halamski & Baliński | Middle Devonian | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Uncinulidae. The type species is "Rhynchonella" coronata Kayser (1871). | |||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous and Permian | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Spiriferellidae. The type species is "Eridmatus" marathonensis Cooper & Grant (1976); genus also includes "Eridmatus" petita Waterhouse & Waddington (1982) | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Choristitoidea and the family Palaeochoristitidae. The type species is E. costellata. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Hart River Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Buxtoniidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Spiriferoidea and the family Neospiriferidae. The type species is F. transversa. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Buxtoniidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Harkeria elongata[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Yakovleviidae. | |
| Harkeria sulcoprofundus[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Yakovleviidae. | |
| Hartea[61] | Gen. et sp. nov | Junior homonym | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Hart River Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Ambocoeliidae. The type species is H. venustus. The generic name is preoccupied by Hartea Wright (1865). | |
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Ambocoeliidae. The type species is "Attenuatella" mengi He, Shi, Feng & Peng (2007) | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Strophalosioidea and the family Strophalosiidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Rhynchonellata belonging to the group Retziida and the family Retziidae. | ||
| Hustedia trifida[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Rhynchonellata belonging to the group Retziida and the family Retziidae. | |
| Sp. nov | Valid | Strusz & Percival | |||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Simon & Mottequin | A relative of Leptothyrellopsis, assigned to the new family Jagtithyrididae. Genus includes "Terebratella (Morrisia?)" suessi Bosquet (1859). | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Choristitoidea and the family Palaeochoristitidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Wu et al. | A member of Athyridida. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of the family Rugosochonetidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous and Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Echinoconchidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Torres-Martínez, Sour-Tovar & Barragán | Paso Hondo Formation | A brachiopod belonging to the group Productida and the family Productidae. The type species is K. spinosus. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Hart River Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Retariidae. | ||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | A member of Rhynchonellata belonging to the group Retziida and the family Retziidae. The type species is "Hustedia" hessensis King (1931) | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Tazawa | A member of the family Rugosochonetidae belonging to the subfamily Svalbardiinae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Strusz & Percival | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Afanasjeva, Jun-Ichi & Yukio | Nabeyama Formation | A member of Chonetida belonging to the family Rugosochonetidae. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Strophalosiidina belonging to the superfamily Scacchinelloidea and the family Levipustulidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Torres-Martínez & Sour-Tovar | A member of Productida belonging to the family Linoproductidae. The type species is M. luisae. | ||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Cathedral Mountain Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Martiniidae. The type species is "Martinia" miranda Cooper & Grant (1976); genus also includes "Martinia" wolfcampensis King (1931) | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baeza-Carratalá, Pérez-Valera & Pérez-Valera | Siles Formation | A brachiopod belonging to the group Terebratellidina and to the superfamily Zeillerioidea. The type species is M. goyi. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Strusz & Percival | |||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Yakovleviidae. The type species is M. inexpectans. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Baranov | Early Devonian | A member of Atrypida. The type species is M. dogdensis. | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the superfamily Rhynchoporoidea and the family Rhynchoporidae. The type species is M. mysticus. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferinida belonging to the group Syringothyridina and the family Licharewiidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Buxtoniidae. The type species is N. nodosa. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Productoidea and the family Retariidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Tazawa & Araki | A member of the family Rugosochonetidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Baranov & Blodgett | A member of Terebratulida belonging to the family Stringocephalidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Strusz & Percival | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Ambocoeliidae. | ||
| Ogilviecoelia shii[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Ambocoeliidae. | |
| Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl, Frýda & Kubajko | A member of Acrotretoidea belonging to the family Biernatidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl, Frýda & Kubajko | A member of Acrotretoidea belonging to the family Biernatidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Strophomenata belonging to the superfamily Orthotetoidea and the family Orthotetidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Martiniidae. The type species is P. plana. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Paucispiniferidae. | ||
| Paucispinifera carboniferica[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Paucispiniferidae. | |
| Paucispinifera sulcata[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Paucispiniferidae. | |
| Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Baranov et al. | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Trigonirhynchiidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the family Spiriferellidae. | ||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Hare Fiord Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Paucispiniferoidea and the family Anidanthidae. The type species is "Liraria" paucispina Carter & Poletaev (1998) | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Afanasjeva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Paucispiniferoidea and the family Anidanthidae. | ||
| Protoanidanthus nichollsi[44] | Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Paucispiniferoidea and the family Anidanthidae. | |
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | La Prasada Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Linoproductoidea and the family Ovatiidae. The type species is "Linoproductus" pumilus Sutherland & Harlow (1973) | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Tazawa | A member of Spiriferinida belonging to the family Punctospiriferidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Oleneva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Wahoo Formation | A member of Orthida belonging to the family Rhipidomellidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the superfamily Rhynchoporoidea and the family Rhynchoporidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Hart River Formation | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the superfamily Rhynchoporoidea and the family Rhynchoporidae. The type species is R. multiplicata. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Ingelarelloidea and the family Rorespiriferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of the family Rugosochonetidae. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Paucispiniferidae. The type species is R. commarginalis. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Afanasjeva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Blackie Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Spiriferoidea and the family Spiriferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Horridoniidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Linoproductoidea and the family Striatiferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Freeman, Miller & Dattilo | Cambrian–Ordovician boundary | A linguliform brachiopod. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Baliński & Halamski | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Spiriferoidea and the family Neospiriferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Alekseeva & Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Gretchishnikova in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Baranov | Early Devonian | A member of Atrypida. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Afanasjeva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Elitoidea and the family Toryniferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous and Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Paeckelmanelloidea and the family Pterospiriferidae. | ||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | A member of Rhynchonellata belonging to the group Retziida and the family Retziidae. The type species is "Hustedia" stataria Cooper & Grant (1976) | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Halamski & Baliński | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferida belonging to the superfamily Spiriferoidea and the family Spiriferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Paucispiniferidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Oleneva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Mergl | |||||
| Nom. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | A member of Productida belonging to the family Avoniidae; a replacement name for Tuberculatella tuberculata Waterhouse (1982). | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the family Echinoconchidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Spiriferinida belonging to the group Syringothyridina and the family Licharewiidae. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Oleneva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Afanasjeva in Alekseeva et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Permian | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Echinoconchoidea and the family Waagenoconchidae. | ||
| Gen. et comb. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous and Permian | Fenestella Shales | A member of Rhynchonellida belonging to the family Tetracameridae. The type species is "Camarophoria" dowhatensis Diener (1915); genus also includes new species Y. solitarius. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Waterhouse | Carboniferous | Jungle Creek Formation | A member of Productida belonging to the superfamily Strophalosioidea and the family Dasyalosiidae. The type species is Y. arctica. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Pakhnevich | A brachiopod belonging to the group Rhynchonellida and the family Trigonirhynchiidae. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Pakhnevich | A brachiopod belonging to the group Rhynchonellida and the family Uncinulidae. The type species is Z. multicostata. |
Molluscs
[edit]Echinoderms
[edit]Conodonts
[edit]Research
[edit]- A study testing the proposed models of growth of conodont elements is published by Shirley et al. (2018).[75]
- A study on the histological sections of Ordovician and Permian conodont dental elements from the Bell Canyon Formation (Texas, United States), Harding Sandstone (Colorado, United States), Ali Bashi Formation (Iran) and Canadian Arctic, examining those fossils for the presence and distribution of soft tissue biomarkers, is published by Terrill, Henderson & Anderson (2018).[76]
- A study evaluating the δ18O variation within a species-rich conodont assemblage from the Ordovician (Floian) Factory Cove Member of the Shallow Bay Formation, Cow Head Group (western Newfoundland, Canada), as well as assessing the implications of these data for determining the paleothermometry of ancient oceans and conodont ecologic models, is published by Wheeley et al. (2018).[77][78][79]
- A study on the body size and diversity of Carnian conodonts from South China and their implications for inferring the biotic and environmental changes during the Carnian Pluvial Event is published by Zhang et al. (2018).[80]
- A study assessing the similarity of late Paleozoic to Triassic conodont faunas known from the Cache Creek Terrane (Canada) is published by Golding (2018).[81]
- Reconstruction of the multi-element apparatus of the Middle Triassic conodont from British Columbia (Canada) belonging to the Neogondolella regalis group within the genus Neogondolella is presented by Golding (2018).[82]
- Reconstruction of the number and arrangement of elements in the apparatus of Hindeodus parvus published by Zhang et al. (2017)[83] is criticized by Agematsu, Golding & Orchard (2018);[84] Purnell et al. (2018) defend their original conclusions.[85]
- A cluster of icriodontid conodonts belonging to the species Caudicriodus woschmidti, providing new information on the apparatus structure of icriodontid conodonts, is described from the Lower Devonian sediments in southern Burgenland (Austria) by Suttner, Kido & Briguglio (2018).[86]
- A study on the species belonging to the genus Neognathodus, evaluating whether previously defined morphotype groups are reliably distinct from one another, is published by Zimmerman, Johnson & Polly (2018).[87]
New taxa
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sp. nov | Valid | Orchard | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Orchard | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Orchard | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Orchard | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Orchard | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Carlorosi, Sarmiento & Heredia | Ordovician (Dapingian) | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Hu, Qi & Nemyrovska | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Hu, Qi & Nemyrovska | |||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kılıç, Plasencia & Önder | A member of the family Gondolellidae. The type species is G. quadrata. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Sanz-López & Blanco-Ferrera | Alba Formation |
| |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Hogancamp & Barrick | Atrasado Formation | Originally described as a species of Idiognathodus, but subsequently transferred to the genus Heckelina.[94] | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Hogancamp & Barrick | Atrasado Formation | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Hogancamp & Barrick | Atrasado Formation | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Frederick & Barrick | Carboniferous (early Pennsylvanian) | Ladrones Limestone | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Kılıç, Plasencia & Önder | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Kılıç, Plasencia & Önder | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Gen. et 5 sp. et comb. nov | Valid | Golding & Orchard | Favret Formation | A member of the family Gondolellidae. The type species is M. salomae; | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Yuan, Zhang & Shen | Selong Group | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Orchard | A member of the family Gondolellidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Hartenfels & Becker | Devonian (Famennian) | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Maekawa in Maekawa, Komatsu & Koike | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Maekawa in Maekawa, Komatsu & Koike | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Maekawa in Maekawa, Komatsu & Koike | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Lu et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Lu et al. | |||||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Narkiewicz & Königshof | |||||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Narkiewicz & Königshof | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Lu et al. | |||||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Narkiewicz & Königshof | |||||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Narkiewicz & Königshof | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Sanz-López, Blanco-Ferrera & Miller | Prestatyn Limestone | A member of the family Gnathodontidae. | |||
| Subsp. nov | Valid | Hartenfels & Becker | Devonian (Famennian) | ||||
| Gen. et 2 sp. nov | Valid | Golding & Orchard in Golding | Permian (Guadalupian to Lopingian) | Copley Limestone | A member of the family Sweetognathidae. The type species is P. monticola; genus also includes P. vigilans. | ||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Zhang et al. | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Lee | |||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Read & Nestell | Riepe Spring Limestone | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Read & Nestell | Riepe Spring Limestone | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Aboussalam & Becker in Brett et al. | |||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Corradini & Corriga |
| A member of the family Spathognathodontidae; a new genus for Spathognathodus inclinatus posthamatus Walliser (1964), raised to the rank of the species Walliserognathus posthamatus. |
Fish
[edit]Amphibians
[edit]Reptiles
[edit]Synapsids
[edit]Non-mammalian synapsids
[edit]Research
[edit]- A description of the postcranial material referable to the caseid species Ennatosaurus tecton is published by Romano, Brocklehurst & Fröbisch (2018).[109]
- A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Milosaurus mccordi is published by Brocklehurst & Fröbisch (2018).[110]
- A skull of a juvenile specimen of Anteosaurus magnificus is described from the Permian Abrahamskraal Formation (South Africa) by Kruger, Rubidge & Abdala (2018).[111]
- A study on the evolution of the trigeminal nerve innervation in anomodonts is published by Benoit et al. (2018).[112]
- A study on the stable oxygen and carbon isotope compositions of dentine apatite in the teeth of twenty-eight specimens of Diictodon feliceps, and on their implications for inferring the potential role of climate in driving the late Capitanian mass extinction of terrestrial tetrapods, is published by Rey et al. (2018).[113]
- Description of the anatomy of six new skulls of the dicynodont Abajudon kaayai from the Permian (Guadalupian) lower Madumabisa Mudstone Formation (Zambia) and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the species is published by Olroyd, Sidor & Angielczyk (2018).[114]
- A study on the anatomy of the bony labyrinth of the specimens of the dicynodont genus Endothiodon collected from the Permian K5 Formation (Mozambique), comparing it with the closely related genus Niassodon, is published by Araújo et al. (2018).[115]
- A study on the taphonomic history of a monotypic bonebed composed by several individuals attributable to the dicynodont Dinodontosaurus collected in a classic Middle Triassic locality in Brazil, and on its implications for inferring possible gregarious behaviour in Dinodontosaurus, is published online by Ugalde et al. (2018).[116]
- Redescription of the dicynodont genus Sangusaurus and a study on its feeding system and phylogenetic relationships is published by Angielczyk, Hancox & Nabavizadeh (2018).[117]
- Partial hindlimb of a dicynodont nearing the size of Stahleckeria potens is described from the Triassic Lifua Member of the Manda Beds (Tanzania) by Kammerer, Angielczyk & Nesbitt (2018), representing the largest dicynodont postcranial element from the Manda Beds reported so far.[118]
- Description of plant remains and palynomorphs preserved in the coprolites produced by large dicynodonts from the Triassic Chañares Formation (Argentina), and a study on their implications for inferring the diet of dicynodonts, is published by Perez Loinaze et al. (2018).[119]
- Tetrapod tracks, probably produced by dicynodonts, are described from the Upper Triassic Vera Formation of the Los Menucos Group (Argentina) by Citton et al. (2018).[120]
- A study on the age of putative Rhaetian dicynodont from Lipie Śląskie (Poland) is published online by Racki & Lucas (2018), who consider it more likely that this dicynodont was of Norian age.[121]
- A study on the anatomy of the skull of Cynariops robustus is published by Bendel et al. (2018).[122]
- A study on rates of enamel development in a range of non-mammalian cynodont species, inferred from incremental markings, is published by O'Meara, Dirks & Martinelli (2018).[123]
- Description of the morphology of the skull of Cynosaurus suppostus and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of the species is published by van den Brandt & Abdala (2018).[124]
- Fossils of Cynognathus crateronotus are described for the first time from the Triassic Ntawere Formation (Zambia) and Manda Beds (Tanzania) by Wynd et al. (2018).[125]
- A study on the postcranial anatomy of a specimen of Diademodon tetragonus recovered from the Upper Omingonde Formation (Namibia) is published by Gaetano, Mocke & Abdala (2018).[126]
- Partial skull and postcranial skeleton of a member of the species Cricodon metabolus is described from the Triassic Ntawere Formation (Zambia) by Sidor & Hopson (2018), who also study the phylogenetic relationships of members of the family Trirachodontidae.[127]
- A study on the musculature, posture and range of motion of the forelimb of Massetognathus pascuali is published by Lai, Biewener & Pierce (2018).[128]
- New specimen of Trucidocynodon riograndensis, almost 20% larger than the holotype specimen, is described from the Carnian of Candelária Sequence (southern Brazil) by Stefanello et al. (2018).[129]
- Right dentary with teeth of Prozostrodon brasiliensis is described from the Late Triassic of Brazil by Pacheco et al. (2018), representing the second known specimen of this species.[130]
- Description of the anatomy of the postcranial skeleton of Prozostrodon brasiliensis is published by Guignard, Martinelli & Soares (2018).[131]
- A study on the limb bone histology and life histories of Prozostrodon brasiliensis, Irajatherium hernandezi, Brasilodon quadrangularis and Brasilitherium riograndensis is published by Botha-Brink, Bento Soares & Martinelli (2018).[132]
- A study on the origin and relationships of ictidosaurian cynodonts, i.e. tritheledontids and therioherpetids, is published by Bonaparte & Crompton (2018).[133]
- A large (comprising at least 38 individuals) clutch of well-preserved perinates of Kayentatherium wellesi, found with a presumed maternal skeleton, is described from the Lower Jurassic sediments of the Kayenta Formation (found on lands of the Navajo Nation) by Hoffman & Rowe (2018);[134] in light of this finding, a new interpretation of earlier records of associations between adult and juvenile cynodonts is proposed by Benoit (2019).[135]
- Cynodont teeth (representing a brasilodontid and a Riograndia-like form) found in the Triassic locality in Brazil which also yielded the fossils of Sacisaurus agudoensis are described by Marsola et al. (2018).[136]
- A study on the evolution of the mammalian jaw is published by Lautenschlager et al. (2018), who find no evidence for a concurrent reduction in jaw-joint stress and increase in bite force in key non-mammaliaform taxa in the cynodont–mammaliaform transition.[137]
- Tetrapod burrows, likely produced by small eucynodonts, are described from the Triassic Chañares Formation (Argentina) by Fiorelli et al. (2018).[138]
- A study on the morphological diversity of vertebral regions in non-mammalian synapsids, and on its implication for elucidating the evolution of anatomically distinct regions of the mammalian spines, is published by Jones et al. (2018).[139]
- A study on teeth ontogeny in wide range of extinct synapsid lineages is published by LeBlanc et al. (2018), who interpret their findings as indicating that the ligamentous tooth attachment system is not unique to crown mammals within Synapsida.[140]
New taxa
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Spindler et al. | Permian (Sakmarian-Artinskian transition) | A member of the family Varanopidae. Genus includes new species A. nestleri. | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Lucas, Rinehart & Celeskey | Early Permian (early Wolfcampian) | A member of the family Edaphosauridae. The type species is G. kraineri. | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kammerer & Masyutin | Kotelnich red beds | A therocephalian. The type species is G. masyutinae. | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Day et al. | Permian (early Wuchiapingian) | Tropidostoma Assemblage Zone of the Main Karoo Basin | A biarmosuchian belonging to the family Burnetiidae. The type species is L. wewersi. | ||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Sulej & Niedźwiedzki | Late Triassic (late Norian-earliest Rhaetian) | A gigantic dicynodont reaching an estimated body mass of 9 tons. The type species is L. bojani. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2019. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Spindler et al. | A member of the family Varanopidae. Genus includes new species M. parentis. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kammerer & Masyutin | Kotelnich red beds | A gorgonopsian. The type species is N. geminidens. | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Kammerer | A dicynodont belonging to the family Stahleckeriidae. The type species is P. goggai. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Sulej et al. | A non-mammaliaform eucynodont. Genus includes new species P. woznikiensis. Announced in 2018; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. | ||||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Pavanatto et al. | Santa Maria Supersequence | A traversodontid cynodont. Genus includes new species S. niemeyerorum. |
Mammals
[edit]Other animals
[edit]Research
[edit]- A review and synthesis of studies on the timing and environmental context of landmark events in early animal evolution is published by Sperling & Stockey (2018).[151]
- A study on the phylogenetic relationships of the rangeomorphs, dickinsoniomorphs and erniettomorphs as indicated by what is known of the ontogeny of the rangeomorph Charnia masoni, dickinsoniomorph Dickinsonia costata and erniettomorph Pteridinium simplex is published by Dunn, Liu & Donoghue (2018), who consider at least the rangeomorphs and dickinsoniomorphs to be metazoans.[152]
- A study on the phylogenetic relationships of the rangeomorphs is published by Dececchi et al. (2018).[153]
- A study on the size distribution and morphological features of a population of juvenile specimens of Dickinsonia costata from the Crisp Gorge fossil locality in the Flinders Ranges (Australia) is published by Reid, García-Bellido & Gehling (2018).[154]
- A study on the phylogenetic relationships of Dickinsonia based on data from lipid biomarkers extracted from organically preserved Ediacaran macrofossils is published by Bobrovskiy et al. (2018), who interpret their findings as indicating that Dickinsonia was an animal.[155]
- A study on the anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Stromatoveris, based on data from new specimens from the Chengjiang Konservat-Lagerstätte (China), is published by Hoyal Cuthill & Han (2018), who interpret Stromatoveris as a member of early animal group Petalonamae that also included Arborea, Pambikalbae, rangeomorphs, dickinsoniomorphs and erniettomorphs.[156]
- The first reliable occurrence of abundant penetrative trace fossils, providing trace fossil evidence for Precambrian bilaterians with complex behavioural patterns, is reported from the latest Ediacaran of western Mongolia by Oji et al. (2018).[157]
- Trace fossils produced by Ediacaran animals which burrowed within sediment are described from the shallow-marine deposits of the Urusis Formation (Nama Group, Namibia) by Buatois et al. (2018), who name a new ichnotaxon Parapsammichnites pretzeliformis.[158]
- New trace fossils from the Ediacaran Shibantan Member of the upper Dengying Formation (China), including burrows and possible trackways which were probably made by millimeter-sized animals with bilateral appendages, are described by Chen et al. (2018).[159]
- An aggregation of members of the genus Parvancorina, providing evidence of two size-clusters and bimodal orientation in this taxon, is described from the Ediacara Conservation Park (Australia) by Coutts et al. (2018).[160]
- New, three-dimensional specimens of Charniodiscus arboreus (Arborea arborea), allowing for a detailed reinterpretation of its functional morphology and taxonomy, are described from the Ediacara Member, Rawnsley Quartzite of South Australia by Laflamme, Gehling & Droser (2018).[161]
- 3D reconstructions of Cloudina aggregates are presented by Mehra & Maloof (2018).[162]
- A study on Namacalathus and Cloudina skeletons from the Ediacaran Omkyk Member of the Nama Group (Namibia) is published by Pruss et al. (2018), who interpret their findings as indicating that both organisms originally produced aragonitic skeletons, which later underwent diagenetic conversion to calcite.[163]
- A study on the substrate growth dynamics, mode of biomineralization and possible affinities of Namapoikia rietoogensis is published by Wood & Penny (2018).[164]
- A review of evidence for existence of swimming animals during the Neoproterozoic is published by Gold (2018).[165]
- A study on the age of the Cambrian Chengjiang biota (China) is published by Yang et al. (2018).[166]
- Description of coprolites from the Cambrian (Drumian) Rockslide Formation (Mackenzie Mountains, Canada) produced by an unknown predator, and a study on their implications for reconstructing the Cambrian food web, is published by Kimmig & Pratt (2018).[167]
- A study on the nature and biological affinity of the Cambrian taxon Archaeooides is published by Yin et al. (2018), who interpret the fossils of Archaeooides as embryonic remains of animals.[168]
- Zumberge et al. (2018) report a new fossil sterane biomarker, possessing a rare hydrocarbon skeleton that is uniquely found within extant demosponge taxa, from late Neoproterozoic–Cambrian sedimentary rocks and oils, and interpret this finding as indicating that demosponges, and hence multicellular animals, were prominent in some late Neoproterozoic marine environments at least extending back to the Cryogenian period.[169]
- Diverse, abundant sponge fossils from the Ordovician–Silurian boundary interval are reported from seven localities in South China by Botting et al. (2018), who produce a model for the distribution and preservation of the sponge fauna.[170]
- A study on the phylogenetic relationships of extant and fossil demosponges is published by Schuster et al. (2018).[171]
- An assemblage of animal fossils, including the oldest known pterobranchs, preserved in the form of small carbonaceous fossils is described from the Cambrian Buen Formation (Greenland) by Slater et al. (2018).[172]
- Description of new morphological features of the Cambrian mobergellan Discinella micans is published by Skovsted & Topper (2018).[173]
- A study on the interrelationships between the eldonioid Pararotadiscus guizhouensis and associated fossil taxa from the Kaili Biota is published by Zhao et al. (2018).[174]
- A study on the slab with a dense aggregation of members of the species Banffia constricta recovered from the Cambrian Burgess Shale (Canada) and its implications for life habits of the animal is published by Chambers & Brandt (2018).[175]
- A study on the morphology and phylogenetic affinities of Yuyuanozoon magnificissimi, based on new specimens, is published by Li et al. (2018).[176]
- A study on the fossil record of early Paleozoic graptoloids and on the factors influencing rates of diversification within this group is published by Foote et al. (2018).[177]
- A study on the impact of the long-period astronomical cycles (Milankovitch "grand cycles") associated with Earth's orbital eccentricity and obliquity on the variance in species turnover probability (extinction probability plus speciation probability) in Early Paleozoic graptoloids is published by Crampton et al. (2018).[178]
- A redescription of the species Malongitubus kuangshanensis from the Cambrian Chengjiang Lagerstätte (China) is published by Hu et al. (2018), who interpret this taxon as a pterobranch.[179]
- A study on the morphology of the palaeoscolecid worm Palaeoscolex from the Lower Ordovician Fezouata Lagerstätte (Morocco), using computed microtomography and providing new information on the internal anatomy of this animal, is published by Kouraiss et al. (2018).[180]
- The first occurrence of the tommotiid species Paterimitra pyramidalis from the Xinji Formation (China) is reported by Pan et al. (2018).[181]
- A study on the temporal distribution of lophotrochozoan skeletal species from the upper Ediacaran to the basal Miaolingian of the Siberian Platform, and on its implications for understanding the evolutionary dynamics of the Cambrian explosion, is published by Zhuravlev & Wood (2018).[182]
- Eggs of ascaridoid nematodes found in crocodyliform coprolites are described from the Upper Cretaceous Bauru Group (Brazil) by Cardia et al. (2018).[183]
- A study reinterpreting the putative Cambrian lobopodian Mureropodia apae as a partial isolated appendage of a member of the genus Caryosyntrips, published by Pates & Daley (2017)[184] is criticized by Gámez Vintaned & Zhuravlev (2018);[185] Pates, Daley & Ortega-Hernández (2018) defend their original conclusions.[186]
- A study on the early evolution of stem and crown-arthropods as indicated by Ediacaran and Cambrian body and trace fossils is published by Daley et al. (2018).[187]
- A study on the evolution of ecdysozoan vision, focusing on the evolution of arthropod multi-opsin vision, as indicated by molecular data and data from fossil record, is published by Fleming et al. (2018).[188]
- A juvenile specimen of Lyrarapax unguispinus, providing new information on the frontal appendages and feeding mode in this taxon, is described from the Cambrian Chiungchussu Formation (China) by Liu et al. (2018).[189]
- A study evaluating likely swimming efficiency and maneuverability of Anomalocaris canadensis is published by Sheppard, Rival & Caron (2018).[190]
- Cambrian animal Pahvantia hastata from the Wheeler Shale (Utah, United States), originally classified as a possible arthropod,[191] is reinterpreted as a suspension-feeding radiodont by Lerosey-Aubril & Pates (2018).[192]
- The presence of metameric midgut diverticulae is reported for the first time in the stem-arthropod Fuxianhuia protensa by Ortega-Hernández et al. (2018), who interpret their finding as indicative of a predatory or scavenging ecology of fuxianhuiids.[193]
- Liu et al. (2018) reinterpret putative remains of the nervous and cardiovascular systems in numerous articulated individuals of Fuxianhuia protensa as more likely to be microbial biofilms that developed following decomposition of the intestine, muscle and other connective tissues.[194]
- A study on the post-embryonic development of Fuxianhuia protensa is published by Fu et al. (2018).[195]
- Redescription of the fuxianhuiid Liangwangshania biloba is published by Chen et al. (2018).[196]
- New specimens of the stem-arthropod species Kerygmachela kierkegaardi, providing new information on the anatomy of this species and on the ancestral condition of the panarthropod brain, are described from the Cambrian Stage 3 of the Buen Formation (Sirius Passet, Greenland) by Park et al. (2018).[197]
- Fossils of spindle- or conotubular-shaped animals of uncertain phylogenetic placement are described from the Ordovician Martinsburg Formation (Pennsylvania, United States) by Meyer et al. (2018).[198]
- Evidence of macrofauna living at depths of up to 8 metres below the seabed is reported from the Permian Fort Brown Formation (Karoo Basin, South Africa) by Cobain et al. (2018).[199]
- A study on the morphology of the hyolithid Paramicrocornus zhenbaensis from the lower Cambrian Shuijingtuo Formation (China) is published by Zhang, Skovsted & Zhang (2018), who report that this species lacked helens, and also report the oldest known hyolith muscle scars preserved on the opercula of this species.[200]
- A study on the feeding strategies and locomotion of Cambrian hyolithids, based on specimens preserved in coprolites from the Chengjiang biota and associated with a Tuzoia carcass from the Balang Fauna (China), is published by Sun et al. (2018).[201]
- Digestive tract of a specimen of the hyolith species Circotheca johnstrupi from the Cambrian Læså Formation (Bornholm, Denmark) is described by Berg-Madsen, Valent & Ebbestad (2018).[202]
- The oldest stromatoporoid–bryozoan reefs reported so far are described from the middle Ordovician Duwibong Formation (South Korea) by Hong et al. (2018).[203]
- Small bioconstructions formed solely by microconchid tube worms, representing the stratigraphically oldest exclusively metazoan bioconstructions from the earliest Triassic (mid-Induan) strata in East Greenland, are reported by Zatoń et al. (2018).[204]
- The oldest known evidence of trematode parasitism of bivalves in the form of igloo-shaped traces found on shells of the freshwater bivalve Sphaerium is reported from the Upper Cretaceous Judith River Formation (Montana, United States) by Rogers et al. (2018).[205]
- A study on the predatory drill holes in Late Cretaceous and Paleogene molluscan and serpulid worm prey from Seymour Island (Antarctica) and their implications for inferring the effects of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event on predator-prey dynamics at this site is published by Harper, Crame & Sogot (2018).[206]
- A study on burrows from Lower–Middle Triassic successions in South China assigned to the ichnotaxon Rhizocorallium, and on their implications for inferring the course of biotic recovery following the Permian–Triassic extinction event, is published by Feng et al. (2018).[207]
- A study evaluating how different species of fossil and extant free-living cupuladriid bryozoans responded to the environmental changes in the Southwest Caribbean over the last 6 million years is published by O'Dea et al. (2018).[208]
New taxa
[edit]| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sp. nov | Valid | Di Martino & Taylor | A bryozoan belonging to the group Cheilostomata and the family Membraniporidae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Koromyslova, Martha & Pakhnevich | Late Cretaceous (late Campanian) | A bryozoan belonging to the group Flustrina and the family Coscinopleuridae. | |||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Koromyslova, Martha & Pakhnevich | A bryozoan belonging to the group Flustrina and the family Coscinopleuridae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Koromyslova, Martha & Pakhnevich | A bryozoan belonging to the group Flustrina and the family Coscinopleuridae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Koromyslova, Martha & Pakhnevich | A bryozoan belonging to the group Flustrina and the family Coscinopleuridae. | ||||
| Sp. nov | Valid | Koromyslova, Baraboshkin & Martha | A bryozoan. | ||||
| Gen. et comb. nov | Valid | Taylor, Martha & Gordon | Cretaceous (Cenomanian) to Paleocene (Danian). | A bryozoan belonging to the group Flustrina and the family Onychocellidae. The type species is "Aechmella" falcifera Voigt (1949); genus also includes "Homalostega" anglica Brydone (1909), "Aechmella" bassleri Voigt (1924), "Homalostega" biconvexa Brydone (1909), "Cellepora" hippocrepis Goldfuss (1826), "Aechmella" indefessa Taylor & McKinney (2006), "Aechmella" latistoma Berthelsen (1962), "Aechmella" linearis Voigt (1924), "Aechmella" parvilabris Voigt (1924), "Aechmella" pindborgi Berthelsen (1962), "Semieschara" proteus Brydone (1912), "Monoporella" seriata Levinsen (1925), "Aechmella" stenostoma Voigt (1930), "Reptescharinella" transversa d'Orbigny (1852) and "Aechmella" ventricosa Voigt (1924). | |||
| Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Yang et al. |
