2016 in paleontology
Overview of the events of 2016 in paleontology / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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 2016.
Plants
Fungi
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cultoraquaticus[2] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Strullu-Derrien in Strullu-Derrien et al. |
Early Devonian |
A fungus belonging to the group Chytridiomycetes. |
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Dennisiellinites[3] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Bannister, Conran & Lee |
Eocene |
Pikopiko Fossil Forest |
A fungus. Genus includes new species D. pikopikoensis . |
||
Gerontomyces[4] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Poinar |
Eocene |
Europe (Baltic Sea coast) |
A gilled mushroom. The type species is G. lepidotus. |
||
Hypoxylonites foyelensis[5] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Bianchinotti, Martínez & Saxena in Martínez et al. |
Paleogene (probably Eocene) |
Troncoso Formation |
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Monodictysporites[6] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Klymiuk |
A ascomycotan fungal spore taxon. |
||||
Paleocadus[7] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Poinar |
Cretaceous |
An Eccrinaceous fungus. Type species P. burmiticus. |
|||
Pluricellaesporites patagonicus[5] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Bianchinotti, Martínez & Saxena in Martínez et al. |
Paleogene |
A fungus described on the basis of spores resembling those of members of the genus Bactrodesmium. |
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Trewinomyces[8] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Krings, Taylor & Martin |
Early Devonian |
A fungus of uncertain phylogenetic placement, |
|||
Research
- Yunnanoascus haikouensis, previously thought to be a member of Ctenophora, is reinterpreted as a crown-group medusozoan by Han et al. (2016).[9]
- A study on the fossil corals from the Late Triassic (Norian) outcrops in Antalya Province (Turkey), indicating that the corals lived in symbiosis with photosynthesizing dinoflagellate algae, is published by Frankowiak et al. (2016).[10]
New taxa
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aphyllum pachystele[11] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Munson & Jell |
Silurian (late Wenlock) |
Jack Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Tryplasmatidae. |
||
Aulokoninckophyllum potyi[12] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Somerville, Rodríguez & Said |
Carboniferous |
Azrou-Khenifra Basin |
An aulate coral. |
||
Axuolites higoensis[13] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Niko |
Fukami Formation |
A tabulate coral belonging to the order Favositida and the family Coenitidae. |
|||
Bjarmia[14] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Grazhdankin |
Late Ediacaran (~550 Ma) |
Erga Formation |
A jellyfish-like organism, a possible relative of scyphomedusae. Genus includes new species B. cycloplerusa. |
||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Vinn et al. |
Ordovician (Katian) |
A possible thecate scyphozoan. |
||||
Calceola collini[16] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Wright, Plusquellec & Gourvennec |
Devonian (Eifelian) |
Saint-Fiacre Formation |
An operculate coral belonging to the family Calceolidae; a species of Calceola. |
||
Cambroctoconus coreaensis[17] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Park et al. |
Cambrian |
Daegi Formation |
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Caninophyllum charli[18] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Denayer |
Carboniferous (Tournaisian) |
Yılanlı Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Bothrophyllidae; a species of Caninophyllum. |
||
Cystodactylon[19] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Denayer & Webb |
Carboniferous (Tournaisian) |
Gudman Formation |
A rugose coral. Genus includes new species C. orbum. |
||
Dokophyllum hillae[11] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Munson & Jell |
Silurian (Ludfordian) |
Jack Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Ketophyllidae. |
||
Edaphophyllum zhaotongense[20] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Liao & Ma |
Devonian (Emsian) |
||||
Eoaequorea[21] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Tang et al. |
A member of Hydrozoa of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Eoaequorea xingi. |
||||
Eosiderastrea[22] |
Gen. et comb. et 2 sp. nov |
Valid |
Löser |
Cretaceous (late Valanginian to Santonian) |
Austria |
A stony coral belonging to the family Siderastreidae. The type species is "Siderastrea" cuyleri Wells (1932); genus also includes "Phyllocoenia" cotteaui Orbigny (1850), "Diploastrea" crassa Kuzmicheva (1980), "Diploastrea" crassicostata Morycowa & Masse (1998), "Phyllocoenia" cyclops Felix (1891), "Confusastrea" dollfusi Prever (1909), "Confusastrea" felixi Prever (1909); "Stephanocoenia" grandipora Orbigny (1849), "Diploastrea" harrisi Wells (1932), "Diploastrea" hilli Wells (1933), "Montastraea" nagaoi Eguchi (1951), "Pleurocora" reussi Milne Edwards (1857), "Diplocoenia" splendida Prever (1909), "Diploastrea" vaughani Wells (1933) and "Plesiofavia" villaltai Reig Oriol (1991), as well as new species E. paragrandipora Löser (2016) and E. stefani Löser (2016).[23] |
||
Famastraea[24] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Berkowski, Zapalski & Wrzołek |
Devonian (Famennian) |
A coral belonging to the group Rugosa and the family Campophyllidae. The type species is Famastraea catenata. |
|||
Fomichevella najafi[25] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Badpa et al. |
Carboniferous (Bashkirian) |
Sardar Formation |
A member of Rugosa belonging to the group Stauriida and the family Kleopatrinidae. |
||
Gertholites haikawai[26] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Niko & Fujikawa |
Early Carboniferous |
Akiyoshi Limestone Group |
|||
Gerviphyllum[16] |
Gen. et comb. nov |
Valid |
Wright, Plusquellec & Gourvennec |
Early Devonian (likely late Lochkovian to early Pragian) |
An operculate coral belonging to the family Calceolidae; a new genus for "Calceola" gervillei Bayle (1878). |
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Gudmania[19] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Denayer & Webb |
Carboniferous (Tournaisian) |
Gudman Formation |
A rugose coral. Genus includes new species G. darumbalae. |
||
Heintzella fluegeli[25] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Badpa et al. |
Carboniferous (Bashkirian) |
Sardar Formation |
A member of Rugosa belonging to the group Stauriida and the family Kleopatrinidae. |
||
Kullingia rotadiscopsis[21] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Tang et al. |
A member of Hydrozoa of uncertain phylogenetic placement; a species of Kullingia. |
||||
Madrepora mitsukurii[27] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Niko, Suzuki & Taguchi |
Miocene |
Katsuta Group |
A madrepore. |
||
Marekostragulum grafi[28] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Plusquellec, Galle & Franke |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Hyostragulidae. |
||||
Mesoconularia (?) lukesi[29] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Mergl, Ferrova & Frýda |
Devonian (late Emsian) |
Suchomasty Limestone |
A member of Conulariida, possibly a species of Mesoconularia. |
||
?Michelinia vinni[30] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Zapalski, Berkowski & Wrzołek |
Devonian (late Famennian) |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Micheliniidae; possibly a species of Michelinia. |
|||
Multicarinophyllum vepreculatum[11] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Munson & Jell |
Silurian (Ludfordian) |
Jack Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Amsdenoididae. |
||
Oligophylloides maroccanus[31] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Weyer |
A member of Heterocorallia. |
||||
Palaeosiderofungia[22] |
Gen. et comb. nov |
Valid |
Löser |
A stony coral belonging to the family Siderastreidae; a new genus for "Thamnasteria" exigua Reuss (1854). |
||||
Parostragulum[28] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Plusquellec, Galle & Franke |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Hyostragulidae. The type species is P. problematicum. |
||||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Plusquellec & Franke |
Wiltz Beds |
A tabulate coral belonging to group Favositida and to the family Micheliniidae. |
||||
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Plusquellec & Franke |
Wiltz Beds |
A tabulate coral belonging to group Favositida and to the family Micheliniidae. |
||||
Potyphyllum[33] |
Gen. et comb. nov |
Valid |
Coen-Aubert |
Devonian (late Frasnian) |
Belgium |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Phillipsastreidae. The type species is "Cyathophyllum" ananas Goldfuss (1826); genus also includes "Pseudoacervularia" dybowskii Różkowska (1953), "Pseudoacervularia" intercellulosa (Phillips, 1841) sensu Pickett (1967), "Schlüteria" lyskovensis Ermakova (1957), "Acervularia" macrommata Roemer (1855), "Phillipsastrea" plantana Różkowska (1979), "Cyathophyllum" profundum Michelin (1845), "Phillipsastrea" rozkowskae Scrutton (1968), "Pseudoacervularia" cf. smithi (Różkowska, 1953) sensu Pickett (1967), "Phillipsastrea" ananas veserensis Coen-Aubert (1974) and "Phillipsastrea" zerda Galle, 1992 in Hladil et al. (1992). |
||
Preisingerella[34] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Kossovaya, Novak & Weyer |
A coral similar to members of the genus Caninia. The type species is P. stegovnikensis. |
||||
Ptychophyllum variatum[11] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Munson & Jell |
Silurian (late Gorstian to Ludfordian) |
Jack Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Ptychophyllidae. |
||
Pycnostylus polyphyllodus[11] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Munson & Jell |
Silurian (late Wenlock) |
Jack Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Pycnostylidae. |
||
Sokolovia[35] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Junior homonym |
Tsyganko |
Late Devonian (Famennian) |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Pachyporidae. The type species is Sokolovia pershinae. The generic name is preoccupied by Sokolovia Ilovaisky (1934) and Sokolovia Shishkinskaya (1964). |
|||
Spinaxon[36] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Weyer |
Devonian (late Frasnian) |
A member of Rugosa belonging to the family Petraiidae. The type species is Spinaxon potyi. |
|||
Syringopora hilarowiczi[30] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Zapalski, Berkowski & Wrzołek |
Devonian (late Famennian) |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Syringoporidae; a species of Syringopora. |
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Syringopora kowalensis[30] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Zapalski, Berkowski & Wrzołek |
Devonian (late Famennian) |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Syringoporidae; a species of Syringopora. |
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Talfania[37] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Peel & McDermott |
Ordovician (Katian) |
Sholeshook Limestone Formation |
A solitary coral. The type species is Talfania calicula. |
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Thamnoptychia mistiaeni[30] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Zapalski, Berkowski & Wrzołek |
Devonian (late Famennian) |
A tabulate coral belonging to the family Pachyporidae; a species of Thamnoptychia. |
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Turbinolia (Turbinolia) deformis[38] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Berezovsky in Berezovsky & Berezovsky |
A stony coral. |
||||
Turbinolia (Turbinolia) emendata[38] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Berezovsky in Berezovsky & Berezovsky |
A stony coral. |
||||
Utaratuia yunnanensis[20] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
Liao & Ma |
Devonian (Eifelian) |
||||
Vassiljukia[39] |
Gen. et comb. nov |
Valid |
Denayer & Ogar |
Carboniferous (Viséan) |
A colonial rugose coral; a new genus for "Lithostrotion" columnariformis Vassiljuk (1960). |
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Vesicospina[11] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Munson & Jell |
Silurian (Ludfordian) |
Jack Formation |
A rugose coral belonging to the family Kyphophyllidae. The type species is V. julli. |
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Vulykhia[40] |
Nom. nov |
Valid |
Doweld |
Late Ordovician |
An anthozoan belonging to the superfamily Heliolitoidea; a replacement name for Concavites Bondarenko & Minzhin (1981). |
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