1978 in paleontology
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Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") 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 faeces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has 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 in the year 1978.
Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries
- A paleoanthropological team led by Mary Leakey found 3.5 million year old human footprints.
- Baby hadrosaurs were discovered in the Two Medicine Formation.[2]
Scientific advances
Vertebrate paleozoology
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[3]
| Name | Status | Authors | Notes | Images | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amtosaurus[4] | Nomen dubium. |
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| Coloradia[5] | Valid taxon |
PReoccupied by Blake 1863. Renamed Coloradisaurus. | |||
| Lesothosaurus[6] | Valid taxon Possible junior synonym of Fabrosaurus. | ||||
| Micropachycephalosaurus[7] | Valid taxon | ||||
| Ohmdenosaurus[8] | Valid taxon |
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| "Roccosaurus"[9] | Nomen nudum. Junior synonym of Melanorosaurus. |
van Heerden vide:
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| Saurornitholestes[10] | Valid taxon | ||||
| Yangchuanosaurus[11] | Valid taxon |
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| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Aldabranas cabri [12] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
Aldabra Atoll |
An Anatidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
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Anser eldaricus [13] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Nikolaj I. Burchak-Abramovich D. V. Gadzyev |
Late Sarmantian |
|
An Anatidae. |
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|
Apus baranensis [14] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dénes Jánossy |
MN 16a; MN 17 |
An Apodidae. |
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|
Chaetura baconica [14] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dénes Jánossy |
MN 11-12 |
An Apodidae. |
|||
|
"Gallus" europaeus [15] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid ? |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MQ 2A |
|
A Phasianidae.The taxonomic status of this species should be reevaluated. There is no evidence, that it belongs to the genus Gallus Brisson. |
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|
Gavia brodkorbi [16] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
|
A Gaviidae. |
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Mergus miscellus [17] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
|
An Anatidae. |
||||
|
"Milvus" brachypterus [14] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dénes Jánossy |
MQ 1b |
An Apodidae Incertae Sedis. |
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Morus magnus [16] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
|
A Sulidae. |
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|
Phalacrocorax anatolicus [18] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Cécile Mourer-Chauviré |
A Phalacrocoracidae, transferred to the genus Nectornis Cheneval, 1984 by Mlíkovský, 1998.[19] |
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Pterodroma kurodai [12] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
Aldabra Atoll |
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Puffinus barnesi [16] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
|
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|
Recurvirostra sanctaneboulae [20] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Cécile Mourer-Chauviré |
A Recurvirostridae, most unlikely it is a Recurvirostra or even a Recurvirostridae. |
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|
Surnia robusta [14] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dénes Jánossy |
MQ 1b |
An Strigidae. |
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People
Awards and recognition
Popular culture
Literature
- Dinosaur Planet by Anne McAffrey was published. This novel was about a planet called Ireta that was populated by dinosaurs transplanted there by aliens attempting to preserve Earth's Mesozoic biosphere. Paleontologist William A. S. Sarjeant has praised the intelligent pterosaurs descended from Quetzalcoatlus in the novel as plausible.[21]
References
- ↑ Newman, Garfield; et al. (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 0-07-088739-X.
- ↑ Trexler, D., 2001, Two Medicine Formation, Montana: geology and fauna: In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life, edited by Tanke, D. H., and Carpenter, K., Indiana University Press, pp. 298–309.
- ↑ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ↑ Kurzanov, S.M. and T.A. Tumanova. 1978. On the structure of the endocranium in some anylosaurs from Mongolia [in Russian]. Paleontol. Zh. 1978: pp. 90-96.
- ↑ Bonaparte, J.F. 1978. Coloradia brevis n. gen. et. n. sp. (Saurischia, Prosauropoda), dinosaurio Plateosauridae de la Formacion Los Colorados Triasico superior de La Rioja, Argentina. Ameghiniana 15: pp. 327-332.
- ↑ Galton, P.M. 1978. Fabrosauridae, the basal family of ornithischian dinosaurs (Reptilia: Ornithopoda). Paläont. Z. 52 (1/2): pp. 138-159.
- ↑ Dong, Z. 1978. A new genus of Pachycephalosauria from Laiyang, Shantung. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 16: pp. 225-228.
- ↑ Wild, R. 1978. Ein Sauropoden-Rest (Reptilia, Saurischia) aus dem Posidonienschiefer (Lias, Toarcium) von Holzmaden. Stuttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde, Serie B (Geologie und Paleontologie) 41: pp. 1-15.
- ↑ van Heerden vide Anderson, J. M., and A.R.I. Cruickshank. 1978. The biostratigraphy of the Permian and the Triassic. Part 5. A review of the classification and distribution of Permo-Triassic tetrapods. Palaeontographica Africana 21: pp. 15- 44.
- ↑ Sues, H -D. 1978. A new small theropod dinosaur from the Judith River Formation (Campanian) of Alberta, Canada. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. London 62: pp. 381-400.
- ↑ Dong, Z., Y. Chang, X. Li, and S. Zhou. 1978. Note on a new carnosaur (Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis gen. et sp. nov.) from the Jurassic of Yangchuan District, Szechuan Province. Kexue Tongbao 23: pp. 298-302.
- 1 2 Colin J. O. Harrison & Cyril A. Walker (1978). "Pleistocene Bird Remains from Aldabra Atoll Indian Ocean". Journal of Natural History. 12 (1): 7–14. doi:10.1080/00222937800770021a.
- ↑ Nikolaj I. Burchak-Abramovich & D. V. Gadzyev (1978). "Anser eldaricus sp. nova from Upper Sarmatian Hipparion Fauna of Eldar". Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia. 23: 67–78.
- 1 2 3 4 Dénes Jánossy (1978). "Plio-Pleistocene Bird Remains from the Carpathian Basin. III. Strigiformes, Falconiformes, Caprimulgiformes, Apodiformes" (PDF). Aquila. 84: 9–36.
- ↑ Colin J. O. Harrison (1978). "A New Jungle-Fowl from the Pleistocene of Europe". Journal of Archaeological Science London. 290: 1–26. doi:10.1016/0305-4403(78)90056-0.
- 1 2 3 Hildegarde Howard (1978). "Late Miocene Marine Birds from Orange County, California" (PDF). Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County, Contributions in Science. 290: 1–26.
- ↑ Rafael Alvarez & Storrs L. Olson (1978). "A New Merganser from the Miocene of Virginia (Aves: Anatidae)" (PDF). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 91 (2): 522–532.
- ↑ Cécile Mourer-Chauviré (1978). "Oiseaux. Pg. 52-54 In: Jean Claude Paicheler, France de Broin, Jean Gaudant, Cécile Mourer-Chauviré, Jean Claude Rage & Colette Vergnoud-Crazzini, 1978: Le Basin Lacustre Miocène de Bes-Konak (Anatolie-Turquie): Gélogie et Introduction à la Paléontologie des Vertébrés". Géobios. 11 (1): 43–65. doi:10.1080/00222937800770021a.
- ↑ Jirí Mlíkovský (1978). "Early Miocene Birds of Břešt'any, Czech Republic" (PDF). Casopis Narodniho Muzea, Rada Prirodovedna. 167: 99–101.
- ↑ Cécile Mourer-Chauviré (1978). "La Poche à Phosphate de Ste. Neboule (Lot) et sa Faune de Vertébrès du Ludien Supérieur. 6. Oiseaux". Palaeovertebrata. 8: 217–229.
- ↑ Sarjeant, W. A. S., 2001, Dinosaurs in fiction: In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life, edited by Tanke, D. H., and Carpenter, K., Indiana University Press, p. 504-529.