1997 in paleontology

none 1997 paleontology science 1997 Plants Cycadophytes Cycadophyte research Hopkins and Johnson briefly report the first occurrence of cycad leaves from the Eocene Okanagan Highlands Klondike Mountain FormationHopkins D. Johnson K. First Record of cycad leaves from the Eocene Republic flora Washington Geology 1997 25 4 37 https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_washington_geology_1997_v25_no4.pdf 29 September 2021 which will later be identified to the family Zamiaceae.Dillhoff R.M. Leopold E.B. Manchester S.R. 2005 The McAbee flora of British Columbia and its relations to the Early-Middle Eocene Okanagan Highlands flora of the Pacific Northwest Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 42 2 151–166 10.1139/e04-084 2005CaJES..42..151D http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Sites/mcabee/mcabeefossils.pdf 2022-10-09 2022-08-14 https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.fossilmuseum.net/Fossil_Sites/mcabee/mcabeefossils.pdf dead Angiosperms Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesEucommia jeffersonensisCall V.B. Dilcher D.L. 1997 The fossil record of Eucommia (Eucommiaceae) in North America American Journal of Botany 84 6 798–814 10.2307/2445816 21708632 2445816 1997AmJB...84..798C 20464075 Sp novvalidCall & DilcherLate EoceneJohn Day FormationUSASpecies of Eucommia.Eucommia rolandiiSp novvalidCall & DilcherMiddle EoceneTalahatta FormationUSA Mississippi 1996Species of Eucommia. Also identified from the Coldwater Beds, British Columbia Fungi Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesArchaeomarasmiushibbet D.S. Grimaldi, D.S. Donoghue, M.J. 1997 Fossil mushrooms from Miocene and Cretaceous ambers and the evolution of Homobasidiomycetes American Journal of Botany 84 8 981–991 10.2307/2446289 2446289 free Gen et sp novValidHibbett, Grimaldi, & DonoghueCretaceousTuronianNew Jersey amber.USAA tricholomataceous fungithumb|center|upright|Archaeomarasmius leggettiProtomycenaGen et sp novValidHibbett, Grimaldi, & DonoghueMioceneBurdigalianDominican amberDominican RepublicA mycenaceous fungithumb|center|upright|Protomycena electra Paleomycological research LePage et al briefly describe the first instance of ectomycorrhizae in the fossil record, based on specimens from the Eocene Okanagan Highlands Princeton chert site. The fungi are associated with Pinus roots and were considered similar to the modern fungal genera Rhizopogon and SuillusLePage B. A. Currah R. S. Stockey R. A. Rothwell G. W. 1997 Fossil ectomycorrhizae from the middle Eocene American Journal of Botany 84 3 410–412 10.2307/2446014 2446014 21708594 29913925 Arthropoda Insects Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesBaikuris caseiGrimaldi D. Agosti D. Carpenter J. M. 1997 New and rediscovered primitive ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Cretaceous amber from New Jersey, and their phylogenetic relationships. American Museum Novitates 3208 1–43 http://ants.csiro.au/Ant_Wiki/images/6/60/Grimaldi_Agosti_Carpenter_1997.pdf 2017-09-13 2015-09-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20170913135247/http://ants.csiro.au/Ant_Wiki/images/6/60/Grimaldi_Agosti_Carpenter_1997.pdf dead Sp. novValidGrimaldi, Agosti, & CarpenterTuronianNew Jersey amberUSAAn ant of uncertain subfamily placement. First identified as a sphecomyrmine ant Boyeria europaeaNel A. Arillo A. Martínez-Delclòs X. 1996 New fossil Odonata (Insecta) from the upper Miocene of France and Spain (Anisoptera and Zygoptera) Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 199 2 167–219 10.1127/njgpa/199/1996/167 1996NJGPA.199..167N Comb novvalid(Nel, Arillo, & Martínez-Delclòs)MessinianFranceAn Aeshnid dragonfly.thumb|center|upright|Boyeria europaeaBrownimecia clavataGen et sp. novValidGrimaldi, Agosti, & CarpenterTuronianNew Jersey amberUSAA stem group ant, type species B. clavatathumb|upright|center|Brownimecia clavataCtenobethylus goeppertiComb novvalid (Mayr, 1868)Middle EoceneBaltic amberEuropeFossil Dolichoderine ant, moved from Liometopum goepperti Senior synonym of Ctenobethylus succinalisthumb|center|upright|Ctenobethylus goeppertiMakarkinia adamsiBechly G. Makarkin V. N. 2016 A new gigantic lacewing species (Insecta: Neuroptera) from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil confirms the occurrence of Kalligrammatidae in the Americas Cretaceous Research 58 135–140 10.1016/j.cretres.2015.10.014 2016CrRes..58..135B Gen et comb novjr synonymMartins-NetoAptianCrato FormationBrazilA Kalligrammatid lacewing, new genus for Panfilovia adamsiMakarkiniinaeSubfam novjr synonymMartins-NetoAptianCrato FormationBrazillacewing subfamily, syn of Kalligrammatidae Plesiosaurs Newly Named Plesiosaurs Currently Valid Plesiosaur Genera Named in 1997 Name Status AuthorsLocation Images Augustasaurus Valid taxon Sander Rieppel Bucher USA (Nevada)thumb|Augustasauus Libonectes Valid taxon Welles (as Elasmosaurus morgani in 1949) Carpenter (as Libonectes morgani in 1997) Morocco USA (Texas) thumb|center|200px|Libonectes Maresaurus Valid taxon Gasparini Argentina Archosauromorphs Pseudosuchians NameNoveltyStatusAuthorsAgeType localityCountryNotesImages"Baru" huberiWillis P.M.A. 1997 New crocodilians from the late Oligocene White Hunter Site, Riversleigh, northwestern Queensland https://biostor.org/reference/105307 Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 41 423–438 0079-8835Sp. novWillisLate OligoceneWhite Hunter Site of the Riversleigh WHAAustraliaA mekosuchine crocodilian. Although named as a species of Baru, later research considers it to be a distinct genus.center|framelessBaru wickeniSp. novValidWillisLate OligoceneWhite Hunter Site of the Riversleigh WHAAustraliaA mekosuchine crocodilian. It was established based on new material from the Riversleigh as well as material previously assigned to Baru darrowi. center|framelessMekosuchus whitehunterensisSp. novValidWillisLate OligoceneWhite Hunter Site of the Riversleigh WHAAustraliaA mekosuchine crocodilian. The first species of Mekosuchus to have been named from continental Australia.Pallimnarchus gracilisWillis P.M.A. Molnar R.E. 1997 A review of the Plio-Pleistocene crocodilian genus Pallimnarchus https://ia800200.us.archive.org/34/items/biostor-85539/biostor-85539.pdf Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 117 223–242Sp. novValidWillis & MolnarLate PleistoceneTerrace Site of the Riversleigh WHAAustraliaA mekosuchine crocodilian and species of Pallimnarchus, described as having been more gracile than Pallimnarchus pollens. The species is valid, but now placed in the genus Paludirex.Quinkana meboldiSp. novValidWillisLate OligoceneWhite Hunter Site of the Riversleigh WHAAustraliaA mekosuchine crocodilian. It was a smaller species of the genus Quinkana. General pseudosuchian research A review of Australasian fossil crocodilians is published by Willis (1997).Willis P. M. A. 1997 Review of fossil crocodilians from Australasia. https://meridian.allenpress.com/australian-zoologist/article/30/3/287/134518/Review-of-fossil-crocodilians-from-Australasia Australian Zoologist 30 3 287–298 10.7882/AZ.1997.004 84580859 free Pterosaurs Newly Named Pterosaurs Currently Valid Pterosaur Genera Named in 1997 Name Status AuthorsLocation Images Eosipterus Valid taxon Ji JiChina Non-avian dinosauromorphs Paleontologist Karen Chin received a coprolite that was excavated during 1995 from strata dating back to the Maastrichtian in Saskatchewan, Canada. The specimen was about 17 inches (44 cm) long and contained fragments of bone. Due to its size, contents and age, the coprolite was believed to have been the remains of Tyrannosaurus rex feces. This discovery was announced in a 1998 paper published in the journal Nature. A Saharan expedition under the leadership of Paul Sereno yielded fruit when a team member stumbled on the bones and skull of Nigersaurus taqueti. During this and a subsequent 1999 expedition about 80% of the animal's skeleton were discovered. Later in the year of the second expedition, a formal description of the animal was published. French paleontologist Philippe Taquet reported the finding of fossilized theropod embryos preserved in Portuguese dinosaur eggs. These eggs were from the Jurassic period dating to about 140 million years ago, nearly twice as old as any previously recovered dinosaur embryos, which had only been known from about 70 million years ago in Late Cretaceous strata. Psittacosaurus gastroliths documented.Xu (1997). Sanders, Manley, and Carpenter (2001), "Table 12.1" page 167. Panoplosaurus gastroliths documented.Carpenter (1997). Sanders, Manley, and Carpenter (2001), "Table 12.1" page 167. Newly named non-avian dinosauromorphs Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list. Olshevsky George Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List http://www.polychora.com/dinolist.html 2008-08-07 2011-07-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20110715102453/http://www.polychora.com/dinolist.html dead Name Status AuthorsLocation Notes Images ArchaeoceratopsDong, Z.M. and Y. Azuma. 1997. On a primitive neoceratopsian from the Early Cretaceous. In: Sino-Japanese Slik Road Dinosaur Expedition (Z.M. Dong, ed.). China Ocean Press, Beijing: pp. 68-89. Valid taxon Dong ZhimingAzumaChina thumb|center|200px|Archaeoceratops thumb|center|200px|Gojirasaurus thumb|center|200px|Unenlagia GojirasaurusCarpenter, K. 1997. A giant coelophysoid (Ceratosauria) theropod from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico, USA. Neües Jahrbuch fur Geologie und Palaontologie, Abhandlungen, 205 (2): pp. 189-208. Valid taxon Kenneth CarpenterUSA(New Mexico) HudiesaurusDong, Z.-M. 1997. A Gigantic Sauropod (Hudiesaurus sinojapanorum gen. et. sp. nov.) from the Turpan Basin, China. In: Sino-Japanese Silk Road Dinosaur Expedition (Z.-M. Dong, ed.). China Ocean Press: pp. 102-110. Valid taxon Dong Zhiming China ProtarchaeopteryxJi, Q. and S. Ji. 1997. A Chinese archaeopterygian, Protarchaeopteryx gen. nov. Geological Science and Technology (Di Zhi Ke Ji) 238 (1997): pp. 38-41. Valid taxon Ji Q.Ji S.China RincheniaBarsbold, 1997 vide Osmolska, H., P.J. Currie, and B. Barsbold. 2004. Oviraptorosauria, Chapter Eight: Holtz, T. R., Jr (2004) Tyrannosauroidea; Chapter Five. In: The Dinosauria (2nd edition, D.B. Weishampel, P. Dodson, and H. Osmolska, eds.). California University Press: pp. 165-183. Valid taxon Rinchen Barsbold vide: Halszka Osmólska Phillip CurrieRinchen Barsbold SiluosaurusDong, Z.-M. 1997. A small ornithopod from Mazongshan area, Gansu Province, China. In: Sino-Japanese Silk Road Dinosaur Expedition (Z.-M. Dong, ed.). China Ocean Press, Beijing: pp. 24–26. Nomen dubium. Dong ZhimingChina UnenlagiaNovas F.E. Puerta P.F. 1997 New evidence concerning avian origins from the Late Cretaceous of Patagonia Nature 387 6631 390–392 10.1038/387390a0 1997Natur.387..390N 4353732 Valid taxon NovasPuertaArgentina Birds Newly named birds Name Status Novelty Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAramus paludigrus D. Tab Rasmussen 1997 Birds In: Kay, R.F.; Madden, R.H.; Cifelli, R.L. & Flynn, J.J., Eds. Vertebrate Paleontology in the Neotropics: The Miocene Fauna of la Venta, Colombia Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 171–183 Sp. nov. ValidD. Tab RasmussenMioceneHonda GroupColombiaAn Aramidae.Athene angelis Cécile Mourer-Chauviré Michelle Salotti Elizabeth Pereira Yves Quinif Jean-Yves Courtois Jean-Noël Dubois Jean-Claude La Milza 1997 Athene angelis n. sp. (Aves, Strigiformes) Nouvelle Espèce Endémique Inlaire Éreinte du Pléistocène Moyen et Supérieur de Corse (France) http://www2.nrm.se/ve/birds/sape/GlobalOwlProject/Fossil_owls/Athene%20angelis.pdf Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences de Paris 324 677–684 2014-08-07 2020-07-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20200727200909/http://www2.nrm.se/ve/birds/sape/GlobalOwlProject/Fossil_owls/Athene%20angelis.pdf dead Sp. nov. ValidCécile Mourer-Chauviré Michelle Salotti Elizabeth Pereira Yves Quinif Jean-Yves Courtois Jean-Noël Dubois Jean-Claude La MilzaMiddle PleistoceneCorsicaFrance: CorsicaA Strigidae.Cathayornis caudatusHou Lianhai 1997 Mesozoic Birds of China http://www.paleoglot.net/files/Hou_00.pdf Natou, Taiwan: Taiwan Feng Huang Gu Bird Garden, English Translation 1–153 Sp. nov. ValidHou LianhaiEarly CretaceousValanginian, Jiufotang FormationChinaA member of Enantiornithes Walker, 1981. Originally described as a species of Cathayornis; subsequently made the type species of a separate genus Houornis.Min Wang Di Liu 2015 Taxonomical reappraisal of Cathayornithidae (Aves: Enantiornithes) Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 14 1–19 10.1080/14772019.2014.994087 86665059 Chauvireria balcanica Zlatozar N. Boev 1997 Chauvireria balcanica Gen. N., Sp. N. (Perdicinae - Galliformes) from the Middle Villafranchian of Western Bulgaria http://www.geology.bas.bg/abstr.html Geologica Balcanica 27 3–4 69–78 10.52321/GeolBalc.27.3-4.69 256180034 free Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. ValidZlatozar N. BoevLate PlioceneMN 17BulgariaA Phasianidae.Confuciusornis chuonzhous Sp. nov. Valid ?Hou LianhaiEarly CretaceousLower Yixian FormationChinaA Confuciusornithidae Hou, Zhou, Gu et Zhang, 1995, possibly a synonym of Confuciusornis sanctus L. H. Hou, Zhou, Gu et Zhang, 1995.Confuciusornis suniae Sp. nov. Valid ?Hou LianhaiEarly CretaceousLower Yixian FormationChinaA Confuciusornithidae Hou, Zhou, Gu et Zhang, 1995, possibly a synonym of Confuciusornis sanctus L. H. Hou, Zhou, Gu et Zhang, 1995.Cuspirostrisornis houi Gen. nov et Sp. nov. ValidHou LianhaiEarly CretaceousValanginian, Jiufotang FormationChinaAn Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Cuspirostrisornithidae Hou, 1997, this is the type species of the new genus.Eutreptodactylus itaboraiensis Robert F. Baird Patricia Vickers Rich 1997 Eutreptodactylus itaboraiensis Gen. et Sp. Nov., an Early Cuckoo (Aves: Cuculidae) from the Late Paleocene of Brazil Alcheringa 21 2 123–127 10.1080/03115519708619179 1997Alch...21..123B Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. ValidRobert F. Baird Patricia Vickers RichLate PaleoceneSao Jose de ItaboraiBrazilDescribed in the Cuculidae, transferred to the Gracilitarsidae Mayr, 2001 by Mayr.Galbula hylochoreutes Sp. nov. ValidD. Tab RasmussenMioceneLa Victoria FormationColombiaA Galbulidae.Heliadornis paratethydicus Jirí Mlíkovský 1997 A New Tropicbird (Aves: Phaethontidae) from the Late Miocene of Austria http://www.nm.cz/download/pm/zoo/mlikovsky_lit/113-1997-MioceneHeliadornisfromAustria.pdf Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien. Serie A 98 151–154 2014-08-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20160122230317/http://www.nm.cz/download/pm/zoo/mlikovsky_lit/113-1997-MioceneHeliadornisfromAustria.pdf 2016-01-22 dead Sp. nov. ValidJirí MlíkovskýLate PlioceneMN 15-16SlovakiaA Phaethontidae.Largirostrornis sexdentoris Gen. nov et Sp. nov. ValidHou LianhaiEarly CretaceousValanginian, Jiufotang FormationChinaAn Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Cuspirostrisornithidae Hou, 1997, this is the type species of the new genus.Liaoningornis longidigitris Hou Lianhai 1997 A Carinate Bird from the Upper Jurassic of Western Liaoning, China http://csb.scichina.com:8080/kxtbe/EN/abstract/abstract311895.shtml# Chinese Science Bulletin 42 5 413–417 10.1007/bf02884235 1997ChSBu..42..413H 129885640 subscription January 2016Gen. nov et Sp. nov. ValidHou LianhaiEarly CretaceousYixian FormationChinaAn Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Liaoningornithiformes L. H. Hou, 1997, Liaoningornithidae Hou, 1997, this is the type species of the new genus.Longchengornis sanyanensis Gen. nov et Sp. nov. ValidHou LianhaiEarly CretaceousValanginian, Jiufotang FormationChinaAn Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Cuspirostrisornithidae Hou, 1997, this is the type species of the new genus.Pasquiaornis hardiei Tim T. Tokaryk Stephen L. Cumbaa John E. Storer 1997 Early Cretaceous Birds from Saskatchewan, Canada, the Oldest Avifauna Known from North-America Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17 1 172–176 10.1080/02724634.1997.10010961Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. ValidTim T. Tokaryk Stephen L. Cumbaa John E. StorerEarly CretaceousCenomanian, Ashville FormationCanada: SaskatchewanAn Hesperornithiformes Fürbringer, 1888, Baptornithidae American Ornithologists’ Union, 1910, this is the type of the new genus.Pasquiaornis tankei Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. ValidTim T. Tokaryk Stephen L. Cumbaa John E. StorerEarly CretaceousCenomanian, Ashville FormationCanada: SaskatchewanAn Hesperornithiformes Fürbringer, 1888, Baptornithidae American Ornithologists’ Union, 1910.Pleistorallus flemingi Trevor H. Worthy 1997 A Mid-Pleistocene Rail from New Zealand Alcheringa 21 1 71–78 10.1080/03115519708619186 1997Alch...21...71W Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. ValidTrevor H. WorthyPleistoceneWanganui SubdivisionNew ZealandA Rallidae.Rhynchopsitta phillipsi Amadeo M. Rea 1997 The Indeterminate Parrot of Nuevo León In: A. R. Phillips & R. W. Dickerman (Comp.): The Era of Allan R. Phillips; A Festschrift Albuquerque, New Mexico, Horizon Communications, Robert Dickerman 167–176 Sp. nov. ValidAmadeo M. ReaLate PleistoceneCave DepositsMexicoA Psittacidae.Rupelrallus saxoniensis Karlheinz Fischer 1997 Neue Vogelfunde aus dem Mittleren Oligozän des Weißelsterbeckens bei Leipzig (Sachsen) Mauritiana 16 271–288 Gen. nov et Sp. nov. ValidKarlheinz FischerMiddle OligoceneMP 23-24Germany: SaxonyA Gruiformes, Parvigruidae G. Mayr, 2005.Songlingornis linghensis Gen. nov et Sp. nov. ValidHou LianhaiEarly CretaceousValanginian, Jiufotang FormationChinaAn Ornithuromorphae Chiappe, Ji, Ji et Norell, 1999, Songlingornithidae Hou, 1997, this is the type species of the new genus.Vanellus madagascariensis Steven M. Goodman 1997 Description of a New Species of Subfossil Lapwing (Aves: Charadriiformes, Charadriidae, Vanellus) from Madagascar Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, Section C Série 4 18 1 607–614 Sp. nov. ValidSteven M. GoodmanHoloceneMadagascarMadagascarA Charadriidae.Urmiornis brodkorbi Aleksandr A. Karkhu 1997 A New Species of Urmiornis (Gruiformes: Ergilornithidae) from the Early Miocene of Western Kazakhstan Paleontological Journal 31 102–107 Sp. nov. ValidAleksandr A. KarkhuEarly MioceneLower Tarkhanian-Burdigalian?KazakhstanAn Eogruidae Wetmore, 1934, perhaps should be transferred to the genus Amphipelargus Lydekker, 1891. Synapsids Eutherians Name Status Authors Discovery year Age Unit Location Notes ImagesGranastrapotherium snorkiJohnson, Steven C. & Madden, Richard H. 1997. Uruguaytheriinae Astrapotheres of Tropical South America. Chapter 22 in Vertebrate Paleontology in the Neotropics. The Miocene Fauna of La Venta, Colombia. Edited by Richard F. Kay, Richard H. Madden, Richard L. Cifelli, and John J. Flynn. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington and London.ValidJohnson Madden1997Middle MioceneLa Victoria Formation Villavieja FormationColombia PeruAn astrapotherianthumb|150px|center|GranastrapotheriumXenastrapotherium aequatorialisValidJohnson Madden1997Early MioceneBiblián FormationEcuadorAn astrapotherian, a species of XenastrapotheriumXenastrapotherium chaparralensisValidJohnson Madden1997Late Oligocene - Early MioceneTuné FormationColombiaAn astrapotherian, a species of Xenastrapotherium Humans Genetecist Michael Hammer reported findings that demonstrate that after the initial "out of Africa" radiation of modern humans at about 100,000 years ago, some humans eventually returned to Africa between 50,000 and 10,000 years ago. Exopaleontology Richard B. Hoover of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center photographs what he believes to be microfossils in the martian Murchison meteorite. References Paleontology 30em Carpenter, K. (1997) Ankylosaurs. In J.O. farlow and M.K. Brett-Surman (eds.), The complete dinosaur, pp. 307–316. Bloomington Indiana University Press. Xu, X. (1997) A new psittacosaur (Psittacosaurus mazongshanensis sp. nov.) from Mazongshan area, Gansu province, China. In. Z.-M. Dong (ed.), Sino-Japanese Silk Road Dinosaur Expedition, pp. 48–67. Institute of Paleontology and Paleoanthropology Academia Sinica. Beijing: China Ocean Press. Sanders F, Manley K, Carpenter K. Gastroliths from the Lower Cretaceous sauropod Cedarosaurus weiskopfae. In: Tanke D.H, Carpenter K, editors. Mesozoic vertebrate life: new research inspired by the paleontology of Philip J. Currie. Indiana University Press; Bloomington, IN: 2001. pp. 166–180. Category:1990s in paleontology Paleontology