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+... |
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 2008.
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sp nov |
Valid |
second record, and youngest, of the extinct genus Paleoleishmania |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. nov. |
Valid |
Unnamed Formation, Kamloops Group |
||||||
Gen. et sp. nov. |
Valid |
Mohr, Bernardes-de-Oliveira & Taylor |
Crato Formation |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sp nov |
Valid |
Herrera et al |
only fossil record of the genus Montrichardia |
|||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Herrera et al |
Two named species Petrocardium cerrejonense and Petrocardium wayuuorum |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov |
valid |
Briggs, Lieberman, Hendricks, Halgedahl & Jarrard |
An arachnormorph of uncertain classification. |
|||||
Gen et sp nov |
valid |
Briggs, Lieberman, Hendricks, Halgedahl & Jarrard |
An arachnormorph of uncertain classification. |
|||||
Gen et sp nov |
valid |
Poinar |
A stylocellid harvestman. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp et comb nov |
Valid |
Dlussky |
Middle Eocene |
Baltic amber |
Fossil formicine ant, two species |
|||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Dlussky |
Middle Eocene |
Baltic amber |
Fossil dolichoderine ant |
|||
Gen et sp nov |
valid |
Azar & Nel |
A Megapodagrionidae damselfly |
|||||
Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Perrichot & Nel |
A bethylid wasp |
|||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
A bittacid |
||||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Perrichot et al |
A Sphecomyrminae ant, type species H. mammuthus |
|||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
A bittacid |
||||||
sp nov |
Valid |
Poinar |
Vector for the extinct Trypanosomatidae |
|||||
sp nov |
Valid |
Jarzembowski |
||||||
sp nov |
Valid |
Jarzembowski |
||||||
Sp nov |
valid |
Johnson, Musetti & Masner |
A member of Platygastroidea. |
|||||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Perrichot & Nel |
A bethylid wasp |
|||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Ren, Nel, & Prokop |
Third Namurian age Meganeuridae griffenfly described. |
|||||
Nom nov |
valid |
Zhang in Johnson, Musetti & Masner |
A member of Platygastroidea; |
|||||
Sp nov |
jr syn |
Perrichot et al |
Middle Cretaceous |
Charentese amber |
A stem group ant |
|||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Woodruff |
||||||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gen et sp nov |
Valid taxon |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
Lu & Zhu |
A basal member of Dipnomorpha. The type species is A. porosus. |
||||||
Valid |
Long, Choo, & Young |
A basal member of Actinopterygii. Genus includes new species D. schaefferi. |
||||||
Valid |
Takeuchi & Huddleston |
Late Miocene |
A relative of the white croaker. |
|||||
Comb nov |
valid |
(Wilson) |
A mooneye, |
|||||
Valid |
Qiao & Zhu |
A lungfish. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et. sp. nov. |
Jr. synonym |
Grogan & Lund |
Type species is T. gracia. Genus now a junior synonym of Thrinacodus. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et. sp. nov. |
Valid |
Dupret & Zhu |
A phyllolepid. |
|||||
Materpiscis[27] |
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Long, Trinajstic, Young, & Senden |
discovered with fossilized embryo. |
Jenkins, F. A., jr, Shubin, N. H., Gatesy, S. M., and Warren, A., 2008, Gerrothorax pulcherrimus from the Upper Triassic Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland and a reassessment of head lifting in temnospondyl feeding: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 28, n. 4, p. 935-950.
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beelzebufo[29] | Valid taxon | Late Cretaceous (70 mya) | Maevarano Formation | ||||
Gerobatrachus[30] | Valid taxon |
|
Early Permian (290 mya) | ||||
Oumtkoutia[31] | Valid taxon |
|
Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Kem Kem Beds | A pipid anuran. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Delfino, Martin & Buffetaut |
||||||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Wilkinson, Young & Benton |
Kimmeridge Clay Formation |
A metriorhynchid crocodyliform. Originally described as a species of Dakosaurus, subsequently transferred to the separate genus Torvoneustes.[34] |
||||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Riff & Aguilera |
Late Miocene |
|||||
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Barbosa, Kellner & Viana |
A dyrosaurid crocodyliform. Genus includes new species G. munizi. |
|||||
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Jouve et al. |
A member of Gavialoidea. Genus includes new species O. eoafricanus. |
|||||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Peyer et al. |
||||||
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Parker, Stocker & Irmis |
An aetosaur Genus includes new species S. macalpini. |
|||||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Andrade & Bertini |
A sphagesaurid crocodyliform. Originally described as a species of Sphagesaurus, but subsequently transferred to the genus Caipirasuchus.[41] |
|||||
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Martinelli & Pais |
A baurusuchid crocodyliform. Genus includes new species W. australis. |
|
28 new dinosaur genera were erected in 2008. Data courtesy of George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.[46]
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
|
Campanian–Maastrichtian |
The largest dromaeosaurid yet discovered in the Southern Hemisphere. |
||||
Valid |
Barremian |
|
A new genus for "Iguanodon" lakotaensis (Weishampel and Bjork, 1989). |
||||
Valid |
|
Lower Cretaceous |
A basal titanosaur. |
||||
Junior synonym |
Late Cretaceous |
Objective junior synonym of Nedoceratops; possible junior synonym of Triceratops. |
|||||
Valid |
|
Barremian |
An iguanodontian. |
||||
Valid |
|
early Late Cretaceous |
|||||
Valid |
|
Bajocian |
A megalosaurid. |
||||
Valid |
Aptian/Albian |
||||||
Valid |
|
Middle Jurassic |
|||||
Valid |
|
Late Jurassic |
An avialian. |
||||
Valid |
|
Late Cretaceous |
Possible junior synonym of Bagaceratops. |
||||
Valid |
|
Aptian/Albian |
An abelisaurid. |
||||
Valid |
Callovian |
A stegosaurid. |
|||||
|
Campanian |
||||||
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
A neovenatorid. |
||||
Valid |
|
Lower Cretaceous |
A nodosaurid ankylosaur. |
||||
Valid |
|
Campanian |
A titanosaur. |
||||
Valid |
|
Late Cretaceous |
A titanosaur. |
||||
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid. |
||||
Valid |
|
Aptian |
A caudipterid oviraptorosaur. |
||||
Valid |
|
Aptian |
A titanosauriform. Lurasiformes. |
||||
Valid |
|
Upper Cretaceous |
A titanosaur. |
Tethyshadros | |||
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
A saurolophine hadrosaurid. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early/Middle Pleistocene |
A Strigidae. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Pleistocene |
An Accipitridae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Subrecent |
A Columbidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Middle Pleistocene |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
A Falconidae. |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Cretaceous |
A Cathayornithidae Zhou, Jin et Zhang, 2006, Enantiornithes Walker, 1981. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Miocene |
A Certhioidea, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Lower Cretaceous |
Basal pygostylia, Sapeornithidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Upper Cretaceous |
An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Avisauridae Brett-Surman et Paul, 1985, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
A Primitive Confuciusornithidae Hou, Zhou, Gu et Zhang, 1995, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Miocene |
ca 7 Ma |
A Ciconiidae. |
||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Oligocene |
Late Rupelian |
A new European species of the Trochilidae. |
||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Subrecent |
Not seen since 1672 |
The original Foudia from Réunion. |
||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Oligocene |
A Plotopteridae Howard, 1969, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Pliocene |
Middle El Jebe Member |
A Ciconiidae. |
||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Miocene |
A Ciconiidae. |
|||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early-Middle Miocene |
An Anatidae, Anserinae. |
|||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Holocene |
Subrecent |
A Spheniscidae, when it became extinct it made room for Megadyptes antipodes. |
||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Eocene, |
Described in the Psittaciformes, Gerald Mayr, 2009 sees no reasons to place the species in Psittaciformes. |
|||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
A Phasianidae. |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Pliocene |
A Pelagornithidae Fürbringer, 1888. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, this is the type species of the new genus and the type genus of the new family Pengornithidae Wang, O'Connor, Zheng, Wang, Hu et Zhou, 2014. |
||||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Eocene |
Early Ypresian |
A Phaethontidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene |
A Cathartidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
|||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Miocene |
USA: |
A Cuculidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
An Anatidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||||
Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Basal Aves, this is the type species of the new genus. |
||||||
Sp. nov. |
Valid |
Early Oligocene |
MP 23-24 |
A Zygodactylidae Brodkorb, 1971, ?Piciformes. |
Currently valid turtle genera named in 2008 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Status | Location | Authors | Images |
Condorchelys[94] | Valid taxon | Argentina |
|
|
Kharakhutulia[95] | Valid taxon | Mongolia |
|
|
Odontochelys[96] | Valid taxon | China |
|
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Rage |
Middle Paleocene |
A "booid"-grade snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Itaboraiophis depressus. |
||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Evans & Manabe |
Early Cretaceous (Valanginian to Hauterivian) |
A polyglyphanodontian lizard. The type species is Kuwajimalla kagaensis. |
||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Klembara |
Early Miocene |
A member of Anguimorpha, might be related to the Chinese crocodile lizard. The type species is Merkurosaurus ornatus. |
||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Norell, Gao, & Conrad |
near Ukhaa Tolgod |
one of the oldest monitor lizards |
||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Rage |
Middle Paleocene |
A snake related to members of the genus Ungaliophis. The type species is Paraungaliophis pricei. |
||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Rage |
Middle Paleocene |
A booid-grade snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Paulacoutophis perplexus. |
||||
sp nov |
Valid |
Schulp et al. |
A mosasaur. |
|||||
sp nov |
Valid |
Polcyn & Everhart |
Late Cretaceous (early Santonian) |
A mosasaur. |
||||
sp nov |
Valid |
Caldwell, Konishi, Obata, & Muramoto |
Third identified species for the genus Taniwhasaurus |
|||||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Lü et al. |
A polyglyphanodontian lizard. The type species is Tianyusaurus zhengi. |
|||||
Sp nov |
Valid |
Prasad & Bajpai |
Early Eocene |
Cambay Shale |
An agamid lizard, a species of Tinosaurus. |
|||
gen et sp nov |
Valid |
Smith & Buchy |
Late Cretaceous (early Turonian) |
A member of Mosasauroidea of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Vallecillosaurus donrobertoi. |
||||
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Prasad & Bajpai |
Early Eocene |
Cambay Shale |
An agamid lizard. The type species is Vastanagama susani. |
|
|
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
|
A new genus for "Biarmosuchus" tagax |
|||||
Valid |
|
Upper Permian |
Newly named mammals | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
Valid |
|
Late Pliocene |
A member of Delphinoidea belonging to the family Albireonidae, a species of Albireo. | ||||
Valid |
|
Early Cretaceous (late Hauterivian-early Barremian) |
A multituberculate belonging to the family Pinheirodontidae. The type species is C. abadi. | ||||
Valid |
|
Eocene |
A member of Protocetidae. The type species is Crenatocetus rayi. | ||||
Valid |
|
|
A member of Canidae belonging to the subfamily Borophaginae, a species of Cynarctoides. | ||||
Valid |
|
Cabbage Patch beds |
|
||||
Valid |
|
Late Miocene |
A member of Mustelidae belonging to the subfamily Lutrinae. The type species is D. dabba. | ||||
Valid |
|
Late Miocene to earliest Pliocene |
|
A member of Gelocidae belonging to the subfamily Pseudoceratinae. The type species is F. floridanus; genus also includes "Pseudoceras" klausi Frick (1937). | |||
Valid |
|
A member of Brontotheriidae; a new genus for "Telmatherium" diploconus Osborn (1895) | |||||
Valid |
|
Late Oligocene |
A member of Borhyaenidae. The type species is Fredszalaya hunteri. | ||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
A rodent belonging to the family Zegdoumyidae, a species of Glibia. | ||||
Valid |
|
Late Miocene |
|||||
Valid |
|
Late Clarendonian to early Hemphillian |
Ash Hollow Formation |
|
A fox. The type species is Metalopex merriami. | ||
Valid |
|
Late Hemingfordian to Barstovian |
A rodent belonging to the family Heteromyidae, a species of Mioheteromys. | ||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
A hyrax. The type species is Namahyrax corvus. | ||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
Probably a member of the family Adapidae.[124] The type species is Namaia bogenfelsi. The generic name turned out to be preoccupied; Pickford and Uhen (2014) created a replacement name Notnamaia.[125] | ||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
A member of Cimolesta belonging to the family Todralestidae. The type species is Namalestes gheerbranti. | ||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
An embrithopod. The type species is Namatherium blackcrowense. | ||||
Valid |
|
Late Eocene (Ulangochuian) |
A member of Brontotheriidae; a new genus for "Metatitan" progressus Granger and Gregory (1943). | ||||
Valid |
|
A member of Brontotheriidae; a new genus for "Telmatherium" altidens Osborn (1908). | |||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
A rodent belonging to the family Diamantomyidae. The type species is Prepomonomys bogenfelsi. | ||||
Valid |
|
Late Oligocene |
A member of Toxodontidae, a species of Proadinotherium. | ||||
Valid |
|
Middle Miocene |
|||||
Valid |
|
Eocene (Lutetian) |
A rodent belonging to the family Myophiomyidae. The type species is Silicamys cingulatus. | ||||
Valid |
|
Late Miocene |
A member of Mustelidae belonging to the subfamily Lutrinae. | ||||
Valid |
|
Miocene (Hemingfordian) |
A camelid. | ||||
Valid |
|
Early Eocene |
|||||
Valid |
|
Sand Wash Basin |
A member of Brontotheriidae. The type species is Wickia brevirhinus. |
As science becomes more collaborative, papers with large numbers of authors are becoming more common. To prevent the deformation of the tables, these footnotes list the contributors to papers that erect new genera and have many authors.