2015 in reptile paleontology

none 2015 reptile paleontology archosaur paleontology paleobotany paleontology arthropod paleontology paleoentomology paleomalacology mammal paleontology paleoichthyology science Paleontology History of science Dinosaurs This list of fossil reptiles described in 2015 is a list of new taxa of fossil reptiles that were described during the year 2015, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to reptile paleontology that occurred in 2015. Ichthyosauromorphs Research A study of phylogenetic relationships of ichthyopterygians is published by Ji et al. (2015); the authors introduced a new name, Grippioidea, for the clade containing the last common ancestor of Utatsusaurus hataii and Grippia longirostris, and all its descendants.Cheng Ji Da-Yong Jiang Ryosuke Motani Olivier Rieppel Wei-Cheng Hao Zuo-Yu Sun amp 2015 Phylogeny of the Ichthyopterygia incorporating recent discoveries from South China Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 36 1 e1025956 10.1080/02724634.2015.1025956 85621052 An exceptionally large ichthyosaur radius, possibly belonging to a member of Shastasauridae (which, if confirmed, would indicate that members of the family survived until Early Jurassic) is described from the Hettangian Blue Lias Formation (south Wales, United Kingdom) by Martin et al. (2015).Jeremy E. Martin Peggy Vincent Guillaume Suan Tom Sharpe Peter Hodges Matt Williams Cindy Howells Valentin Fischer amp 2015 A mysterious giant ichthyosaur from the lowermost Jurassic of Wales Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 60 4 837–842 10.4202/app.00062.2014 http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01255374/document free New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesCartorhynchusRyosuke Motani Da-Yong Jiang Guan-Bao Chen Andrea Tintori Olivier Rieppel Cheng Ji Jian-Dong Huang amp 2015 A basal ichthyosauriform with a short snout from the Lower Triassic of China Nature 517 7535 485–488 10.1038/nature13866 25383536 2015Natur.517..485M 4392798 Gen. et sp. novValidMotani et al.Early Triassic (Olenekian)Nanlinghu FormationChinaA relative of ichthyopterygians. The type species is Cartorhynchus lenticarpus. Published online in 2014; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2015.200px|DearcmharaStephen L. Brusatte Mark T. Young Thomas J. Challands Neil D. L. Clark Valentin Fischer Nicholas C. Fraser Jeff J. Liston Colin C. J. MacFadyen Dugald A. Ross Stig Walsh Mark Wilkinson 2015 Ichthyosaurs from the Jurassic of Skye, Scotland Scottish Journal of Geology 51 1 43–55 10.1144/sjg2014-018 2268/176434 54614526 http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/bitstream/2268/176434/1/Brusatte%20et%20al%202015%20Ichthyosaurs%20from%20the%20Jurassic%20of%20Skye%2c%20Scotland.pdf Gen. et sp. nov ValidBrusatte et al.Jurassic (Toarcian–Bajocian)United KingdomA basal member of Neoichthyosauria. The type species is Dearcmhara shawcrossi.EretmorhipisXiao-hong Chen Ryosuke Motani Long Cheng Da-yong Jiang Olivier Rieppel amp 2015 A New Specimen of Carroll's Mystery Hupehsuchian from the Lower Triassic of China PLOS ONE 10 5 e0126024 10.1371/journal.pone.0126024 26017585 4446317 2015PLoSO..1026024C free Gen. et sp. novValidChen et al.Early Triassic (late Spathian)Jialingjiang FormationChinaA hupehsuchian. The type species is Eretmorhipis carrolldongi.200px|Ichthyosaurus anningaeDean R. Lomax Judy A. Massare 2015 A new species of Ichthyosaurus from the Lower Jurassic of West Dorset, England, U.K. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 2 e903260 10.1080/02724634.2014.903260 85745787 http://osf.io/89nhw Sp. nov ValidLomax & MassareEarly Jurassic (Hettangian/Sinemurian–Pliensbachian)United KingdomA species of Ichthyosaurus.200px|MuiscasaurusErin E. Maxwell Daniel Dick Santiago Padilla Mary Luz Parra 2015 A new ophthalmosaurid ichthyosaur from the Early Cretaceous of Colombia Papers in Palaeontology 2 1 59–70 10.1002/spp2.1030 128464793 free Gen. et sp. nov ValidMaxwell et al.Early Cretaceous (Barremian–Aptian)Paja FormationColombiaA member of Ophthalmosauridae. The type species is Muiscasaurus catheti. Sauropterygians Research A study on the growth patterns and strategies of placodonts is published by Klein et al. (2015).Nicole Klein James M. Neenan Torsten M. Scheyer Eva Maria Griebeler 2015 Growth patterns and life-history strategies in Placodontia (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) Royal Society Open Science 2 7 140440 10.1098/rsos.140440 free 4632572 26587259 2015RSOS....240440K A study on the sexual selection and dimorphism in Keichousaurus hui is published by Motani et al. (2015).Ryosuke Motani Da-yong Jiang Olivier Rieppel Yi-fan Xue Andrea Tintori 2015 Adult sex ratio, sexual dimorphism and sexual selection in a Mesozoic reptile Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282 1815 20151658 10.1098/rspb.2015.1658 4614760 26378218 A study on the teeth replacement patterns during the ontogeny in pliosaurids is published by Sassoon, Foffa & Marek (2015).Judyth Sassoon Davide Foffa Ryan Marek 2015 Dental ontogeny and replacement in Pliosauridae Royal Society Open Science 2 11 150384 10.1098/rsos.150384 free 4680613 26715998 2015RSOS....250384S New taxa Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAnguanaxAndrea Cau Federico Fanti 2015 High evolutionary rates and the origin of the Rosso Ammonitico Veronese Formation (Middle-Upper Jurassic of Italy) reptiles Historical Biology: An International Journal of Paleobiology 28 7 952–962 10.1080/08912963.2015.1073726 86528030 Gen. et sp. novValidCau & FantiLate Jurassic (Oxfordian)Rosso Ammonitico Veronese FormationItalyA pliosaurid. The type species is Anguanax zignoi.200px|AtychodraconAdam S. Smith 2015 Reassessment of 'Plesiosaurus' megacephalus (Sauropterygia: Plesiosauria) from the Triassic-Jurassic boundary, UK Palaeontologia Electronica 18 1 Article number 18.1.20A http://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2015/1146-plesiosaurus-megacephalus Gen. et comb. nov ValidSmithEarly JurassicUnited KingdomA rhomaleosaurid plesiosaur; a new genus for "Plesiosaurus" megacephalus Stutchbury (1846).200px|CardiocoraxR. Araújo M.J. Polcyn A.S. Schulp O. Mateus L.L. Jacobs A. Olímpio Gonçalves M.-L. Morais 2015 A new elasmosaurid from the early Maastrichtian of Angola and the implications of girdle morphology on swimming style in plesiosaurs Netherlands Journal of Geosciences 94 1 109–120 10.1017/njg.2014.44 86616531 free Gen. et sp. nov ValidAraújo et al.Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian)Mocuio FormationAngolaAn elasmosaurid plesiosaur. The type species is Cardiocorax mukulu.200px|DianmeisaurusQing-Hua Shang Chun Li 2015 A new small-sized eosauropterygian (Diapsida: Sauropterygia) from the Middle Triassic of Luoping, Yunnan, southwestern China Vertebrata PalAsiatica 53 4 265–280 http://www.ivpp.cas.cn/cbw/gjzdwxb/xbwzxz/201512/t20151204_4487720.html 10.19615/j.cnki.1000-3118.2015.04.001 Gen. et sp. nov ValidShang & LiMiddle Triassic (Anisian)Guangling FormationChinaA member of Eosauropterygia of uncertain phylogenetic placement, more closely related to nothosaurs than to plesiosaurs. The type species is Dianmeisaurus gracilis.200px|MakhairaValentin Fischer Maxim S. Arkhangelsky Ilya M. Stenshin Gleb N. Uspensky Nikolay G. Zverkov Roger B. J. Benson 2015 Peculiar macrophagous adaptations in a new Cretaceous pliosaurid Royal Society Open Science 2 12 150552 10.1098/rsos.150552 free 27019740 4807462 2015RSOS....250552F Gen. et sp. novValidFischer et al.Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian)RussiaA pliosaurid. The type species is Makhaira rossica.200px|VegasaurusJosé P. O'Gorman Leonardo Salgado Eduardo B. Olivero Sergio A. Marenssi 2015 Vegasaurus molyi, gen. et sp. nov. (Plesiosauria, Elasmosauridae), from the Cape Lamb Member (lower Maastrichtian) of the Snow Hill Island Formation, Vega Island, Antarctica, and remarks on Wedellian Elasmosauridae Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 3 e931285 10.1080/02724634.2014.931285 128965534 11336/53416 free Gen. et sp. nov ValidO'Gorman et al.Late Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian)Snow Hill Island FormationAntarctica (Vega Island)An elasmosaurid plesiosaur. The type species is Vegasaurus molyi.200px|WangosaurusLe-Tian Ma Da-Yong Jiang Olivier Rieppel Ryosuke Motani Andrea Tintori 2015 A new pistosauroid (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) from the late Ladinian Xingyi marine reptile level, southwestern China Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 1 e881832 10.1080/02724634.2014.881832 130696958 Gen. et sp. nov ValidMa et al.Middle Triassic (Ladinian)Falang FormationChinaA pistosauroid. The type species is Wangosaurus brevirostris. Lepidosaurs Research A phylogenetic analysis of living and fossil squamate relationships, based on morphological and molecular data, is published by Reeder et al. (2015).Tod W. Reeder Ted M. Townsend Daniel G. Mulcahy Brice P. Noonan Perry L. Wood Jr. Jack W. Sites Jr. John J. Wiens 2015 Integrated Analyses Resolve Conflicts over Squamate Reptile Phylogeny and Reveal Unexpected Placements for Fossil Taxa PLOS ONE 10 3 e0118199 10.1371/journal.pone.0118199 25803280 4372529 2015PLoSO..1018199R free Miocene anoles from the Dominican amber, showing the habitat specializations also present in the extant Caribbean anoles, are described by Sherratt et al. (2015).Emma Sherratt María del Rosario Castañeda Russell J. Garwood D. Luke Mahler Thomas J. Sanger Anthony Herrel Kevin de Queiroz Jonathan B. Losos 2015 Amber fossils demonstrate deep-time stability of Caribbean lizard communities Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 112 32 9961–9966 10.1073/pnas.1506516112 26216976 4538666 2015PNAS..112.9961S free New taxa Rhynchocephalians Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesClevosaurus sectumsemperCatherine G. Klein David I. Whiteside Victor Selles de Lucas Pedro A. Viegas Michael J. Benton 2015 A distinctive Late Triassic microvertebrate fissure fauna and a new species of Clevosaurus (Lepidosauria: Rhynchocephalia) from Woodleaze Quarry, Gloucestershire, UK Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 126 3 402–416 10.1016/j.pgeola.2015.05.003 Sp. novValidKlein et al.Late Triassic (Rhaetian)United KingdomA clevosaurid sphenodontian, a species of Clevosaurus. Lizards Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesArchaerhineuraNicholas R. Longrich Jakob Vinther R. Alexander Pyron Davide Pisani Jacques A. Gauthier 2015 Biogeography of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282 1806 20143034 10.1098/rspb.2014.3034 25833855 4426617Gen. et sp. novValidLongrich et al.Late PalaeocenePolecat Bench FormationUnited StatesA rhineurid amphisbaenian. The type species is Archaerhineura mephitis.AsagaolacertaSusan E. Evans Ryoko Matsumoto 2015 An assemblage of lizards from the Early Cretaceous of Japan Palaeontologia Electronica 18 2 Article number 18.2.36A 10.26879/519 free Gen. et sp. novValidEvans & MatsumotoEarly CretaceousKuwajima FormationJapanA lizard of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Asagaolacerta tricuspidens.AsprosaurusJin-Young Park Susan E. Evans Min Huh 2015 The first lizard fossil (Reptilia: Squamata) from the Mesozoic of South Korea Cretaceous Research 55 292–302 10.1016/j.cretres.2015.03.001 http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1469877/1/Park_The%20first%20lizard%20fossil%20from%20South%20Korea%20%28Park%20et%20al%20%202014%29-1.pdf Gen. et sp. novValidPark, Evans & HuhLate CretaceousSouth KoreaA member of Anguimorpha, probably a member of Monstersauria. The type species is Asprosaurus bibongriensis.BabibasiliscusJack L. Conrad 2015 A New Eocene Casquehead Lizard (Reptilia, Corytophanidae) from North America PLOS ONE 10 7 e0127900 10.1371/journal.pone.0127900 26131767 4489568 2015PLoSO..1027900C free Gen. et sp. novValidConradEocene (approximately 48 Ma)Bridger FormationUnited StatesA member of Corytophanidae. The type species is Babibasiliscus alxi.BarbatteiusMárton Venczel Vlad A. Codrea 2015 A new teiid lizard from the Late Cretaceous of the Haţeg Basin, Romania and its phylogenetic and palaeobiogeographical relationships Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 14 3 219–237 10.1080/14772019.2015.1025869 83951176 Gen. et sp. nov.ValidVenczel & CodreaLate Cretaceous (early Maastrichtian)Haţeg BasinRomaniaOriginally assigned to the family Teiidae, but subsequently transferred to the separate family Barbatteiidae within the group Teiioidea.Vlad A. Codrea Márton Venczel Alexandru Solomon 2017 A new family of teiioid lizards from the Upper Cretaceous of Romania with notes on the evolutionary history of early teiioids Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 181 2 385–399 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx008 The type species is Barbatteius vremiri.Cadurcogekko verusArnau Bolet Juan D. Daza Marc Augé Aaron M. Bauer 2015 New genus and species names for the Eocene lizard Cadurcogekko rugosus Augé, 2005 Zootaxa 3985 2 265–274 10.11646/zootaxa.3985.2.5 26250033 Sp. novValidBolet et al.EoceneFranceA gekkotan lizard, a species of Cadurcogekko.ChromatogenysLászló Makádi Randall L. Nydam 2015 A new durophagous scincomorphan lizard genus from the Late Cretaceous Iharkút locality (Hungary, Bakony Mts) Paläontologische Zeitschrift 89 4 925–941 10.1007/s12542-014-0253-1 53542825 http://real.mtak.hu/29990/1/MakadiNydam_A_new_durophagous_scincomorphan_Paleontologishce_Zeitschrift_2014_u.pdf Gen. et sp. novValidMakádi & NydamLate Cretaceous (Santonian)HungaryA member of Scincomorpha of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Chromatogenys tiliquoides.ChthonophisGen. et sp. novValidLongrich et al.Probably early PalaeoceneBug Creek Anthills, Fort Union FormationUnited StatesAn amphisbaenian, the only member of the new family Chthonophidae. The type species is Chthonophis subterraneus.CuvieribaenaAndrej Čerňanský Marc Louis Augéc Jean-Claude Rage 2015 A complete mandible of a new amphisbaenian reptile (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) from the late Middle Eocene (Bartonian, Mp 16) of France Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 1 e902379 10.1080/02724634.2014.902379 85914406 Gen. et sp. novValidČerňanský, Augéc & RageEocene (Bartonian)FranceA blanid amphisbaenian. The type species is Cuvieribaena carlgansi.DryadissectorSteven L. Wick Thomas M. Lehman Alyson A. Brink 2015 A theropod tooth assemblage from the lower Aguja Formation (early Campanian) of West Texas, and the roles of small theropod and varanoid lizard mesopredators in a tropical predator guild Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 418 229–244 10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.11.018 2015PPP...418..229W Gen. et sp. novValidWick, Lehman & BrinkLate Cretaceous (early Campanian)Aguja FormationUnited StatesA member of Varanoidea. The type species is Dryadissector shilleri.GekkomimusGen. et comb. novValidBolet et al.EoceneFranceA skink; a new genus for "Cadurcogekko" rugosus Augé (2005).GueragamaTiago R. Simões Everton Wilner Michael W. Caldwell Luiz C. Weinschütz Alexander W. A. Kellner 2015 A stem acrodontan lizard in the Cretaceous of Brazil revises early lizard evolution in Gondwana Nature Communications 6 8149 10.1038/ncomms9149 free 26306778 4560825 2015NatCo...6.8149S Gen. et sp. novValidSimões et al.Late Cretaceous (Turonian-Campanian)Goio-Erê FormationBrazilThe first member of Acrodonta (a relative of agamids and chameleons) described from South America. The type species is Gueragama sulamericana.HakusepsGen. et sp. novValidEvans & MatsumotoEarly CretaceousJapanA squamate of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Hakuseps imberis.KuroyuriellaGen. et sp. novValidEvans & MatsumotoEarly CretaceousKuwajima FormationJapanA lizard of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Kuroyuriella mikikoi.NorelliusJack L. Conrad Juan D. Daza 2015 Naming and rediagnosing the Cretaceous gekkonomorph (Reptilia, Squamata) from Öösh (Övörkhangai, Mongolia) Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 5 e980891 10.1080/02724634.2015.980891 128946074 Gen. et sp. novValidConrad & DazaEarly Cretaceous (probably approximately 130 Mya)Öösh BasinMongoliaA member of Gekkonomorpha of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Norellius nyctisaurops.200px|Ophisaurus holeciJozef Klembara 2015 New finds of anguines (Squamata, Anguidae) from the Early Miocene of Northwest Bohemia (Czech Republic) Paläontologische Zeitschrift 89 2 171–195 10.1007/s12542-014-0226-4 129436097 https://zenodo.org/record/846892 Sp. novValidKlembaraMioceneCzech Republic GermanyJozef Klembara Michael Rummel 2018 New material of Ophisaurus, Anguis and Pseudopus (Squamata, Anguidae, Anguinae) from the Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany and systematic revision and palaeobiogeography of the Cenozoic Anguinae Geological Magazine 155 1 1–25 10.1017/S0016756816000753 2018GeoM..155...20K 132414700 Andrej Čerňanský Jozef Klembara 2017 A skeleton of Ophisaurus (Squamata: Anguidae) from the middle Miocene of Germany, with a revision of the partly articulated postcranial material from Slovakia using micro-computed tomography Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 37 4 e1333515 10.1080/02724634.2017.1333515 91158260 A glass lizard.Pachygenys adachiiTadahiro Ikeda Hidetoshi Ota Haruo Saegusa 2015 A new fossil lizard from the Lower Cretaceous Sasayama Group of Hyogo prefecture, western Honshu, Japan Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 1 e885032 10.1080/02724634.2014.885032 84568156 Sp. novValidIkeda, Ota & SaegusaEarly CretaceousOhyamashimo FormationJapanA squamate of uncertain phylogenetic placement, a species of Pachygenys.Phosphorosaurus ponpetelegansTakuya Konishi Michael W. Caldwell Tomohiro Nishimura Kazuhiko Sakurai Kyo Tanoue 2015 A new halisaurine mosasaur (Squamata: Halisaurinae) from Japan: the first record in the western Pacific realm and the first documented insights into binocular vision in mosasaurs Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 14 10 809–839 10.1080/14772019.2015.1113447 130644927 Sp. novValidKonishi et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)JapanA halisaurine mosasaur, a species of Phosphorosaurus.200px|Plioplatecarpus peckensisRobin S. Cuthbertson Robert B. Holmes 2015 A new species of Plioplatecarpus (Mosasauridae, Plioplatecarpinae) from the Bearpaw Formation (Campanian, Upper Cretaceous) of Montana, U.S.A. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 3 e922980 10.1080/02724634.2014.922980 129311001 Sp. novValidCuthbertson & HolmesLate Cretaceous (Campanian)Bearpaw FormationUnited StatesA mosasaur, a species of Plioplatecarpus.Pseudopus rugosusSp. novValidKlembaraEarly MioceneCzech RepublicA relative of the sheltopusik.TetrapodophisDavid M. Martill Helmut Tischlinger Nicholas R. Longrich 2015 A four-legged snake from the Early Cretaceous of Gondwana Science 349 6246 416–419 10.1126/science.aaa9208 26206932 2015Sci...349..416M 25822461 https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/a-fourlegged-snake-from-the-early-cretaceous-of-gondwana(b6583c89-da01-4b9a-9f1e-dc142b9331ff).html Gen. et sp. novValidMartill, Tischlinger & LongrichEarly Cretaceous (Aptian)Crato FormationBrazilA squamate reptile of uncertain phylogenetic placement; originally classified as an early, four-legged snake, but subsequently argued to be a dolichosaurid.Michael W. Caldwell Robert R. Reisz Randall L. Nydam Alessandro Palci Tiago R. Simões 2016 Tetrapodophis amplectus (Crato Formation, Lower Cretaceous, Brazil) is not a snake Society of Vertebrate Paleontology 76th Annual Meeting Program & Abstracts 108 http://vertpaleo.org/PDFS/2016/SVP-2016-Program-Book-v10-with-covers.aspx 2016-10-29 2016-10-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20161018211820/http://vertpaleo.org/PDFS/2016/SVP-2016-Program-Book-v10-with-covers.aspx Geggel Laura http://www.livescience.com/56685-debate-about-four-legged-snake-fossil.html Mistaken Identity? Debate Over Ancient 4-Legged Snake Heats Up Live Science 28 October 2016 2022-05-04 The type species is Tetrapodophis amplectus.200px| Snakes Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesDiablophisMichael W. Caldwell Randall L. Nydam Alessandro Palci Sebastián Apesteguía 2015 The oldest known snakes from the Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous provide insights on snake evolution Nature Communications 6 5996 10.1038/ncomms6996 25625704 2015NatCo...6.5996C free 11336/37995 free Gen. et comb. novValidCaldwell et al.Late JurassicMorrison FormationUnited StatesA basal snake; a new genus for "Parviraptor" gilmorei Evans (1996).EophisGen. et sp. novValidCaldwell et al.Middle Jurassic (Bathonian)Forest MarbleUnited KingdomA basal snake. The type species is Eophis underwoodi.PortugalophisGen. et sp. novValidCaldwell et al.Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian)Camadas de GuimarotaPortugalA basal snake. The type species is Portugalophis lignites.RenenutetJacob A. Mccartney Erik R. Seiffert 2015 A late Eocene snake fauna from the Fayum Depression, Egypt Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 36 1 e1029580 10.1080/02724634.2015.1029580 130721716 Gen. et sp. novValidMccartney & SeiffertEocene (Priabonian)EgyptA member of Colubroidea. The type species is Renenutet enmerwer. Turtles Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesAdocus sengokuensisTeppei Sonoda Ren Hirayama Yoshihiko Okazaki Hisao Ando 2015 A New Species of the Genus Adocus (Adocidae, Testudines) from the Lower Cretaceous of Southwest Japan Paleontological Research 19 1 26–32 10.2517/2014PR026 130008038 Sp. novValidSonoda et al.Early CretaceousSengoku FormationJapanA species of Adocus.ArvinachelysJoshua R. Lively 2015 A new species of baenid turtle from the Kaiparowits Formation (Upper Cretaceous, Campanian) of southern Utah Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 6 e1009084 10.1080/02724634.2015.1009084 83687743 https://figshare.com/articles/dataset/A_new_species_of_baenid_turtle_from_the_Kaiparowits_Formation_Upper_Cretaceous_Campanian_of_southern_Utah/1581499 subscription Gen. et sp. novValidLivelyLate Cretaceous (Campanian)Kaiparowits FormationUnited StatesA member of Baenidae. The type species is Arvinachelys goldeni.Bairdemys thalassicaGabriel S. Ferreira Ascanio D. Rincón Andrés Solórzano Max C. Langer 2015 The last marine pelomedusoids (Testudines: Pleurodira): a new species of Bairdemys and the paleoecology of Stereogenyina PeerJ 3 e1063 10.7717/peerj.1063 26157628 4493680 free Sp. novValidFerreira et al.MioceneCapadare FormationVenezuelaA podocnemidid belonging to the clade Stereogenyina, a species of Bairdemys.Baltemys velogastrosAsher J. Lichtig Spencer G. Lucas 2015 Turtles of the Eocene Huerfano Formation, Raton Basin, Colorado New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 67 153–160 https://www.academia.edu/14986414 Sp. novValidLichtig & LucasEocene (early Bridgerian)Huerfano FormationUnited StatesA member of Kinosternidae, a species of Baltemys.Corsochelys bentleyiDavid R. Schwimmer Albert E. Sanders Bruce R. Erickson Robert E. Weems A Late Cretaceous Dinosaur and Reptile Assemblage from South Carolina, USA American Philosophical Society Press 1–157 2015 978-1-60618-052-5 Sp. novValidSchwimmer et al.Late CretaceousUnited StatesA member of Dermochelyidae, a species of Corsochelys.Desmatochelys padillaiEdwin A. Cadena James F. Parham 2015 Oldest known marine turtle? A new protostegid from the Lower Cretaceous of Colombia PaleoBios 32 1 1–42 http://escholarship.org/uc/item/147611bv Sp. novValidCadena & ParhamEarly Cretaceous (late Barremian-early Aptian)Paja FormationColombiaA member of Protostegidae, species of Desmatochelys.thumb|center|150px|Desmatochelys padillaiGaffneylaniaJuliana Sterli Marcelo S. de la Fuente J. Marcelo Krause 2015 A new turtle from the Palaeogene of Patagonia (Argentina) sheds new light on the diversity and evolution of the bizarre clade of horned turtles (Meiolaniidae, Testudinata) Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 174 3 519–548 10.1111/zoj.12252 free 11336/41594 free Gen. et sp. novValidSterli, de la Fuente & KrauseMiddle EoceneSarmiento FormationArgentinaA member of Meiolaniidae. The type species is Gaffneylania auricularis.Gobiapalone palaeocenicaIgor G. Danilov Vladimir B. Sukhanov Ekaterina M. Obraztsova Natasha S. Vitek 2015 The First Reliable Record of Trionychid Turtles in the Paleocene of Asia Paleontological Journal 49 4 407–412 10.1134/S0031030115040061 131496175 Sp. novValidDanilov et al.PaleoceneBugin Tsav BasinMongoliaA member of Trionychidae, a species of Gobiapalone. The genus Gobiapalone was considered to be a junior synonym of the genus Kuhnemys by Georgalis & Joyce (2017), though the authors maintained G. palaeocenica as a distinct species within the latter genus.Georgios L. Georgalis Walter G. Joyce 2017 A Review of the Fossil Record of Old World Turtles of the Clade Pan-Trionychidae Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 58 1 115–208 10.3374/014.058.0106 89732695 http://doc.rero.ch/record/288660/files/joy_rfr.pdf GomphochelysJason R. Bourque J. Howard Hutchison Patricia A. Holroyd Jonathan I. Bloch 2015 A new dermatemydid (Testudines, Kinosternoidea) from the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, Willwood Formation, southeastern Bighorn Basin, Wyoming Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 2 e905481 10.1080/02724634.2014.905481 85576289 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/1314134 Gen. et sp. novValidBourque et al.Early WasatchianWillwood FormationUnited StatesA member of Dermatemydidae. The type species is Gomphochelys nanus.Judithemys russelliDonald B. Brinkman 2015 Judithemys russelli sp. nov., a new "macrobaenid" turtle from the Late Cretaceous of Saskatchewan, Canada O.R.P. Bininda-Emonds G.L. Powell H.A. Jamniczky A.M. Bauer J. Theodor All animals are interesting: a Festschrift in honour of Anthony P. Russell BIS Verlag 107–119 978-3-8142-2324-7 Sp. nov ValidBrinkmanLate CretaceousCanadaA member of (likely non-monophyletic) Macrobaenidae, a species of Judithemys.JurassichelonA. Pérez-García 2015 New data on the poorly-known Late Jurassic European turtles Thalassemys and Enaliochelys and description of a new basal eucryptodiran taxon Journal of Iberian Geology 41 1 21–30 10.5209/rev_JIGE.2015.v41.n1.48652 free Gen. et sp. novValidPérez-GarcíaLate Jurassic (early Tithonian)FranceA basal member of Eucryptodira. The type species is Jurassichelon oleronensis.Khunnuchelys lophorhothonIgor G. Danilov Natasha S. Vitek Alexander O. Averianov Vadim N. Glinskiy 2015 A new softshelled trionychid turtle of the genus Khunnuchelys from the Upper Cretaceous Bostobe Formation of Kazakhstan Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 60 1 155–161 10.4202/app.2013.0045 free Sp. novValidDanilov et al.Late Cretaceous (Santonian or early Campanian)Bostobe FormationKazakhstanA trionychine trionychid, a species of Khunnuchelys.200px|KimurachelysDonald B. Brinkman Michael Densmore Márton Rabi Michael J. Ryan David C. Evans 2015 Marine turtles from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta, Canada Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 52 8 581–589 10.1139/cjes-2014-0189 2015CaJES..52..581B Gen. et sp. novValidBrinkman et al. Late Cretaceous (late Campanian)Dinosaur Park FormationCanadaA chelonioid turtle. The type species is Kimurachelys slobodae.LeyvachelysEdwin Cadena 2015 The first South American sandownid turtle from the Lower Cretaceous of Colombia PeerJ 3 e1431 10.7717/peerj.1431 26713227 4690369 free Gen. et sp. novValidCadenaEarly Cretaceous (Barremian-Aptian)Glen Rose Formation Paja FormationColombia United StatesA member of Pan-Cryptodira belonging to the family Sandownidae. The type species is Leyvachelys cipadi.200px|Mauremys oshiroiTakahashi, Akio Hiroyuki Otsuka Hidetoshi Ota 2015 A new species of the genus Mauremys (Testudines: Geoemydidae) from the Upper Pleistocene of Miyakojima Island, Ryukyus Archipelago, Japan Current Herpetology 34 2 149–163 10.5358/hsj.34.149 84023431 Sp. nov.ValidTakahashi et al.Late PleistoceneTomori Amaga CaveJapanA pond turtle.Neurankylus hutchisoniJoshua R. Lively 2015 Baenid turtles of the Kaiparowits Formation (Upper Cretaceous: Campanian) of southern Utah, USA Journal of Systematic Palaeontology 14 11 891–918 10.1080/14772019.2015.1120788 130247066 Sp. novValidLivelyLate Cretaceous (Campanian)Kaiparowits FormationUnited StatesA member of Baenidae, a species of Neurankylus.Neurankylus utahensisSp. novValidLivelyLate Cretaceous (Campanian)Kaiparowits FormationUnited StatesA member of Baenidae, a species of Neurankylus.200px|PerochelysLu Li Walter G. Joyce Jun Liu 2015 The first soft-shelled turtle from the Jehol Biota of China Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 2 e909450 10.1080/02724634.2014.909450 55903597 http://doc.rero.ch/record/255856/files/joy_fsh.pdf Gen. et sp. nov.ValidLi, Joyce & LiuEarly Cretaceous (Aptian)Jiufotang FormationChinaA soft-shelled turtle of uncertain phylogenetic placement; it might be a stem- or a crown-trionychid. The type species is Perochelys lamadongensis.PhunoichelysHaiyan Tong Wilailuck Naksri Eric Buffetaut Varavudh Suteethorn Suravech Suteethorn Uthumporn Deesri Saitong Sila Phornphen Chanthasit Julien Claude 55028418 2015 A new primitive eucryptodiran turtle from the Upper Jurassic Phu Kradung Formation of the Khorat Plateau, NE Thailand Geological Magazine 152 1 166–175 10.1017/S0016756814000223 2015GeoM..152..166T Gen. et sp. nov.ValidTong et al.Late JurassicPhu Kradung FormationThailandA xinjiangchelyid eucryptodiran. The type species is Phunoichelys thirakhupti.Portlandemys gracilisJérémy Anquetin Christian Püntener Jean-Paul Billon-Bruyat 2015 Portlandemys gracilis n. sp., a New Coastal Marine Turtle from the Late Jurassic of Porrentruy (Switzerland) and a Reconsideration of Plesiochelyid Cranial Anatomy PLOS ONE 10 6 e0129193 10.1371/journal.pone.0129193 26106888 4480851 2015PLoSO..1029193A free Sp. nov.ValidAnquetin, Püntener & Billon-BruyatLate Jurassic (late Kimmeridgian)Reuchenette FormationSwitzerlandA plesiochelyid eucryptodiran, a species of Portlandemys.Sternotherus bonevalleyensisJason R. Bourque Blaine W. Schubert 2015 Fossil musk turtles (Kinosternidae, Sternotherus) from the late Miocene–early Pliocene (Hemphillian) of Tennessee and Florida Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 35 1 e885441 10.1080/02724634.2014.885441 86840420 Sp. nov.ValidBourque & SchubertLate HemphillianUnited StatesA musk turtle.Sternotherus palaeodorusSp. nov.ValidBourque & SchubertLate HemphillianUnited StatesA musk turtle.TaraschelonAdán Pérez-García 2015 A new genus for Testudo gigas, the largest European Paleogene testudinid Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 36 1 e1030024 10.1080/02724634.2015.1030024 86155368 Gen. et comb. novValidPérez-GarcíaEarly OligoceneFranceA tortoise; a new genus for "Testudo" gigas Bravard (1844).Testudo brevitestaEvangelos Vlachos Evangelia Tsoukala 2015 The diverse fossil chelonians from Milia (late Pliocene, Grevena, Greece) with a new species of Testudo Linnaeus, 1758 (Testudines: Testudinidae) Papers in Palaeontology 2 1 71–86 10.1002/spp2.1031 86262858 11336/42468 free Sp. novValidVlachos & TsoukalaLate Pliocene (early Villafranchian)GreeceA tortoise, a species of Testudo.Thalassemys bruntrutanaChristian Püntener Jérémy Anquetin Jean-Paul Billon-Bruyat 2015 Thalassemys bruntrutana n. sp., a new coastal marine turtle from the Late Jurassic of Porrentruy (Switzerland), and the paleobiogeography of the Thalassemydidae PeerJ 3 e1282 10.7717/peerj.1282 26468437 4592157 free Sp. novValidPüntener, Anquetin & Billon-BruyatLate Jurassic (late Kimmeridgian)Reuchenette FormationSwitzerlandA basal member of Pancryptodira, a species of Thalassemys.200px|ToremysA. Pérez-García E. Espílez L. Mampel L. Alcalá 2015 A new European Albian turtle that extends the known stratigraphic range of the Pleurosternidae (Paracryptodira) Cretaceous Research 55 74–83 10.1016/j.cretres.2015.02.007 Gen. et sp. nov.ValidPérez-García et al.Early Cretaceous (early Albian)SpainA pleurosternid paracryptodiran. The type species is Toremys cassiopeia."Trionyx" jixiensisLu Li Haiyan Tong Wei Gu Jun Liu 2015 A new trionychid turtle from the Early Cretaceous of Heilongjiang Province, Northeastern China Cretaceous Research 56 155–160 10.1016/j.cretres.2015.04.013 Sp. nov.ValidLi et al.Early CretaceousChengzihe FormationChinaA member of Trionychinae of uncertain phylogenetic placement.XiaochelysChang-Fu Zhou Márton Rabi 2015 A sinemydid turtle from the Jehol Biota provides insights into the basal divergence of crown turtles Scientific Reports 5 16299 10.1038/srep16299 free 26553740 4639786 2015NatSR...516299Z Gen. et sp. novValidZhou & RabiEarly Cretaceous (Barremian-early Aptian)Yixian FormationChinaA member of Sinemydidae. The type species is Xiaochelys ningchengensis.200px| Archosauriformes Archosaurs 2014 in archosaur paleontology Other A study on the archosauriform evolutionary history during the Late Permian and Early Triassic, including description of chirotheriid and chirotheriid-like tracks from the Late Permian of Northern Italy, is published by Bernardi et al. (2015).Massimo Bernardi Hendrik Klein Fabio Massimo Petti Martín D. Ezcurra 2015 The origin and early radiation of archosauriforms: integrating the skeletal and footprint record PLOS ONE 10 6 e0128449 10.1371/journal.pone.0128449 26083612 4471049 2015PLoSO..1028449B free Other reptiles Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes ImagesEohyosaurusRichard J. Butler Martín D. Ezcurra Felipe C. Montefeltro Adun Samathi Gabriela Sobral 2015 A new species of basal rhynchosaur (Diapsida: Archosauromorpha) from the early Middle Triassic of South Africa, and the early evolution of Rhynchosauria Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 174 3 571–588 10.1111/zoj.12246 free 11449/167867 free Gen. et sp. novDisputedButler et al.Middle Triassic (early Anisian)Burgersdorp FormationSouth AfricaA basal rhynchosaur. The type species is Eohyosaurus wolvaardti. Considered to be a junior synonym of Howesia browni by Spiekman et al. (2026).Stephan N. F. Spiekman Claire Browning Muofhe Tshibalanganda Debarati Mukherjee Roger M. H. Smith Anton Du Plessis Frederik Wolvaardt Micro-CT informed cranial anatomy of the early rhynchosaur Howesia browni, with implications for rhynchosaur skull evolution 2026 Papers in Palaeontology 12 4 e70105 10.1002/spp2.70105 freeErpetonyxSean P. Modesto Diane M. Scott Mark J. MacDougall Hans-Dieter Sues David C. Evans Robert R. Reisz 2015 The oldest parareptile and the early diversification of reptiles Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 282 1801 20141912 10.1098/rspb.2014.1912 25589601 4308993Gen. et sp. novValidModesto et al.Carboniferous (Gzhelian)Egmont Bay FormationCanadaA relative of bolosaurids. The type species is Erpetonyx arsenaultorum.200px|GlaurungV. V. Bulanov A. G. Sennikov 2015 Glaurung schneideri gen. et sp. nov., a New Weigeltisaurid (Reptilia) from the Kupfershiefer (Upper Permian) of Germany Paleontological Journal 49 12 1353–1364 10.1134/S0031030115120035 87461613 Gen. et sp. novValidBulanov & SennikovLate PermianGermanyA member of Weigeltisauridae. The type species is Glaurung schneideri.OpisthodontosaurusR. R. Reisz Aaron R. H. LeBlanc Christian A. Sidor Diane Scott William May 2015 A new captorhinid reptile from the Lower Permian of Oklahoma showing remarkable dental and mandibular convergence with microsaurian tetrapods The Science of Nature 102 9–10 50 10.1007/s00114-015-1299-y 26289932 2015SciNa.102...50R 17161972 Gen. et sp. novValidReisz et al.Early PermianGarber FormationUnited StatesA member of Captorhinidae. The type species is Opisthodontosaurus carrolli.200px|PappochelysRainer R. Schoch Hans-Dieter Sues 2015 A Middle Triassic stem-turtle and the evolution of the turtle body plan Nature 523 7562 584–587 10.1038/nature14472 26106865 2015Natur.523..584S 205243837 Gen. et sp. novValidSchoch & SuesMiddle Triassic (Ladinian)Erfurt FormationGermanyA stem-turtle. The type species is Pappochelys rosinae.thumb|Pappochelys"Thalassodromeus" sebesensisGerald Grellet-Tinner Vlad A. Codrea 2015 Thalassodromeus sebesensis, an out of place and out of time Gondwanan tapejarid pterosaur Gondwana Research 27 4 1673–1679 10.1016/j.gr.2014.06.002 2015GondR..27.1673G Sp. novValidGrellet-Tinner & CodreaLate Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)RomaniaA reptile of uncertain phylogenetic placement; initially classified as a pterosaur and a species of Thalassodromeus, but subsequently argued to be a turtle and a junior synonym of Kallokibotion bajazidi.Gareth Dyke Mátyás Vremir Stephen L. Brusatte G.S. Bever Eric Buffetaut Sandra Chapman Zoltán Csiki-Sava Alexander Kellner Elizabeth Martin Darren Naish Mark Norell Attila Ősi Felipe L. Pinheiro Edina Prondvai Márton Rabi Taissa Rodrigues Lorna Steel Haiyan Tong Bruno C. Vila Nova Mark Witton 2015 Thalassodromeus sebesensis - a new name for an old turtle. Comment on "Thalassodromeus sebesensis, an out of place and out of time Gondwanan tapejarid pterosaur", Grellet-Tinner and Codrea (online July 2014 DOI 10.1016/j.gr.2014.06.002) Gondwana Research 27 4 1680–1682 10.1016/j.gr.2014.08.004 http://real.mtak.hu/29974/1/Thalassodromeus_sebesensis_Gondwana_Res_2015.pdf 2015GondR..27.1680D References Category:2015 in paleontology