1931 in paleontology

Overview of the events of 1931 in paleontology

|  | List of years in paleontology | (table)

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* 1927

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* 1935
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* 1941 …

In science
1928
1929
1930
1931
1932
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1934

* Art
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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 1931.

## Plants[edit]

### Angiosperms[edit]

#### Monocots[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Lysichiton washingtonense[2]

Sp nov

Valid?

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

First described as a skunk cabbage fruit species
Treated as placement incertae sedis by Chaney & Axelrod (1959)[3]

|  Lysichiton washingtonense

#### Superasterids - basal[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Nyssa hesperia[2]

Sp nov

valid

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

A tuplo seed species.[4]

#### Superrosids - Basal[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Vitis bonseri[2]

Sp nov

valid

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

A grape seed species.

#### Superrosids - Fabids[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Hicoria washingtoniana[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

First described as a hickory species.
Synonymized into Magnolia dayana

|  Magnolia dayana

Quercus mccanni[2]

Sp nov

valid

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

An oak species.

|  Quercus mccanni

#### Superrosids - Malvids[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Ptelea miocenica[2]

Sp nov

valid

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

An hoptree species.

|  Ptelea miocenica

#### Incertae sedis[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Phyllites couleeannus[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Grand Coulee Florule

USA
Washington

|  |

First described as a leaf morphospecies of uncertain affinity.
Moved to Amelanchier couleeana (1946)[5]

|  Amelanchier couleeana

## Arthropods[edit]

### Insects[edit]

#### Blattoidea[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Stylotermes washingtonensis[6]

sp. nov

Jr synonym

Snyder

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A Stylotermitid termite.
Moved to Parastylotermes washingtonensis (1949)[7]

#### Coleoptera[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Pterostichus fernquisti[8]

sp. nov

|  |

Wickham

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A carabid ground beetle

Dytiscus latahensis[8]

sp. nov

|  |

Wickham

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A predaceous diving beetle

#### Diptera[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Elephantomyia baltica[9]

Sp. nov

valid

Alexander

Middle Eocene

Baltic amber

Russia

A Limoniid cranefly

#### Hemiptera[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Latahcoris[10]

Gen et sp. nov

|  |

Cockerell

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A tessaratomid giant stink bug
The type species is L. spectatus

#### Hymenoptera[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Bombus proavus[10]

Sp. nov

|  |

Cockerell

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A bumble bee

#### Hemiptera[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Miocordulia[11]

Gen et sp. nov

|  |

Kennedy

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A corduliid dragonfly
The type species is M. latipennis

#### Hemiptera[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Miopsyche[12]

Gen et 2 sp. nov

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Carpenter

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A northern caddisfly genus
The type species is M. alexanderi
Also includes M. martynovi

Phryganea spokanensis[12]

Sp. nov

|  |

Carpenter

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Spokane Florule

USA
Washington

A giant caddisfly species

## Vertebrates[edit]

### Conodonts[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Idiognathodus[13]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Gunnell

Gzhelian

Fort Scott Limestone

USA
Missouri

|  |

The type species is I. simulator

### Jawless fish[edit]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Cardipeltis[14]

Gen est sp nov

Valid

Branson & Mehl

Devonian

Jefferson Formation

USA
Utah

|  |

A heterostracan agnathan
The type species is C. wallacii.

|  Cardipeltis wallacii

### Newly named archosauromorphs[edit]

#### Dinosaurs[edit]

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[15]

Name  | Novelty  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Unit  | Location  | Synonymized taxa  | Notes  | Images

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Brasileosaurus[16]

Gen et sp nov

vald?

von Huene

Cretaceous
Turonian

Adamantina Formation

Brazil

|  |

First named as a coelurosaur
Deemed to be a notosuchid crocodylomorph (1937)[17]

Carcharodontosaurus[18]

Gen et comb nov

Valid

Stromer

Cretaceous
Cenomanian

Bahariya Formation

Egypt

* Megalosaurus saharicus (1925)
* Dryptosaurus saharicus (1925)

A carcharodontosaurid

|  Carcharodontosaurus saharicus

Embasaurus[19]

Gen et sp nov

valid?

Riabinin

Cretaceous
Berriasian

Neocomian sands

Kazakhstan

|  |

A theropod of uncertain placement.
The type species is E. minax

Orthogoniosaurus[20]

Gen et sp nov

Nomen dubium?

Das-Gupta

Late Cretaceous

Lameta Formation

India

|  |

An indeterminate theropod tooth-taxon.
The type species is O. matleyi

Tetragonosaurus[21]

Gen et comb nov

Rejected name

Parks

Cretaceous
Campanian

Dinosaur Park Formation

Canada

|  |

First described as a small "cheneosaurine" hadrosaur.
The type species is T. praeceps
name suppressed by ICZN in favor of Procheneosaurus.
Species redescribed as juvenile Lambeosaurus lambei (1975)[22]

|  Lambeosaurus lambei

### Synapsids[edit]

#### Non-mammalian[edit]

Name  | Status  | Authors  | Age  | Location  | Notes  | Images

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Cerataelurus

Junior synonym of Pristerodon.

|  |  |  |  |

Ericiolacerta

Valid

| Watson  | 250 Millions of years ago.  |

* Antarctica
* South Africa

| Despite the meaning of his name, it was not related to lizards.  | Ericiolacerta

Euchambersia

Valid

| Broom  |  |  |  |

Ictidostoma

Valid

| Broom  | 261 Millions of years ago.  |

* South Africa

|  |

Ictidosuchoides

Valid

| Broom  | 257 Millions of years ago.  |

* South Africa

|  | Ictidosuchoides

Keratocephalus

Valid

| Huene  | 261 Millions of years ago.  |

* South Africa

| A protomammal with strange bumps on its head.  | Keratocephalus

Lycideops

Valid

| Broom  | 257 Millions of years ago.  |

* South Africa

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Megacyclops

Junior synonym of Neomegacyclops.[dubious - discuss]

|  |  |  |  |

Neomegacyclops

Valid

| Boonstra  |  |  |  |

## References[edit]

* Paleontology portal

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 Berry, E.W. (1932). "A Miocene flora from Grand Coulee, Washington". Shorter contributions to general geology, 1931 (Report). Professional Paper. United States Geological Survey. pp. 31–42. doi:10.3133/pp170C. 170-C.
3. ^ Chaney, R.; Axelrod, D. (1959). Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau: Part II. Systematic Considerations, by Ralph W. Chaney and Daniel I. Axelrod. Carnegie Institution of Washington. pp. 1–226.Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau at the HathiTrust Digital Library
4. ^ Eyde, R.H. (1997). "Fossil record and ecology of Nyssa (Cornaceae)". The Botanical Review. 63 (2): 97–123. Bibcode:1997BotRv..63...97E. doi:10.1007/BF02935928.
5. ^ Brown, R.W. (1946). "Alterations in some fossil and living floras". Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 36 (10): 344–355.
6. ^ Carpenter, F. M.; Cockerell, T. D. A.; Kennedy, C. H.; Snyder, T. E.; Wickham, H. F. (1931). "Insects from the Miocene (Latah) of Washington IV. Isoptera". Annales of the Entomological Society of America. 24 (2): 317.
7. ^ Emerson, A.E. (1971). "Tertiary fossil species of the Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera), phylogeny of genera, and reciprocal phylogeny of associated Flagellata (Protozoa) and the Staphylinidae (Coleoptera)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 146 (3): 243–304. hdl:2246/1093.
8. ^ a b Carpenter, F. M.; Cockerell, T. D. A.; Kennedy, C. H.; Snyder, T. E.; Wickham, H. F. (1931). "Insects from the Miocene (Latah) of Washington V. Coleoptera". Annales of the Entomological Society of America. 24 (2): 317–318.
9. ^ Kania, I (2015). "Subfamily Limoniinae Speiser, 1909 (Diptera, Limoniidae) from Baltic Amber (Eocene): The Genus Elephantomyia Osten Sacken, 1860". PLOS ONE. 10 (2): 1–25. Bibcode:2015PLoSO..1017434K. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117434. PMC 4338262. PMID 25706127.
10. ^ a b Carpenter, F. M.; Cockerell, T. D. A.; Kennedy, C. H.; Snyder, T. E.; Wickham, H. F. (1931). "Insects from the Miocene (Latah) of Washington II. Hymenoptera and Hemiptera". Annales of the Entomological Society of America. 24 (2): 309–312. doi:10.1093/aesa/24.2.309.
11. ^ Carpenter, F. M.; Cockerell, T. D. A.; Kennedy, C. H.; Snyder, T. E.; Wickham, H. F. (1931). "Insects from the Miocene (Latah) of Washington II. Hymenoptera and Hemiptera". Annales of the Entomological Society of America. 24 (2): 313–316.
12. ^ a b Carpenter, F. M.; Cockerell, T. D. A.; Kennedy, C. H.; Snyder, T. E.; Wickham, H. F. (1931). "Insects from the Miocene (Latah) of Washington II. Hymenoptera and Hemiptera". Annales of the Entomological Society of America. 24 (2): 319–322. doi:10.1093/aesa/24.2.319.
13. ^ Gunnell, F. (1931). "Conodonts from the Fort Scott Limestone of Missouri". Journal of Paleontology. 5 (3): 244–252. JSTOR 1297961.
14. ^ Branson, E.B.; Mehl, M.G. (1931). "Fishes of the Jefferson Formation of Utah". The Journal of Geology. 39 (6): 509–531. Bibcode:1931JG.....39..509B. doi:10.1086/623876. JSTOR 30080820.
15. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
16. ^ Huene, F. 1931. Die fossilien Faehrten in Rhaet von Ischigualasto in Nordwest Argentinien. Paleob. 4 (2) Viena.
17. ^ Simpson (1937). "An ancient eusuchian crocodile from Patagonia". American Museum Novitates (965): 1–20.
18. ^ Stromer, E. 1931. Vertebrate animal remainders of the Baharije stage (lowest Cenoman). 10. A skeleton remainder of Carcharodontosaurus Nov. towards. Abh. Bavarian Akad. Wissensch. Math. natutwiss. Abbott. 9: pp. 1 23.
19. ^ Riabinin, A.N. 1931. Two dinosaurian vertebrae from the Lower Cretaceous of Transcaspian Steppes. Zapiski Russkogo Min. Obshchestva (ser. 2) 60: pp. 110-113.
20. ^ Dasgupta, H.C. 1931. On a new theropod dinosaur (Orthogoniosaurus matleyi, n. gen. et. n. sp.) from the Lameta beds of Jubbulpore. J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal. 26: pp. 367-369.
21. ^ Parks, W.A. 1931. A new genus and two new species of trachodont dinosaurs from the Belly River Formation of Alberta. Univ. Toronto Stud. (Geol. Ser.) 31: pp. 1-11.
22. ^ Dodson, Peter (1975). "Taxonomic implications of relative growth in lambeosaurine dinosaurs". Systematic Zoology. 24 (1): 37–54. doi:10.2307/2412696. JSTOR 2412696.