1954 in paleontology

Summary

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 1954.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
+...

Plants edit

Angiosperms edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Amyridoxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

A rutaceous petrified wood.
The type species is A. ordinatum

Aspidospermoxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

An apocynaceous petrified wood.
The type species is A. uniseriatum

Chandlera[3]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A moon seed genus.
Type species C. lacunosa.

Edenoxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

An anacaridaceous petrified wood.
The type species is E. parviareolatum

Fagara biseriata[2]

Sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

A rutaceous petrified wood.

Fagara monophylloides[2]

Sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

A rutaceous petrified wood.

Forchhammerioxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

A resedaceous petrified wood.
The type species is F. scleroticum

Heveoxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

A euphorbiaceous petrified wood.
The type species is H. microporosum

Juglans clarnensis[3]

Sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A walnut.

Mastixioidiocarpum oregonense[3]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A Tupelo relative

Myrica scalariformis[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

An Eden Valley petrified wood.
Moved to Morella scalariformis in 2021[4]

Odontocaryoidea[3]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A moon seed genus.
Type species O. nodulosa.

Palaeonyssa spatulata[3]

sp nov

jr synonym

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA

A Tupelo,
moved to Nyssa spatulata in 1994

Palaeophytocrene hancockii[3]

Sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

An icacinaceous species.

Palaeophytocrene pseudopersica[3]

Sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

An icacinaceous species.

Parthenocissus angustisulcata[3]

Sp nov

valid

Scott

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A vitaceous species

Schinoxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

An anacaridaceous petrified wood.
The type species is S. actinoporosum

Suriana inordinata[2]

Sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

A surianaceous petrified wood.

Talauma multiperforata[2]

Sp nov

Kruse

Early Eocene

Green River Formation

  USA
  Wyoming

An Eden Valley petrified wood.

Trochodendroxylon beckii[5]

Sp nov

valid

Hergert & Phinney

Middle Eocene

Clarno Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A Trochodendron wood species.
Moved to Trochodendron beckii in 1982

Arthropods edit

Insects edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Parastylotermes frazieri[6]

Sp. nov

valid

Snyder

Miocene

  USA

A Stylotermitid termite.

Archosauromorphs edit

Phytosaurs edit

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Coburgosuchus[7]

Valid taxon
  • Heller

Late Triassic (Norian)

Burgsandstein Formation

  Germany

A member of Pseudopalatinae.

Dinosaurs edit

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[8]

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images
Mamenchisaurus[9] Valid taxon

Late Jurassic (late Callovian-early Oxfordian)

Shangshaximiao Formation

A mamenchisaurid. The type species is M. constructus. This animal had a neck of more than 10 meters.

 
Mamenchisaurus
Rebbachisaurus[10] Valid taxon

Middle Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian)

Kem Kem Beds

A rebbachisaurid.

 
Rebbachisaurus
Therizinosaurus[11] Valid taxon

Late Cretaceous (late Campanian-early Maastrichtian)

Nemegt Formation

A therizinosaurid.

 
Therizinosaurus

Synapsids edit

Pelycosaurs edit

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images

Phreatophasma

Valid

Ivan Yefremov

Middle Permian

  Russia

A synapsid of uncertain affinities, perhaps a caseid.

Eutherians edit

Cetaceans edit

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Leptodelphis

Valid

Kirpichnikov

Middle Miocene (Sarmatian)

  Russia

A member of Kentriodontidae.

Sarmatodelphis

Valid

Kirpichnikov

Middle Miocene (Sarmatian)

  Moldova

A kentriodontid.

References edit

  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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kruse, H.O. (1954). "Some Eocene dicotyledonous woods from Eden Valley, Wyoming". Ohio Journal of Science. 54 (4): 243–244.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Manchester, S.R. (1994). "Fruits and Seeds of the Middle Eocene Nut Beds Flora, Clarno Formation, Oregon". Palaeontographica Americana. 58: 30–31.
  4. ^ Wheeler, E. A.; Baas, P.; Manchester, S. R. (2021). "Wood Anatomy of Modern and Fossil Fagales in Relation to Phylogenetic Hypotheses, Familial Classification, and Patterns of Character Evolution". International Journal of Plant Sciences. 183 (1): 61–86. doi:10.1086/717328. S2CID 244081754.
  5. ^ Scott, R. A.; Wheeler, E. A. (1982). "Fossil woods from the Eocene Clarno Formation of Oregon". IAWA Journal. 3 (3–4): 135–154. doi:10.1163/22941932-90000829.
  6. ^ Snyder, T.E. (1955). "A new fossil termite, Parastylotermes frazieri, from California (Isoptera, Rhinotermitidae)" (PDF). Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington. 57 (2): 79–80.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Ein Parasuchier-Schädelrest aus dem Oberen Burgsandstein von Coburg [A parasuchian skull remain from the Upper Burgsandstein of Coburg]. Geologisch Blätter für Nordost-Bayern 3:1-13
  8. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  9. ^ Young C.-C. 1954. On a new sauropod from Yiping. Szechuan, China. Acta Palaeontol. Sinica 2: pp. 355-369.
  10. ^ René Lavocat. 1954. Sur les Dinosauriens du continental intercalaire des Kem-Kem de la Daoura. C. R. 19th Internatl. Geol. Congr. (1952): pp. 65-68.
  11. ^ Maleev, E.A. 1954. A new turtle-like saurian in Mongolia. Priroda (1954): pp. 106-108.