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 1977.
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Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anemia gunni[2] |
Sp nov |
Valid |
An anemiaceous fern |
||||||
Lygodium larsoni[2] |
Sp nov |
jr synonym |
A Lygodium species fern. |
||||||
Cyathea inequilateralis[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
A Cyathea species tree fern. |
||||||
Dryopteris alaskana[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
A Dryopteris species fern. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sp nov |
Valid |
Hickey |
Golden Valley Formation |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alangium bergensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A dogwood relative. |
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Alangium oregonensis[2] |
Sp nov |
Bridge Creek Flora |
A dogwood relative. |
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Allophylus duktothensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A soap berry relative. |
|||||||
Alnus martini[2] |
Sp nov |
Valid |
An alder species. |
||||||
Anamirta milleri[2] |
Sp nov |
A moon seed relative. |
|||||||
Calkinsia dilleri[2] |
Comb nov |
A moon seed relative. |
|||||||
Calkinsia plafkeri[2] |
Sp nov |
A moon seed relative. |
|||||||
Camelia oregona[2] |
Comb nov |
Fisher Formation |
A theaceous relative. |
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Cinnamomophyllum bendirei[2] |
Comb nov |
Bridge Creek Flora |
A lauraceous relative. |
||||||
Cinnamomophyllum eocernua[2] |
Comb nov |
Fisher Formation |
A lauraceous relative. |
||||||
Cinnamomophyllum kushtakensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A lauraceous relative. |
|||||||
Cinnamomophyllum latum[2] |
Comb nov |
Ione Formation |
A lauraceous relative. |
||||||
Dicotylophyllum carbonensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A "dicot" of unknown affinity. |
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Dicotylophyllum kummerensis[2] |
Comb nov |
jr synonym |
(Wolfe) Wolfe |
Late Eocene |
Puget Group |
A dicot of uncertain affinity. |
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Doona? chaneyi[7] |
Comb nov |
valid |
(Potbury) Wolfe |
La Porte Tuff |
A Shorea (syn "Doona") species. |
||||
Dracontomelon sanbornae[2] |
Sp nov |
valid |
Fisher Formation |
An anacardiaceous species. |
|||||
Euodia alaskana[2] |
Sp nov |
Valid |
A Euodia species. |
||||||
Euptelea orientalis[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
Fisher Formation |
A eupteleaceous species. |
|||||
Fagopsis groenlandica[2] |
Comb nov |
Jr synonym |
A fagaceous relative. |
||||||
Fagus oregona[2] |
Comb nov |
Jr synonym |
|||||||
Fortunearia weedi[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
Yellowstone Formation |
A hamamelidaceous species. |
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Goweria alaskana[2] |
Sp nov |
An icacinaceous species. |
|||||||
Heteromeles cuprovallis[2] |
Comb nov |
Copper Basin Flora |
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Ilex carbonensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A holly species. |
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Kandelia wangi[2] |
Sp nov |
A mangrove species. |
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Limacia stenophylla[2] |
Sp nov |
A moon seed relative. |
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Litseaphyllum[2] |
Gen et Sp et comb nov |
A lauraceous morphogenus. |
|||||||
Luvunga spatioea[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
|||||||
Mastixia irregularis[2] |
Comb nov |
||||||||
Melanorrhoea alaskana[2] |
Comb nov |
Jr synonym |
An anacardioid relative. |
||||||
Meliosma duktothensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A sabiaceous species. |
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Miquelia californica[2] |
Sp nov |
Ione Formation |
An icacinaceous species. |
||||||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Hickey |
Golden Valley Formation |
||||||
Palaeophytocrene elytraeformis[2] |
Comb nov |
An icacinaceous species. |
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Parashorea cashmanensis[2] |
Comb nov |
(Wolfe) Wolfe |
Late Eocene |
Puget Group |
A Parashorea dipterocarpaceous species. |
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Paratinomiscium[2] |
Gen et comb nov |
A moon seed relative. |
|||||||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Hickey |
Golden Valley Formation |
An arrow arum species. |
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Phytocrene acutissima[2] |
Sp nov |
An icacinaceous species. |
|||||||
Plafkeria[2] |
Nom et comb nov |
A tiliaceous genus. |
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Platanus comstocki[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
Fisher Formation |
A plane tree species. |
|||||
Platanus macginitiei[2] |
Sp nov |
Fisher Formation |
A plane tree species. |
||||||
Platycarya pseudobrauni[2] |
Comb nov |
valid |
A Platycarya species. |
||||||
Gen et comb nov |
Hickey |
Golden Valley Formation |
|||||||
Prunus axelrodi[2] |
Comb et nom nov |
Copper Basin Flora |
A cherry/plum species. |
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Rubus eolaciniata[10] |
Comb nov |
(MacGinitie) Tanai & Wolfe |
Early - early Middle Miocene |
Weaverville Formation |
A blackberry leaf morphospecies. |
||||
Pterocarya orientalis[2] |
Comb nov |
||||||||
Sageretia laurinea[2] |
Comb nov |
An icacinaceous species. |
|||||||
Salix carbonensis[2] |
Sp nov |
Valid |
A willow species. |
||||||
Salix coatsi[2] |
Comb nov |
Copper Basin Flora |
|||||||
Sorbus carbonensis[2] |
Sp nov |
Valid |
A mountain ash species. |
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Sparganium parvum[6] |
Sp nov |
Hickey |
Golden Valley Formation |
A bur-reed |
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Stemonurus alaskanus[2] |
Sp nov |
A stemonuraceous species. |
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Tetracentron piperoides[2] |
Comb nov |
Valid? |
Ione Formation |
A Tetracentron species. |
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Tilia carbonensis[2] |
Sp nov |
A tiliaceous species. |
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Ulmus chaneyi[10] |
Sp nov |
valid |
Tanai & Wolfe |
John Day Formation |
An Elm leaf morphospecies. |
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Ulmus knowltoni[10] |
Sp nov |
valid |
Tanai & Wolfe |
"Collawash Flora" |
An Elm leaf morphospecies. |
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Zelkova browni[10] |
Sp nov |
valid |
Tanai & Wolfe |
"Collawash Flora" |
An Elm leaf morphospecies. |
||||
Zizyphus alaskanus[2] |
Sp nov |
A buckthorn relative. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sp nov |
jr synonym |
Krasilova |
Tyuser Formation |
An early bivalve species. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nom et comb nov |
valid |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sp nov |
Valid |
Wilson |
Eocene |
Okanagan Highlands |
An Amyzon species catostomid |
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Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Wilson |
Eocene |
Okanagan Highlands |
A basal salmonid relative. |
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Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Wilson |
Eocene |
A libotoniid sand roller relative. |
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Sp nov |
Valid |
Wilson |
Eocene |
Okanagan Highlands |
A Priscacara species temperate bass. |
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[14]
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov |
Carroll & Galton |
Possible synonym of Lufengosaurus. |
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Gen et sp Nov |
Valid |
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Gen et comb nov |
jr synonym |
JR synonym of Nanosaurus agilis. |
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Gen et comb nov |
Valid |
Taquet & Welles |
A Megalosaur. |
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Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
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Gen et sp nov |
Jr synonym |
A theropod. |
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Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
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Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Dong et al |
Late jurassic |
A Chinese Stegosaur. |
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Gen et comb nov |
Valid |
A Dryosaur. |
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Valid taxon |
Hou |
A Primitive Pachycephalosaur |
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not formally described |
|
A Non-dinosaurian marine reptile. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argillipes [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
Described as a phasianid. |
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Buthierax [26] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
An Incertae Sedis Accipitridae |
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Cepphus storeri [27] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Harrison |
An Alcidae guillemot. |
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Ciconia sarmatica [28] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Grigorescu & Kessler |
A Ciconiidae. |
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Cinclodes major [29] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Tonni |
Middle Pleistocene |
A Furnariidae. |
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Coturnipes [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
Described as a phasianid |
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Gallus beremendensis [30] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Jánossy |
A Phasianidae. |
||||
Subfam, gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
A Limnofregatinae frigatebird. The type species L. azygosternon |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
An Anatidae. |
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Marinavis [24] |
Fam, gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
Described as a marinavid procelariiforme |
||||
Microena [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
Described in the Columbidae |
||||
Gen et sp. nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
A possible Procellariidae |
|||||
Oxyura zapatanima [33] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Alvarez |
Jocotopec sand and gravel Quarry |
An Anatidae. |
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Parvicuculus [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
A Parvicuculidae |
||||
Parvigyps [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
Described as a Accipitridae |
||||
Percolinus [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
jr synonym |
Harrison & Walker |
Described as a Phasianidae |
||||
Phalacrocorax chapalensis [33] |
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Alvarez |
Jocotopec sand and gravel quarry |
||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
An Alcidae. |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
A glareolid |
|||||
Primodroma [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
A Hydrobatidae |
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Primoscens [24] |
Fam, gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
A "Primoscenidae" passeriform, |
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Procuculus [24] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Harrison & Walker |
A Parvicuculidae[36] |
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Quipollornis [37] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Vickers Rich & McEvey |
Early to Middle Miocene |
Chalk Mountain Diatomite |
An Aegothelidae |
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Rallus richmondi [38] |
Nom. nov. |
Valid |
A rail |
|||||
Sarmatosula [28] |
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Grigorescu & Kessler |
A Sulidae |
||||
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Yeh |
Shanwang Series |
A Phasianidae |
||||
Gen et sp nov. |
Valid |
Cave deposits |
A Threskiornithidae |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
A pterodactyloid of uncertain affinities. |