2006 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 2006.

Ferns and fern allies

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Dickwhitea[2]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Karafit et al.

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Allenby Formation
Princeton Chert

Canada
British Columbia

An athyriaceous fern
The type species is D. allenbyensis

Trawetsia[3]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Smith et al.

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Allenby Formation
Princeton Chert

Canada
British Columbia

An athyriaceous fern
The type species is T. princetonensis

Wessiea oroszii[4]

Sp nov

Valid

Serbet & Rothwell

Campanian

Horseshoe Canyon Formation

Canada
Alberta

A fern of uncertain affinity

Angiosperms

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Beardia[5]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Elliot, Mindell, & Stockey

Eocene

Appian Way Flora

Canada
British Columbia

A juglandaceous fruit.

Arthropods

Crustaceans

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Stenochirus vahldieki[6]

Sp nov

Valid

Schweigert & Garassino

Early Jurassic
Callovian

La Voulte-sur-Rhöne

A stenochirid.

Insects

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type unit Location Notes Images

Avitomyrmex[7]

Gen et 3 sp. nov

valid

Archibald, Cover, & Moreau

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Tranquille Formation

Canada
British Columbia

A myrmeciine bulldog ant
The type species is A. elongatus
Other species are A. mastax and A. systenus

Emiliana[8]

Trib, Gen, et sp. nov

valid

Shcherbakov

Eocene
Ypresian

Green River Formation
Parachute Member

USA
Colorado

A tropiduchid planthopper

Eocenomyrma[9]

Gen et 3 sp nov

Valid

Dlussky & Radchenko

Eocene
Priabonian

Baltic amber

Russia

A Myrmicin ant
The type species is E. orthospina
Other species are E. electrina & E. elegantula

Eocenomyrma elegantula

Feroseta[10]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Poinar

Miocene
Burdigalian

Dominican amber

Dominican Republic

A mantidfly
The type species is F. prisca

Macabeemyrma[7]

Gen et sp. nov

valid

Archibald, Cover, & Moreau

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Tranquille Formation

Canada
British Columbia

A myrmeciine bulldog ant
The type species is M. ovata

Macabeemyrma ovata

Palaeopsychops douglasae[11]

Sp nov

valid

Archibald & Makarkin

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Coldwater Beds

Canada
British Columbia

An ithionid giant lacewing

Palaeopsychops marringerae[11]

Sp nov

valid

Archibald & Makarkin

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Klondike Mountain Formation

United States
Washington

An ithionid giant lacewing

Palaeopsychops marringerae

Palaeopsychops quadratus[11]

Sp nov

valid

Archibald & Makarkin

Eocene
Ypresian

Fur Formation

Denmark

An ithionid giant lacewing

Palaeopsychops setosus[11]

Sp nov

valid

Archibald & Makarkin

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Horsefly Shales

Canada
British Columbia

An ithionid giant lacewing

Palaeopsychops timmi[11]

Sp nov

valid

Archibald & Makarkin

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Klondike Mountain Formation

United States
Washington

An ithionid giant lacewing

Palaeopsychops timmi

Palaeovespa menatensis[12]

Sp nov

valid

Nel & Auvray

Paleocene
Thanetian

Menat Formation

France

A vespid wasp

Palaeovespa menatensis

Polystoechotites[11]

Gen et 3 sp nov

valid

Archibald & Makarkin

Eocene
Ypresian

Eocene Okanagan Highlands
Klondike Mountain Formation

United States
Washington

An ithionid giant lacewing parataxon
Species include P. barksdalae, P. falcatus, P. lewisi
Also includes Polystoechotes piperatus (1908)

Polystoechotites barksdalae

Ypresiomyrma[7][13]

Gen, sp., et comb nov

valid

Archibald, Cover, & Moreau

Eocene
Ypresian

Fur Formation

Denmark

A myrmeciine bulldog ant
The type species is Y. orbiculata
Other species are Y. bartletti & Pachycondyla rebekkae (1999)

Ypresiomyrma rebekkae

Molluscs

Cephalopods

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images
Tirolonautilus feltgeni[14]

Sp nov

Valid

Chirat, Vaslet & Le Nindre

Late Permian

Khuff Formation

A nautiloid.

Tetrapodomorphs

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images
Tiktaalik[15]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Daeschler, Shubin, & Jenkins

Late Devonian

Fram Formation

Type species T. roseae. The Earliest Tetrapod.

Tiktaalik roseae

Amphibians

Newly named temnospondylians

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Iberospondylus[16]

Valid

  • Laurin
  • Soler-Gijon

Late Carboniferous

The type species is Iberospondylus schultzei.

Iberospondylus

Tirraturhinus[17]

Valid

  • Nield
  • Damiani
  • Warren

Early Triassic

Arcadia Formation

The type species is Tirraturhinus smisseni.

Trematolestes[18]

Valid

  • Schoch

Middle Triassic

Erfurt Formation

The type species is Trematolestes hagdorni.

Trematolestes

Newly named amphibians

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Pangerpeton[19]

Valid

  • Wang
  • Evans

Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous

Daohugou Beds

China

The type species is Pangerpeton sinensis.

Ichthyosaurs

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Maiaspondylus[20]

Valid

  • Maxwell
  • Caldwell

Early Cretaceous

Loon River Formation

Canada

The type species is Maiaspondylus lindoei.

Lepidosauromorphs

Newly named basal lepidosauromorphs

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Rautiania[21]

Valid

  • Bulanov
  • Sennikov

Late Permian

Vyasovka Formation

Russia

Two species was descript: Rautiania alexandri (type) and R. minchi.

Newly named plesiosaurs

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Bobosaurus[22]

Valid

  • Dalla Vecchia

Late Triassic

Rio del Lago Formation

The type species is Bobosaurus forojuliensis.

Futabasaurus[23]

Valid

  • Sato
  • Hasegawa
  • Manabe

Late Cretaceous

Tamayama Formation

The type species is Futabasaurus suzukii.

Opallionectes[24]

Valid

  • Kear

Early Cretaceous

The type species is Opallionectes andamookaensis.

Umoonasaurus[25]

Valid

  • Kear
  • Schroeder
  • Lee

Early Cretaceous

Bulldog Shale

The type species is Umoonasaurus demoscyllus.

Newly named squamates

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Najash[26]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Apesteguia & Zaher

Late Cretaceous

Candeleros Formation

Argentina

Type sp N rionegrina.

Turtles

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Gigantatypus[27]

Valid

  • Kaddumi

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)

Muwaqqar Chalk Marl Formation

Jordan

A sea turtle. The type species is G. salahi.

Archosauromorphs

Newly named crurotarsans

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Adamantinasuchus[28]

Valid

  • Nobre
  • Carvalho

Late Cretaceous

Adamantina Formation

A notosuchian. The type species is Adamantinasuchus navae.

Adamantinasuchus

Aldabrachampsus[29]

Valid

  • Brochu

Pleistocene

A crocodylid. The type species is Aldabrachampsus dilophus.

Effigia[30]

Valid

  • Nesbitt
  • Norell

Late Triassic

Chinle Formation

A rauisuchian. The type species is Effigia okeeffeae.

Effigia

Isisfordia[31]

Valid

  • Salisbury
  • Molnar
  • Frey
  • Willis

Early-Late Cretaceous

Winton Formation

A eusuchian. The type species is Isisfordia duncani.

Isisfordia

Newly named dinosaurs

  • Vickaryous, M K., 2006, New information on the cranial anatomy of Edmontonia rugosidens Gilmore, a Late Cretaceous nodosaurid dinosaur from Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta: JVP, v. 26, n. 4: 1011–1013.

Data are courtesy of George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.[32]

Name Status Authors Location Notes Images
Adamantisaurus[33] Valid taxon
Adamantisaurus
Agujaceratops Valid taxon
  • Hunt
Agujaceratops
Alaskacephale[34] Valid taxon
  • Sullivan
Apachycephalosaurid from Alaska.
Alaskacephale
Aniksosaurus[35] Valid taxon
  • Martínez
  • Novas
Antarctopelta.[36] Valid taxon
  • Salgado
  • Gasparini
An Ankylosaur from Antarctica
Antarctopelta
Balochisaurus Valid taxon
  • Malkani
"Bayosaurus" Nomen nudum
Cedrorestes[37] Valid taxon
Dracorex[38] Jr. Synonym
  • Larson
  • Saulsbury
Jr. Synonym of Pachycephalosaurus.
Dracorex
Dracovenator[39] Valid taxon
  • Yates
An African Neotheropod related to Dilophosaurus.
Dracovenator
Erketu[40] Valid taxon
  • Ksepka
Europasaurus[41] Valid taxon

Mateus Laven Knötschke vide:

  • Sander
  • Mateus
  • Laven
  • Knötschke
A basal macronarian sauropod exhibiting insular dwarfism.
Europasaurus
Fusuisaurus[42] Valid taxon
  • Mo
  • Wang W.
  • Huang Z.
  • Huang X.
  • Xu X.
Guanlong[43] Valid taxon
  • Erickson
  • Eberth
  • Jia C.
  • Zhao Q.
A basal, crested Tyrannosauroid.
Guanlong
Huanghetitan.[44] Valid taxon
  • You
  • Li D.
  • Zhou L.
  • Ji Q.
Jiutaisaurus[45] Valid taxon
  • Li C.
  • Li T.
Juravenator[46] Valid taxon
  • Göhlich
A feathered Compsognathid.
Juravenator
Khetranisaurus[citation needed] Valid taxon
  • Malkani
Koutalisaurus[47] Jr. Synonym
  • Prieto-Marquez
  • Gaete
  • Rivas
  • Galobart
  • Boada
Jr. Synonym of Pararhabdodon.
Ligabuesaurus[48] Valid taxon
  • Apesteguía
An Argentine Titanosaur.
Mantellisaurus[49] Valid taxon
  • Paul
Mantellisaurus
Mapusaurus[50] Valid taxon An Argentine Carcharodontosaur.
Mapusaurus
Marisaurus[citation needed] Valid taxon
  • Malkani
Maxakalisaurus[51] Valid taxon
  • Kellner
  • Campos
  • Azevedo
  • Trotta
  • Henriques
  • Craik
  • Silva
Maxakalisaurus
Othnielosaurus[52] Valid taxon
Othnielosaurus
Pakisaurus[citation needed] Valid taxon
  • Malkani
Razanandrongobe[53] Valid taxon
  • Maganuco
  • Dal Sasso
  • Pasini

Described by the authors as a possible crocodylomorph or theropod.

Sacisaurus[54] Valid taxon
  • Ferigolo
  • Langer
Possibly a Dinosaur.
Sacisaurus
Sonidosaurus Valid taxon
  • Xu X.
  • Zhang X. H.
  • Tan Q.
  • Zhao X.
  • Tan L.
Sulaimanisaurus[citation needed] Valid taxon
  • Malkani
Theiophytalia[55] Valid taxon
  • Brill
  • Carpenter
Theiophytalia
Tsaagan[56] Valid taxon
Tsaagan
Turiasaurus[57] Valid taxon
  • Royo-Torres
  • Cobos
  • Alcalá
Vitakridrinda.[citation needed] Valid taxon
  • Malkani
An Abelisaur from Pakistan.
Xuanhuaceratops[58] Valid taxon
  • Zhao X.
  • Cheng Z.
  • Xu X.
  • Makovicky
Yamaceratops[59] Valid taxon
  • Makovicky
Yamaceratops
Yinlong[60] Valid taxon
  • Xu X.
  • Forster
  • Clark
  • Mo
Yinlong
Yuanmousaurus[61] Valid taxon
  • Li S.
  • Ji Q.
Zapalasaurus Valid taxon
  • Salgado
  • Carvalho
  • Garrido
An Argentine Rebbachisaur.

Newly named birds

Name Status Novelty Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Abdounornis marinus [62]

Nomen Nudum

Thesis name

Bourdon

Early Ypresian

A species of Charadriiformes, Abdounornithidae.

Aequornis traversei [62]

Nomen Nudum

Thesis name

Bourdon

Middle Eocene

A species of Pelagornithidae.

Anas cheuen [63]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Agnolín

Early or Middle Pleistocene

Miramar Formation

A species of Anas.

Archaeorhynchus spathula [64]

Valid

Gen et Sp. nov.

Zhonghe & Fucheng

Early Cretaceous

Yixian Formation

An Ornithurae, type sp A. spathula.

Branta thessaliensis [65]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Boev & Koufos

Middle Turolian

An Anatidae.

Cerebavis cenomanica [66]

Valid

Gen. et Sp. nov.

Kurochkin, Saveliev, Postnov,
Pervushov, & Popov

Cenomanian

An Enantiornithes, described from a brain endocast.

Corvitalusoides [67]

Valid

Gen. et Sp. nov.

Boles

Late Oligocene or Early Miocene

Riversleigh

A Passeriformes Incertae Sedis.
Type species C. grandiculus

Cyanoliseus patagonopsis [68]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Hospitaleche & Tambussi

Pleistocene

Miramar Formation

A Psittacidae.

Dalingheornis [69]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Zhang, Hou, Hasegawa, O'Connor, Martin, & Chiappe

Early Cretaceous

Yixian Formation

An Enantiornithes, type species is Dal. liweii.

Dapingfangornis [70]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Li, Duan, Hu, Wang, Cheng, & Hou

Early Cretaceous

Jiufotang Formation

An Enantiornithes, type species Dap. sentisorhinus

Didunculus placopedetes [71]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Steadman

Subrecent

'Eua

A Columbidae.

Ducula harrisoni [72]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Wragg & Worthy

Subrecent

Henderson Island

A Columbidae.

Eclectus infectus [73]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Steadman

Holocene

'Eua, 'Anatu

A Psittacidae.

Gallirallus ernstmayri [74]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Jeremy J. Kirchman & Steadman

Holocene

New Ireland, Bismarck Archipelago

A Rallidae.

Gallirallus pendiculentus [74]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Kirchman & Steadman

Holocene

Tinian

A Rallidae.

Gallirallus pisonii [74]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Kirchman & Steadman

Holocene

Tinian

A Rallidae.

Gallirallus storrsolsoni [75]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Kirchman & Steadman

Holocene

Huahine, Society Islands

A Rallidae.

Gallirallus temptatus [74]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Kirchman & Steadman

Holocene

Rota

A Rallidae.

Jungornis geraldmayri [76]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Mourer-Chauviré & Sigé

Late Eocene

Phosphorites du Quercy

A Jungornithidae

Loxioides kikuchi [77]

Valid

Sp. nov.

James & Olson

Subrecent

Kauaʻi, Hawaii Islands

A Fringillidae

Masillaraptor [78]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit

A Masillaraptoridae, type species M. parvunguis

Nyctanassa carcinocatactes [79]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Olson & Wingate

Holocene

Bermuda

An Ardeidae.

Odontopteryx gigas [62]

Nomen Nudum

Thesis name

Bourdon

Early Ypresian

An Odontopterygidae

Odontoptila inexpectata [62]

Nomen Nudum

Thesis name

Bourdon

Early Ypresian

An Odontopterygidae

Pleistoanser [63]

Valid

Gen. et Sp. nov.

Agnolín

Early or Middle Pleistocene

Miramar Formation

An Anatidae. Type species is P. bravardi.

Plesiocathartes major [80]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Weidig

Late Wasatchian

Green River Formation

A Leptosomidae.

Plesiocathartes wyomingensis [80]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Weidig

Late Wasatchian

Green River Formation

A Leptosomidae.

Porphyrio mcnabi [75]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Kirchman & Steadman

Holocene

Huahine, Fa'ahia,

Society Islands

A Rallidae.

Pygoscelis calderensis [81]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Hospitaleche, Chávez, & Fritis

Late Miocene-Middle Pliocene

Bahia Inglesa Formation

A Spheniscidae.

Pygoscelis grandis [82]

Valid

Sp. nov.

Walsh & Suárez

?Early Pliocene

Bahia Inglesa Formation

A Spheniscidae.

Shanxiornis [83]

Valid

Gen. et Sp. nov.

Wang, Zhao, Hu, & Sun

Early Pleistocene

Sanmen Formation

A Phasianidae, type species is S. fenyinis

Tonniornis [84]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Tambussi, Hospitaleche, Reguero, & Marenssi

Late Eocene

La Meseta Formation

A Spheniscidae, two species T. mesetaensis & T. minimum

Waimanu [85]

Valid

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Slack, Jones, Ando, Harrison, Fordyce, Arnason, & Penny

Early Paleocene

Basic Waipara Greensand

A stem Spheniscidae. The type species is Wa. manneringi. Originally the second species, Wa. tuatahi, was assigned to this genus as well; Mayr et al. (2018) transferred this species to the separate genus Muriwaimanu.[86]

Wieslochia [87]

Valid

Gen. et Sp. nov.

Mayr & Manegold

Rupelian

An early Passeriformes Incertae Sedis, type species is Wi. weissi

Newly named pterosaurs

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Cathayopterus[88]

Valid

  • Wang
  • Zhou

Early Cretaceous

Yixian Formation

A pterodactyloid. The type species is Cathayopterus grabaui.

Caviramus[89]

Valid

  • Fröbisch
  • Fröbisch

Late Triassic

Kössen Formation

A rhamphorhynchoid. The type species is Caviramus schesaplanensis.

Longchengpterus[90]

Valid

  • Wang
  • Li
  • Duan
  • Cheng

Early Cretaceous

Jiufotang Formation

A pterodactyloid. The type species is Longchengpterus zhoai.

Muzquizopteryx[91]

Valid

  • Frey
  • Buchy
  • Stinnesbeck
  • Gonzalez
  • Stefano

Late Cretaceous

Austin Group

The type species is Muzquizopteryx coahuilensis.

Yixianopterus[92]

Valid

  • Ji
  • Yuan
  • Gao
  • Sun
  • Ji

Early Cretaceous

Yixian Formation

A pterodactyloid. The type species is Yixianopterus jingangshanensis.

Synapsids

Trace fossils

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI