1981 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 1981.

Angiosperms

Superrosids - Fabids

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Palaeocarpinus[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Crane

Ypresian

Reading Formation

UK
England

A betulaceous fruit.
Type species P. laciniata

Pseudofagus[3]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Smiley & Huggins

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Clarkia Florule

USA
Idaho

A fagaceous genus
The type species is P. idahoensis

Arthropoda

Insects

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Protamblyopone inversa[4]

Gen et sp. nov

jr synonym

Dlussky

Middle Miocene

Chon-Tyz mine

Kyrgyzstan

An Amblyoponin ant. jr synonym of Casaleia inversa

Reptilia

Early reptiles

Taxon Novelty Status Author(s) Age Unit Location Notes Images
Claudiosaurus germaini[5] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Carroll Late Permian Lower Sakamena Formation Madagascar An early neodiapsid
Thadeosaurus colcanapi[5] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Carroll Late Permian Lower Sakamena Formation Madagascar An early neodiapsid

Archosauromorpha

Dinosaurs

Taxon Novelty Status Author(s) Age Unit Location Notes Images
Avimimus portentosus[6] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid taxon Kurzanov Campanian Djadochta Formation Mongolia A very bird-like oviraptorosaur
Barsboldia sicinskii[7] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Maryańska & Osmólska Maastrichtian Nemegt Formation Mongolia A hadrosaurid of uncertain relations
Elmisaurus rarus[8] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Osmólska Maastrichtian Nemegt Formation Mongolia An oviraptorosaur
Garudimimus brevipes[9] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Barsbold Santonian Bayanshiree Formation Mongolia An early ornithomimosaur
"Honghesaurus" Nomen nudum Anonymous Later namedYandusaurus
Ingenia yanshini[9] Gen. et sp. nov. Preoccupied Barsbold Maastrichtian Baruungoyot Formation Mongolia Generic name preoccupied by a nematode Gerlach 1957 and renamed Ajancingenia, but considered a species of Heyuannia
Lambeosaurus laticaudus[10] Sp. nov. Valid Morris Campanian El Gallo Formation Mexico Later given the genus Magnapaulia
Muttaburrasaurus langdoni[11] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Bartholomai & Molnar Albian Mackunda Formation Australia An iguanodont with a horn-like knob of its Snout.
Palaeopteryx thomsoni[12] Gen. et sp. nov. Nomen dubium Jensen Kimmeridgian Morrison Formation Colorado A coelurosaur
Scutellosaurus lawleri[13] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Colbert Sinemurian Kayenta Formation Arizona An early thyreophoran

Birds

  • Palaeopteryx thomsoni Jensen, 1981 is most likely not a bird but rather a small non-avian dinosaur.
  • Plegadis pharangites Olson, 1981 is a new name for Plegadis gracilis Miller et Bowman, 1956, preoccupied by Plegadis gracilis (Lydekker, 1891), described as Milnea gracilis Lydekker, 1891 and transferred to the genus Plegadis Kaup, 1829 by Cheneval, 1984.
Name Status Novelty Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Burhinus lucorum [14]

Valid

Sp. nov.

K. Jeffrey Bickart

Early Miocene

Middle Sheep Creek Formation

USA:

Nebraska

A Burhinidae.

Enantiornis leali [15]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Cyril A. Walker

Late Cretaceous

Maastrichtian

Lecho Formation

Argentina

An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Alexornithiformes Brodkorb, 1976, Enantiornithidae Nessov et Borkin, 1983, this is the type species of the new genus.

Eogrus crudus [16]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Evgeny N. Kurochkin

Middle-Late Eocene

Tsagan Kutel

Mongolia

A Gruiformes, Eogruidae Wetmore, 1934, this is the type species of the new genus.

Falco medius [17]

Valid

Sp. nov.

A. S. Umanskaya

Late Miocene

MN 11-13

Soviet Union:

Ukraine

A Falconidae.

Gavia paradoxa [17]

Valid

Sp. nov.

A. S. Umanskaya

Late Miocene

MN 11-13

Soviet Union:

Ukraine

A Gaviidae.

Ioriotis gabunii [18]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Nikolay I. Burchak-Abramovich

Abesalom K. Vekua

Late Pliocene

Kvabebi

Soviet Union:

Georgia

An Otididae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Mancalla emlongi [19]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Storrs L. Olson

Late Pliocene

Blancan,

San Diego Formation

USA:

California

An Alcidae, Mancallinae L. H. Miller, 1946.

Microdytes tonnii [20]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

George G. Simpson

Late Oligocene-Early Miocene

Patagonian

Argentina

A Sphniscidae, this is the type species of the new genus. Microdytes Simpson, 1981 is preoccupied by Microdytes Balfour-Browne, 1949 (Coleoptera), so Storrs L. Olson created the new genus Eretiscus Olson, 1986 to accommodate Microdytes tonnii Simpson, 1981.[21]

Pedinorhis stirpsarcana [22]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Storrs L. Olson

Mary C. McKitrick

Pleistocene

Cave deposits

Puerto Rico

A Fringillidae, Emberizinae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Pelecanus cadimurka [23]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Patricia Vickers Rich

Gerard F. Van Tets

Pleistocene

Kuttipirra (Katipiri) Waterhole

Australia:

South Australia

A Pelecanidae.

Picus peregrinabundus [24]

Valid

Sp. nov.

A. S. Umanskaja

Late Miocene

MN 11-12

Soviet Union:

Ukraine

A Picidae.

Sonogrus gregalis [16]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Evgeny N. Kurochkin

Late Eocene-Early Oligocene

Ergilin Dzo Formation

Mongolia

A Gruiformes, Eogruidae Wetmore, 1934, this is the type species of the new genus.

Uria brodkorbi [25]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Hildegarde Howard

Late Miocene

Sisquoc Formation,

Clarendonian

USA:

California

An Alcidae.

Urmiornis orientalis [16]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Evgeny N. Kurochkin

Middle Pliocene

Soviet Union:

Kazakhstan

A Gruiformes, Eogruidae Wetmore, 1934, transferred to the genus Amphipelargus Lydekker, 1891 by both Kurochkin, 1985 and Olson, 1985.

Urmiornis ukrainus [16]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Evgeny N. Kurochkin

Late Miocene

Mn 9-10-11

Soviet Union:

Moldova;

Ukraine;

Russia

A Gruiformes, Eogruidae Wetmore, 1934, transferred to the genus Amphipelargus Lydekker, 1891 by both Kurochkin, 1985 and Olson, 1985.

Youngornis gracilis [26]

Valid

Gen. nov et Sp. nov.

Yeh Hsiangk’uei

Middle Miocene

Shanwang Formation

China

A Rallidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Zeltornis ginsburgi [27]

Valid

Gen. nov et Sp. nov.

Jean Chr. Balouet

Early Miocene

Late Burdigalian,

Djebel Zelten

Libya

An Ardeidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Plesiosaurs

Pterosaurs

References

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