1955 in paleontology
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 1955.
Plants
Pteridophyta
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Comb nov |
Valid |
A waterfern, moved from Azollophyllum primaevum Penhallow, 1890 |
 | |||||
Arthropods
Crustaceans
| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sp nov |
Jr. synonym |
Remy and Avnimelech |
Late Cretaceous (Campanian) |
|||||
Dinosaurs
- Massospondylus gastroliths are documented.[5]
Newly named dinosaurs
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[6]
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Majungasaurus[7] | Valid taxon | René Lavocat | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Maevarano Formation |  Madagascar |
A majungasaurine abelisaurid. |  |
| Tarbosaurus[8] | Valid taxon | Evgeny Maleev | Late Cretaceous (late Campanian-early Maastrichtian) | Nemegt Formation |
 Mongolia  China |
An Asian Tyrannosaurus-looking tyrannosaurid. | .png) |
Synapsids
Theriodonts
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauroctonus | Valid | Bystrow | Late Permian | Semen Formation Teekloof Formation |
 Russia |
A gorgonopsian. |  |
| Scalenodon | Valid | Crompton and Parrington | Middle Triassic | Manda Formation |  Tanzania |
A traversodontid cynodont. | |
Mammals
Eutherians
Cetaceans
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lophocetus pappus | Now renamed Miminiacetus. | Kellogg | Middle Miocene (Langhian) | ||||
| Pelodelphis | Valid | Kellogg | Middle Miocene (Langhian) | Calvert Formation | *  US ( Maryland) |
An odontocete of uncertain position. | |
| Tretosphys | Valid | Kellogg | Middle Miocene (Langhian) | Calvert Formation |  Czech Republic US ( Maryland,  New Jersey,  North Carolina and  Virginia) |
An odontocete of uncertain position; new genus for "Delphinapterus" gabbi Cope (1868). | |
Other Animals
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinsonia spriggi[9] | Synonym of Dickinsonia costata | Harrington & Moore | Ediacaran |  Australia |
