1977 in paleontology
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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 1977.
Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries
- Trexler found hadrosaur remains west of Choteau, Montana in Two Medicine Formation strata.[2]
Scientific advances
Paleobotany
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
Hickey |
[Palaeogene[Clarkforkian]] |
Bear Den Member, Golden Valley Formation |
North Dakota, USA |
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Invertebrate paleozoology
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sp nov |
Valid |
Krasilova |
Tyuser Formation |
early Cambrian bivalve species |
||||
Conodont paleozoology
German paleontologist and stratigrapher Heinz Walter Kozur (1942-2013) described the conodont genus Vjalovognathus[5]
Vertebrate paleozoology
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[6]
Name | Status | Authors | Notes | Images | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fulengia[7] | Nomen dubium. Possible synonym of Lufengosaurus. |
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Opisthocoelicaudia[8] | Valid taxon |
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Othnielia[9] | Valid taxon | ||||
Piveteausaurus[10] | Valid taxon |
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Saichania[11] | Valid taxon | ||||
"Shanshanosaurus"[12] | Junior synonym of Tarbosaurus. | ||||
Tarchia[11] | Valid taxon | ||||
Tuojiangosaurus[13] | Valid taxon |
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Valdosaurus[14] | Valid taxon | ||||
Wannanosaurus[15] | Valid taxon |
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"Yezosaurus" | Nomen nudum. Non-dinosaurian marine reptile. |
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- Colin J. O Harrison and Cyril Walker described and named 16 fossils from the Early Eocene from very small fragments. It is not possible to describe taxa so old from those fragments, given the fact that in the Eocene many birds with a mix of characters existed (mosaics).
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argillipes aurorum [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Phasianidae, placed in Aves Incertae Sedis by Mlíkovský 2002,[17] this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Argillipes paralectoris [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Phasianidae, placed in Aves Incertae Sedis by Mlíkovský 2002.[17] |
||
Buthierax pouliani [18] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
MQ 2a |
An Accipitridae Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||
Cepphus storeri [19] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MN 16-17 |
UK: |
An Alcidae. |
||
Ciconia sarmatica [20] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dan Grigorescu Jenö Kessler |
A Ciconiidae. |
||||
Cinclodes major [21] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Eduardo P. Tonni |
Middle Pleistocene |
A Furnariidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||
Coturnipes cooperi [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Phasianidae, placed in Aves Incertae Sedis by Olson, 1999, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Gallus beremendensis [22] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dénes Jánossy |
MN 16a |
A Phasianidae. |
|||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Green River Formatie, Fossil Bute Member |
USA: |
A Fregatidae, Limnofregatinae Olson, 1977, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
± 3500 YBP (Years Before Present) |
An Anatidae. |
|||||
Marinavis longirostris [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Procelariiformes, in its own family, Marinavidae Harrison et Walker, 1977, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Microena goodwini [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Columbidae, placed in Aves Inceretae Sedis by Mlíkovský 2002,[17] according to Mayr, 2009 perhaps a "Coraciiformes" or a "Caprimulgiformes"/Apodiformes, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
An ?Procellariidae, maybe a synonym of Dasornis toliapica (Owen, 1873). |
|||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
An ?Procellariidae, this is the type species of the new genus, maybe a synonym of Dasornis emuinus (Bowerbank, 1854), this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||
Oxyura zapatanima [25] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Jocotopec Sand and Gravel Quarry |
An Anatidae. |
||||
Parvicuculus minor [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
An Apodiformes, Hemiprocni Karkhu, 1992, Parvicuculidae Harrison, 1982, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Parvigyps praecox [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Accipitridae, by Mlíkovský, 2002 placed in Aves Incertae Sedis,[17] this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Percolinus venablesi [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Phasianidae, transferred to the genus Gypsornis Milne-Edwards, 1871 in the Cariamidae by Mlíkovský, 2002,[17] this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Phalacrocorax chapalensis [25] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Jocotopec Sand and Gravel Quarry |
|||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Yorktown Formatie, |
USA: |
An Alcidae. |
||||
Precursor litorum [16] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Glareolidae, best treated as Aves Incertae Sedis. |
||
Precursor magnus [16] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Glareolidae, best treated as Aves Incertae Sedis. |
||
Precursor parvus [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in the Glareolidae, this is the type species of the new genus, best treated as Aves Incertae Sedis. |
||
Primodroma bournei [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
A Hydrobatidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Primoscens minutus [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described in a new family Primoscenidae Harrison et Walker, 1977, Passeriformes, placed in synonymy with the family Zygodactylidae Brodkorb, 1971, ?Piciformes by Mayr, 2008,[27] this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Procuculus minutus [16] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Colin J. O. Harrison |
MP 8-9 |
UK: |
Described as a Cuculidae, Harrison, 1982 placed it in his new family Parvicuculidae,[28] Olson, 1985 and Mayr, 2009 think it might be a synonym of Primapus lacki Harrison et Walker, 1975. Best treated as Aves Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Quipollornis koniberi [29] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Patricia Vickers Rich Allan R. McEvey |
Early to Middle Miocene |
Diatomite deposits on Chalk Mountain |
An Aegothelidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||
Rallus richmondi [30] |
Nom. nov. |
Valid |
A Rallidae, a new name for Rallus dubius Portis, 1887, a junior primary homonym of Rallus dubius Piller et Mitterpacher, 1783, so its objective junior synonym. |
|||||
Sarmatosula dobrogensis [20] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dan Grigorescu Jenö Kessler |
A Sulidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||
Shandongornis shanwanensis [31] |
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Yeh Xiangkui |
Shanwang Series |
An Phasianidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Cave deposits |
An Threskiornithidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
Wellnhofer |
A pterodactyloid of uncertain affinities. | |||||
Name | Status | Authors | Discovery year | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
' |
Valid |
|||||||
' |
Valid |
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Plants
Angiospermae
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
Hickey |
Camels Butte Member, Golden Valley Formation |
North Dakota, USA |
||||
Valid |
Hickey |
Camels Butte Member, Golden Valley Formation |
North Dakota, USA |
||||
People
Awards and recognition
Popular culture
Literature
- The Year of the Dinosaur Edwin H. Colbert and illustrated by his wife, Margaret was published. This story describes a year in the life of a "brontosaur" and was an attempt to educate the reader about prehistory through a fictional portrayal of it.[33]
References
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- 1 2 3 Hickey, Leo (1977). Stratigraphy and Paleobotany of the Golden Valley Formation (Early Tertiary) of Western North Dakota. Boulder, Colorado: Geological Society of America. pp. 110 & Plate 5. ISBN 0-8137-1150-9.
- ↑ Elicki, O.; Gürsu, S. (2009). "First record of Pojetaia runnegari Jell, 1980 and Fordilla Barrande, 1881 from the Middle East (Taurus Mountains, Turkey) and critical review of Cambrian bivalves" (PDF). Paläontologische Zeitschrift. 83 (2): 267–291. doi:10.1007/s12542-009-0021-9.
- ↑ Vjalovognathus nom. nov. replaces Vjalovites Kozur, 1976. H. Kozur, Journal of Paleontology, July 1977, volume 51, issue 4
- ↑ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Retrieved 2008-08-07.
- ↑ Carroll, R.L. and P.M. Galton. 1977. Modern lizard from the Upper Triassic of China. Nature 266: pp. 252-255.
- ↑ Borsuk-Bialynicka, M. 1977. A new camarasaurid sauropod Opisthocoelicaudia skarzynskii, gen. n. sp. n. from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia. Palaeontol. Polonica 37: pp. 5-64.
- ↑ Galton, P.M. 1977. The ornithopod dinosaur Dryosaurus and a Laurasia-Gondwanaland connection in the Upper Jurassic. Nature 268: pp. 230-232.
- ↑ Taquet, P., and S. Welles. 1977. Redescription du crane de Dinosaure theropode de Dives (Normandie). Annales de Paleontologie, tomo 63 (fasc. 2): pp. 191-206.
- 1 2 Maryanska, T. 1977. Ankylosauridae (Dinosauria) from Mongolia. Paleontol. Polinica 37: pp. 85-151.
- ↑ Dong, Z. 1977. On the dinosaurian remains from Turpan, Xinjiang. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 15: pp. 59-66.
- ↑ Dong, Z., X. Li, S. Zhou, and Y. Chang. 1977. On the stegosaurian remain from Zigong (Tzekung), Szechuan Province. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 15: pp. 307-312.
- ↑ Olshevsky, G. 1991. A Revision of the Parainfraclass Archosauria Cope, 1869, Excluding the Advanced Crocodylia. Mesozoic Meanderings 2 (1st printing): iv + 196 pages.
- ↑ Hou, L. 1977. A new primitive pachycephalosauria from Anhui, China. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 15: pp. 198-202.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Colin J. O. Harrison & Cyril A. Walker (1977). "Birds of the British Lower Eocene". Tertiary Research Special Papers. 3: 1–52.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Jíří Mlíkovský, (2002). "Cenozoic Birds of the World Part 1: Europe" (PDF). Praha Ninox Press: 1–407.
- ↑ Miklós Kretzoi (1977). "The Fauna of Small Vertebrates of the Middle Pleistocene at Petralona" (PDF). Anthropos (Athina). 4 (1-2): 131–143.
- ↑ Colin J. O. Harrison (1977). "A New Guillemot, Cepphus Species, from the Lower Pleistocene". Suffolk Natural History. 17: 238–239.
- 1 2 Dan Grigorescu & Jenö Kessler (1977). "The Middle Sarmatian Avian Fauna of South Dobrogea". Revue Roumaine de Géologie, Géophysique et Géographie, Série Géologie. 21: 93–108.
- ↑ Eduardo P. Tonni (1977). "Un Furnárido (Aves: Passeriformes) del Pleistoceno Medio de la Provincia de Buenos Aires". Publicaciones del Museo Municipal de Ciencias Naturales de Mar del Plata Lorenzo Scaglia. 2 (6): 141–147.
- ↑ Dénes Jánossy (1977). "Plio-Pleistocene Bird Remains from the Carpathian Basin. II. Galliformes. 2. Phasianidae" (PDF). Aquila. 83: 29–42.
- ↑ Storrs L. Olson (1977). "A Lower Eocene Frigatebird from the Green River Formation of Wyoming" (PDF). Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology. 35: 1–33. doi:10.5479/si.00810266.35.1.
- ↑ Storrs L. Olson (1977). "Notes on Subfossil Anatidae from New Zealand, Including A New Species of Pink-Eared Duck Malacorhynchus". Emu. 77 (3): 132–135. doi:10.1071/mu9770132.
- 1 2 Rafael Alvarez (1977). "A Pleistocene Avifauna from Jalisco, Mexico" (PDF). Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology University of Michigan. 24 (19): 205–220.
- ↑ Storrs L. Olson (1977). "A Great Auk, Pinguinis [sic], from the Pliocene of Nebraska (Aves: Alcidae)" (PDF). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 90 (3): 690–697.
- ↑ Gerald Mayr (2008). "Phylogenetic Affinities of the Enigmatic Avian Taxon Zygodactylus Based on New Material from the Early Oligocene of France". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 6: 333–344. doi:10.1017/s1477201907002398.
- ↑ Colin J. O. Harrison (1982). "Cuculiform, Piciform, and Passeriform Birds in the Lower Eocene of England". Tertiary Research. 4: 71–81.
- ↑ Patricia Vickers Rich & Allan R. McEvey (1977). "A New Owlet-Nightjar from the Early to Mid-Miocene of Eastern New South Wales" (PDF). Memoirs of the National Museum of Victoria. 38: 247–253.
- ↑ Storrs L. Olson (1977). "A Synopsis of the Fossil Rallidae" (PDF). In “Rails of the World: A Monograph of the Family Rallidae“ by S.D. Ripley, Codline, Boston: 509–525.
- ↑ Yeh Xiangkui (1977). "[First Discovery of Miocene Birds in China]" (PDF). Vertebrata PalAsiatica. 15 (4): 244–248.
- ↑ Storrs L. Olson & David W. Steadman (1977). "A New Genus of Flightless Ibis (Threskiornithidae) and Other fossil Birds from Cave Deposits in Jamaica" (PDF). Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 90 (2): 447–457.
- ↑ 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.