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1998 in paleontology
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1998 in paleontology

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 1998.

Flora

[edit]

Lycophytes

[edit]

Lycophyte research

[edit]

Angiosperms

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Palaeocarpinus pacifica[3]

Sp nov

Valid

Manchester & Chen

Paleocene
Danian

Malo-Mikhailovka Formation

Russia

A betulaceous fruit

Fungi

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images

Cryptodidymosphaerites[4]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Currah, Stockey, & LePage

Eocene
Ypresian

Allenby Formation
Princeton Chert

Canada
British Columbia

A hyperparasitic pleosporalean fungus of uncertain family affinity.
The type species is C. princetonensis
Its hosted by the phyllachoralean fungus Palaeoserenomyces allenbyensis

Palaeoserenomyces[4]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Currah, Stockey, & LePage

Eocene
Ypresian

Allenby Formation
Princeton Chert

Canada
British Columbia

A parasitic phyllachoralean fungus of uncertain family affinity.
The type species is P. allenbyensis
Its hosted by the fan palm Uhlia allenbyensis.
Its hyperparasitized by Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis

Fungal research

[edit]
  • Currah, Stockey, & LePage (1998) describe the a phyllachoralean "tar spot" parasitizing Uhlia palm leaves, and host for a hyperparasitic pleosporalean fungus. They note them to be one of the first occurrences of hyperparasitic relationships in the fossil record.[4]

Arthropods

[edit]

Newly named crustaceans

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Ursquilla[5]

Gen nov

Valid

Hof

Late Cretaceous (Campanian)

Israel Jordan

A mantis shrimp, type species is U. yehoachi (originally named as Eryon yehoachi in 1955).

Tyrannophontes acanthocercus[6]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Jenner, Hof & Schram

Serpukhovian

Bear Gulch Limestone

USA

A mantis shrimp, moved to the genus Daidal (2007)[7]

Newly named insects

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Acanthostichus hispaniolicus[8]

Sp. nov

Valid

De Andrade

Burdigalian

Dominican amber

Dominican Republic

A Dorylinae ant

Acanthostichus hispaniolicus

Aquarius lunpolaensis[9]

Comb nov.

valid

(Lin) Andersen

Miocene

Lunpola Basin

China

A water strider
Moved from Gerris lunpolaensis

Carabus neli[10]

Sp nov.

valid

Deuve

Turolian

Montagne d'Andance

France

A ground beetle

Carabus neli

Cylindromyrmex antillanus[11]

Sp. nov

Valid

De Andrade

Burdigalian

Dominican amber

Dominican Republic

A Dorylinae ant

Cylindromyrmex antillanus

Daniavelia[9]

Gen et sp nov.

valid

Andersen

Eocene
Ypresian

MØclay
Fur Formation

Denmark

A macroveliid water strider
The type species is D. morsensis

Electrovelia[9]

Gen et sp nov.

valid

Andersen

Eocene
Lutetian

Baltic Amber

Denmark

A riffle bug
The type species is P. baltica

Eocenometra longicomis[9]

Sp nov.

valid

Andersen

Eocene
Ypresian

MØclay
0lst/Fur Formations

Denmark

A marsh treader

Ledouxnebria[10]

Gen et sp nov.

valid

Deuve

Turolian

Montagne d'Andance

France

A ground beetle

Ledouxnebria brisaci

Limnoporus wilsoni[9]

Sp nov.

valid

Andersen

Eocene
Ypresian

Okanagan Highlands
Driftwood shales

Canada
British Columbia

A water strider

Palaeogerris[9]

Gen et 3 sp nov.

valid

Andersen

Eocene
Ypresian

MØ clay
0lst/Fur Formations

Denmark

A water strider
The type species is P. furensis
Also includes P. grandis & P. mikkelseni

Palaeometra[9]

Gen et sp nov.

valid

Andersen

Eocene
Ypresian

Fur Formation

Denmark

A limnobatodine water strider
The type species is P. madseni

Telmatrechus defunctus[9]

Comb nov.

valid

(Handlirsch) Andersen

Eocene
Ypresian

Okanagan Highlands
Quilchena site

Canada
British Columbia

A water strider
Moved from Gerris defuncta (1910)

Brachiopods

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Country Notes Images

Iridistrophia aliciae[12]

Sp nov

valid

Herrera, Salas & Giolitti

Early Devonian

Talacasto Formation

Argentina

A species of Iridistrophia

Iridistrophia dominans[12]

Sp nov

valid

Herrera, Salas & Giolitti

Early Devonian

Talacasto Formation

Argentina

A species of Iridistrophia

Iridistrophia magna[12]

Sp nov

valid

Herrera, Salas & Giolitti

Early Devonian

Talacasto Formation

Argentina

A species of Iridistrophia

Iridistrophia prima[12]

Sp nov

valid

Herrera, Salas & Giolitti

Early Devonian

Talacasto Formation

Argentina

A species of Iridistrophia

Eoschuchertella delicata[12]

Sp nov

valid

Herrera, Salas & Giolitti

Early Devonian

Talacasto Formation

Argentina

A species of Eoschuchertella

Molluscs

[edit]

Bivalves

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Pojetaia sarhroensis[13]

sp nov

Valid

Geyer & Streng

Early Cambrian

Anti-Atlas mountains

Morocco

Early Cambrian Fordillidae bivalve

Echinoderms

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images
Alkaidia[14]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

A starfish, type species is A. sumralli.

Altairia[14]

Gen et comb nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

Paw Paw Formation

A starfish, type species is A. wintoni, originally named as Comptonia wintoni in 1920.

Betelgeusia[14]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

A starfish, type species is B. reidi.

Capellia[14]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

Paw Paw Formation

A starfish, type species is C. mauricei.

Crateraster texensis[14]

Comb nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

A starfish, originally named as Pentagonaster texensis in 1920.

Denebia[14]

Gen et comb nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

A starfish, type species is D. americana, originally named as Pentaceros americanus in 1920.

Fomalhautia[14]

Gen et comb nov

Valid

Blake & Reid

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

Paw Paw Formation

A starfish, type species is F. hortensae, originally named as Metopaster hortensae in 1920.

Amphibians

[edit]

newly named anurans

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Rhadinosteus[15]

Gen et sp nov

Valid

Henrici

Kimmeridgian

Morrison Formation

USA

A possible Rhinophrynidae frog

Archosauromorpha

[edit]

Dinosaurs

[edit]

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[20]

Name Status Authors Location Notes Images
Altirhinus[21] Valid taxon
Caudipteryx
Cristatusaurus
Gargoyleosaurus
Gastonia
Lourinhanosaurus
Megaraptor
Rahonavis
Scipionyx
Shuvuuia
Suchomimus
Tianzhenosaurus
Variraptor
Zuniceratops
''Augustia''

Preoccupied

Camposaurus[22] Valid taxon
  • Sullivan, and
  • Lockley
Caseosaurus[22] Valid taxon
  • Sullivan, and
  • Lockley
Caudipteryx[23] Valid taxon
Cristatusaurus[24] Valid taxon
Eobrontosaurus[25] Valid taxon. Now Synonym of Brontosaurus
Eolambia[26] Valid taxon
Gargoyleosaurus[27] Valid taxon
  • Cloward
Gastonia[28] Valid taxon
Gongxianosaurus[29] Valid taxon
  • He,
  • Wang C.,
  • Liu S.,
  • Zhou F.,
  • Liu T.,
  • Cai and
  • Dai
Histriasaurus[30] Valid taxon
  • Dalla Vecchia
Lourinhanosaurus[31] Valid taxon
  • Mateus
Lourinhasaurus[32] Valid taxon
  • Dantas,
  • Sanz,
  • Da Silva,
  • Ortega,
  • Dos Santos and
  • Cachao
Megaraptor[33] Valid taxon
  • Novas
Nedcolbertia[34] Valid taxon
  • S. K. Madsen and
  • Burge
Notohypsilophodon[35] Valid taxon
  • Martínez
Ozraptor[36] Valid taxon
  • J. A. Long and
Protohadros[37] Valid taxon
  • Head
''Rahona''[38] Preoccupied
  • Forster
  • Sampson
Rahonavis[39] Valid taxon
  • Forster,
  • Sampson,
Scipionyx[40] Valid taxon
  • Dal Sasso and
  • Signore
Shanxia[41] Valid taxon
  • Barrett,
  • You,
  • Upchurch and
  • Burton
Shuvuuia[42] Valid taxon
  • Clark
Sonorasaurus[43] Valid taxon
  • Ratkevich,
  • Sidor,
  • Varricchio,
Suchomimus Valid taxon An African spinosaurs Sereno et al. 1998
Tianzhenosaurus[44] Valid taxon
  • Pang and
  • Cheng Z.
Variraptor[45] Valid taxon
  • Le Loeuff and
  • Buffetaut
Zuniceratops[46] Valid taxon
  • Wolfe and

Newly named birds

[edit]
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Abavornis bonapartei [47]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Andrei V. Panteleyev

Late Cretaceous

Coniacian,

Bissekty Formation

Uzbekistan

An Alexornithidae Brodkorb, 1976, this is the type species of the new genus.

Actitis balcanica [48]

Sp. nov.

Valid ?

Zlatozar N. Boev

Late Pliocene

MN 17

Bulgaria

A Scolopacidae?, the holotypical tarsometatarsus looks more like a Charadriidae.

Aizenogyps toomeyae [49]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Steven D. Emslie

Late Pliocene

Late Blancan

USA:

Florida

A Cathartidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Anhinga beckeri [49]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Steven D. Emslie

Early Pliocene

Late-Early Irvingtonian

USA:

Florida

An Anhingidae.

Basityto rummeli [50]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Jiří Mlíkovský

Early Miocene

MN 2-3

Germany:

Bavaria

A Gruidae, transferred to the genus Balearica by Mourer-Chauviré in 2001,[51] this is the type species of the new genus.

Buteo sanya [52]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Hou Lianhai

Late Pleistocene

Cave Deposits

China

An Accipitridae.

Buteo spassovi [53]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Zlatozar N. Boev

Late Miocene

MN 11-12

Bulgaria

An Accipitridae.

Catenoleimus anachoretus [47]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Andrei V. Panteleyev

Late Cretaceous

Coniacian

Uzbekistan

An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Euenantiornithes Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus.

Chloephaga robusta [54]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Claudia P. Tambussi

Middle-Late Pliocene

Irene Formation

Argentina

An Anatidae.

Coccothraustes balcanicus [55]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Zlatozar N. Boev

Late Pliocene

MN 18

Bulgaria

A Fringillidae.

Coccothraustes simeonovi [55]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Zlatozar N. Boev

Late Pliocene

MN 17

Bulgaria

A Fringillidae.

Diamantornis spaggiarii [56]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Brigitte Senut

Yannicke Dauphin

Martin Pickford

Early Middle Miocene

Karingarab

Namibia

A Struthionidae, eggshells.

Explorornis nessovi [47]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Andrei V. Panteleyev

Late Cretaceous

Coniacian,

Bissekty Formation

Uzbekistan

An Alexornithidae Brodkorb, 1976, this is the type species of the new genus.

Gargantuavis philoinos [57]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Eric Buffetaut

Jean Le Loeuff

Late Cretaceous

Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian,

Marnes de la Maurine Formation

France

An Ornithothoraces, this is the type species of the new genus.

Gavia schultzi [58]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Jiří Mlíkovský

Middle Miocene

MN 7

Austria:

Burgenland

A Gaviidae.

Geronticus balcanicus [59]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Zlatozar N. Boev

Late Pliocene,

MN 18

Slivnica

Bulgaria

A Threskiornithidae.

Glaucidium explorator [49]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Steven D. Emslie

Late Pliocene

Florida

USA:

Florida

A Strigidae.

Gracilitarsus mirabilis [60]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A Piciformes, Gracilitarsidae G. Mayr, 2001, this is the type species of the new genus.

Hassiavis laticauda [61]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

An Apodiformes, ?Archaeotrogonidae Mourer-Chauviré, 1980, this is the type species of the new genus.

Incolornis silvae [47]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Andrei V. Panteleyev

Late Cretaceous

Coniacian,

Bissekty Formation

Uzbekistan

An Alexornithidae Brodkorb, 1976, this is the type species of the new genus.

Intulula tinnipara [62]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Jirí Mlíkovský

Early Miocene

MN 2a

Czech Republic;

Germany:

Bavaria

A Strigidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Masillacolius brevidactylus [63]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Dieter S. Peters

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A Coliidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Messelirrisor halcyrostris [60]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

An Upupiformes, Laurillardiidae Harrison, 1979.

Messelirrisor parvus [60]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

An Upupiformes, Laurillardiidae Harrison, 1979, this is the type species of the new genus.

Mioglaux debellatrix [62]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Jirí Mlíkovský

Early Miocene

MN 3

Czech Republic

A Strigidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Miopico benimellalensis [60]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Miocene

Beni Mellal

Morocco

A Miopiconidae G. Mayr, 1998, this is the type species of the new genus.

Palaelodus pledgei [64]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Robert F. Baird

Patricia Vickers Rich

Late Oligocene - Middle Miocene

Etadunna Formation

Australia:

South Australia

A Phoenicopteriformes, Palaelodidae Stejneger, 1885.

Palaelodus wilsoni [64]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Robert F. Baird

Patricia Vickers Rich

Late Oligocene - Middle Miocene

Etadunna Formation

Australia:

South Australia

A Phoenicopteriformes, Palaelodidae Stejneger, 1885.

?Primozygodactylus ballmanni [60]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A Zygodactylidae Brodkorb, 1971, not surely a Primozygodactylus.

Primozygodactylus danielsi [60]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A Zygodactylidae Brodkorb, 1971, this is the type species of the new genus.

Primozygodactylus major [60]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A Zygodactylidae Brodkorb, 1971.

Pseudastur macrocephalus [65]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A Halcyornithidae Harrison et Walker, 1972. The genus Pseudastur is preoccupied and replaced by Pseudasturides Mayr, 2004, this is the type species of both genera.[66]

Psittacopes lepidus [67]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

ppMichael Daniels

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

A stem Psittaciformes, this is the type species of the new genus.

Quasisyndactylus longibrachis [68]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Gerald Mayr

Middle Eocene

Messel pit,

MP 11

Germany:

Hessen

An Alcediniformes Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus.

Rostratula pulia [69]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Jíří Mlíkovský

Early Miocene

MN 4b

Czech Republic

A Rostratulidae.

Scolopax hutchensi [49]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Steven D. Emslie

Late Pliocene

Florida

USA:

Florida

A Scolopacidae.

Struthio karingarabensis [56]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Brigitte Senut

Yannicke Dauphin

Martin Pickford

Early Miocene

Karingarab

Namibia

A Struthionidae, eggshells.

Tetrao rhodopensis [70]

Sp. nov.

Valid

Zlatozar N. Boev

Early Pliocene

MN 14

Bulgaria

A Phasianidae.

Xenopsitta fejfari [71]

Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.

Valid

Jiří Mlíkovský

Early Miocene

MN 3

Czech Republic

A Psittacidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Pterosaurs

[edit]

New taxa

[edit]
Name Status Authors Notes

"Dendrorhynchus"

Valid

Ji S.-A. Ji Q.

Normannognathus

Valid

Buffetaut Lepage, J.-J. Lepage, G.

References

[edit]
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