1940 in paleontology

List of years in paleontology
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In science 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943
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Paleontology or palaeontology (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 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 1940.

Plants

Angiosperms

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Eucommia eocenica[2]	Species	valid	(Berry) Brown	Middle Eocene	Claiborne Formation	USA	new generic placement of Simaroubites eocenica
Eucommia montana[2]	Species	valid	Brown	Middle Eocene	Renova Formation	USA	Eucommia species, found across Western North America	Eucommia montana

Dinosaurs

Newly named dinosaurs

Data from George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.^[3]

Name	Status	Authors		Notes	Images
Caenagnathus[4]	Valid taxon	C. M. Sternberg			Caenagnathus

Plesiosaurs

New taxa

Name Status Authors Notes Seeleyosaurus Valid White Tremamesacleis Valid White

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name	Status	Authors	Discovery year	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Aelurosauroides	Valid
Aelurosauropsis	Valid
Bienotherium	Valid
Dicynodontoides	Valid
Leontocephalus	Valid
Nanictocephalus	Valid
Prorubidgea	Valid

References

1. Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 9780070887398. OCLC 46769716.
2. Call, V.B.; Dilcher, D.L. (1997). "The fossil record of Eucommia (Eucommiaceae) in North America" (PDF). American Journal of Botany. 84 (6): 798–814. doi:10.2307/2445816. PMID 21708632.
3. Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Retrieved 2008-08-07.
4. Sternberg, R.M. 1940. A toothless bird from the Cretaceous of Alberta. J. Paleontol. 14: pp. 81- 85.