1929 in paleontology

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 1929.

Plants

Ferns and fern allies

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Asplenium occidentale[2]	Sp nov	Jr synonym	Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation	USA Washington	A spleenwort species. A jr homonym of Asplenium occidentale Knowlton (1917) Moved to Osmunda occidentale (1940)	Osmunda occidentale
Woodsia bonseri[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation	USA Washington	A woodsia fern species.	Woodsia bonseri
Woodwardia praeradicans[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene Langhian	Latah Formation	USA Washington	A chain fern species.	Woodwardia praeradicans

Conifers

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Pinus latahensis[2]	Sp nov	Valid	Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington	A 5-needle pine species	Pinus latahensis
Pinus macrophylla[2]	Sp nov	Homonym	Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington	A 3-needle pine species. Jr homonym of Pinus macrophylla Lindley, 1839	Pinus macrophylla
Pinus monticolensis[2]	Sp nov	Valid	Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington	A pine seed morphospecies	Pinus monticolensis
Pinus tetrafolia[2]	Sp nov	nomen dubium	Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington	A punitive 4-needle pine species Noted by Berry as "highly improbable that this should represent a distinct botanic species"	Pinus tetrafolia
Tsuga latahensis[2]	Sp nov	Valid?	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington	First described as a hemlock conescale.[3] Suggested to be a bud scale in 1937.[4] Treated as an incertae sedis plant by Chaney & Axelrod (1959).[5]	Tsuga latahensis

Angiosperms

Monocots

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Potamogeton heterophylloides[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A pondweed species Moved to Keteleeria heterophylloides (1935)[6]	Keteleeria heterophylloides

Magnoliids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Liriodendron hesperia[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Liriodendron species	Liriodendron hesperia
Sassafras hesperia[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington		A Sassafras species	Sassafras hesperia
Umbellularia dayana[2]	Comb nov		(Knowlton) Berry	Miocene	Mascall Formation	USA Oregon		An Umbellularia species Moved from Salix dayana (1902) Synonymized into Umbellularia saliciformis (1952)[7]	Umbellularia saliciformis
Umbellularia lanceolata[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		An Umbellularia species later moved to Persea lanceolata (1946)[8]	Persea lanceolata

Superasterids - basal

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Arctostaphylos knowltoni[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a bearberry species Species synonymized into Vaccinium sophoroides (1937)[4]	Vaccinium sophoroides
Arctostaphylos spatulata[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A bearberry species	Arctostaphylos spatulata
Cornus acuminata[2]	Sp nov	Homonym	Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington		A Schoepfia species jr homonym of ''Cornus acuminata'' (Weber) Renamed Cornus republicensis in 1944 Moved to Schoepfia republicensis in 1987[9]	Schoepfia republicensis
Gordonia pteraformis[10]	Comb nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		Suggested as a possible Gordonia species Moved from Carpolithes pteraformis 1929 Moved to Cedrela pteraformis (1935)[7]	Cedrela pteraformis
Nyssa knowltoni[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Nyssa species Species synonymized into Ptelea miocenica (1931)[7]	Ptelea miocenica
Nyssa magnifica[2]	Comb nov	valid	(Knowlton) Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Nyssa species Moved from Carpites magnifica (1926)[11]	Nyssa magnifica
Ternstroemites idahoensis[2]	Comb nov		(Knowlton) Berry	Miocene	Payette Formation	USA Idaho		A theaceous species Moved from Myrica? idahoensis (1919) Moved to Gordonia idahoensis 1929
Vaccinium americanum[2]	Comb et Syn nov	valid?	(Lesquereux) Berry	Miocene	Mascall Formation	USA Oregon	Salix pseudoargentea (1902) Vaccinium salicoides (1926)[11]	A Vaccinium species Moved from Santalum americanum (1883) Two species synonymized Vaccinium salicoides resurrected as incertae sedis (1959)[5]	Vaccinium salicoides
Vaccinium bonseri[2]	Sp et "var" nov	valid	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Vaccinium species One variety named V. bonseri serrulatum	Vaccinium bonseri
Vaccinium spokanense[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Vaccinium species	Salix spokanensis

Superasterids - euasterids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Apocynophyllum latahense[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A apocynaceous species Moved to Magnolia latahensis[4]	Magnolia latahensis
Porana microcalyx[2]	Comb nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		Redescribed as a Porana species Moved from Diospyros? microcalyx (1926)[11] Moved to Remberella microcalyx (2024)[12]	Remberella microcalyx
Umbelliferospermum[2]	Gen et Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		An apiaceous fruit genus The type species is U. latahense	Umbelliferospermum latahense
Viburnum fernquisti[2]	Sp nov	valid	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Viburnum seed morphospecies	Viburnum fernquisti
Viburnum lantanafolium[2]	Sp nov	valid	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Viburnum leaf morphospecies	Viburnum lantanafolium

Superrosids - Basal

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Menziesia knowltoni[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Menziesia species	Rhododendron knowltoni
Ribes fernquisti[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a gooseberry species Renamed and moved to Viburnum ribesiforme (1944)[7]	Viburnum ribesiforme

Superrosids - Fabids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Alnus elliptica[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Eocene Ypresian	Klondike Mountain Formation	USA Washington		An alder species Synonymized into Alnus parvifolia (1987)[9]	Alnus parvifolia
Alnus prerhombifolia[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		An alder species Synonymized into Alnus carpinoides (1937)[4] Synonymized into Alnus hollandiana (1959)[5]	Alnus hollandiana
Amygdalus alexanderi[13]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as an Amygdalus species Synonymized into Fagus washoensis (1937)[4]
Cassia sophoroides[2]	Comb nov	jr synonym	(Knowlton) Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		Recombined as a Cassia species Moved from Phyllites sophoroides (1926) Moved to Vaccinium sophoroides (1937)[4]	Vaccinium sophoroides
Cassia spokanensis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a Cassia species Synonymized into Cedrela pteraformis (1935)	Cedrela pteraformis
Celastrus spokanensis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a staff vine species Synonymized into Gordonia idahoensis (1959)[5]	Gordonia idahoensis
Cercocarpus praeledifolius[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A mountain mahogany species	Cercocarpus praeledifolius
Comptonia hesperia[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A sweet fern species	Comptonia hesperia
Cucurbita glandulosa[7]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Brown	Eocene Ypresian	Green River Formation	United States ( Colorado)		First identified as a gourd seed morphotype Moved to Punctaphyllum glandulosum in 2023[14]
Euonymus knowltoni[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Euonymus species	Hydrangea knowltoni
Hibiscus? occidentalis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a possible Hibiscus seed species Moved to Mentzelia occidentalis (1935)	Mentzelia occidentalis
Leguminosites alexanderi[2]	Sp nov		Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A fabaceous fruit species of uncertain affinity	Leguminosites alexanderi
Leguminosites bonseri[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a fabaceous species of uncertain affinity Synonymized into Umbellularia dayana (1937) Synonymized into Umbellularia saliciformis (1952)[7]	Umbellularia saliciformis
Meibomites knowltoni[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a fabaceous species Synonymized into Exbucklandia oregonensis (1946)[8]	Exbucklandia oregonensis
Menispermites latahensis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a menispermaceous species Synonymized into Vitis washingtonensis (1937)[4]	Vitis washingtonensis
Quercus treleasii[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as an oak species Synonymized into Sophora spokanensis (1937)[4]	Sophora spokanensis
Rhamnus spokanensis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a buckthorn species Moved to Salix spokanensis (1937)[4]	Salix spokanensis

Superrosids - Malvids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Aesculus hesperia[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a horse chestnut species Synonymized into Viburnum lantanafolium (1937)[4]	Viburnum lantanafolium
Sapindus armstrongi[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a soap berry species Synonymized into Cedrela pteraformis (1937)[4]	Cedrela pteraformis
Sapindus spokanensis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a soap berry species Synonymized into Cedrela pteraformis (1935)
Tilia hesperia[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		A Tilia species Synonymized into Tilia aspera (1935)	Tilia aspera

incertae sedis

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Carpolithus pteraformis[2]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Berry	Miocene	Latah Formation	USA Washington		First named as a seed of uncertain affinity Moved to Gordonia pteraformis later in 1929[10] Moved to Cedrela pteraformis (1935)	Cedrela pteraformis

Arthropods

Crustaceans

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Cycloprosopon[citation needed]			Lorenthey & Beurlen

Insects

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Permotipula[15]		Valid	Tillyard	Permian Changhsingian - Wuchiapingian	Newcastle Coal Measures	Australia New South Wales	A protodipteran scorpionfly

Dinosaurs

• Barosaurus gastroliths documented.^[16]

New taxa

Taxon	Novelty	Status	Author(s)	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Anodontosaurus inceptus[17]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Sternberg	Maastrichtian	Horseshoe Canyon Formation	Alberta	An ankylosaurid
Antarctosaurus wichmannianus[18]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Huene	Campanian	Anacleto Formation	Argentina	A titanosaur
Antarctosaurus giganteus[18]	Sp. nov.	Valid	Huene	Campanian	Anacleto Formation	Argentina	A species of Antarctosaurus
Campylodon ameghinoi[18]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Preoccupied	Huene	Cenomanian	Bajo Barreal Formation	Argentina	A titanosaur preoccupied by Campylodon Dumeril, 1852 and moved to Campylodoniscus in 1961
Helopus zdanskyi[19]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Preoccupied	Wiman	Barremian-Aptian	Mengyin Formation	China	A sauropod preoccupied by Helopus Wagler and moved to Euhelopus in 1956
Laplatasaurus araukanicus[18]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	von Huene	Campanian	Allen Formation	Argentina	A titanosaur
Loricosaurus scutatus[18]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Nomen dubium	von Huene	Campanian	Allen Formation	Argentina	A titanosaur
Paranthodon owenii[20]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Jr. synonym	Nopcsa	Berriasian	Kirkwood Formation	South Africa	A stegosaur now named Paranthodon africanus
Rhodanosaurus ludgunensis[20]	Gen et sp nov	Nomen dubium	Nopcsa	Campanian	Gres a Reptiles	France	A nodosaurid.
Tanius sinensis[19]	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Wiman	Campanian	Jingangkou Formation	China	A hadrosauroid

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Eoarctops	Gen et sp nov	jr synonym	Haughton	Permian Capitanian		South Africa	A gorgonopsid therapsid. The type species is E. vanderbyli A jr synonym of Eriphostoma microdon	Eriphostoma microdon
Hipposaurus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Haughton	Permian Capitanian	Beaufort Group Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone	South Africa	A biarmosuchian therapsid. The type species is H. boonstrai	Hipposaurus boonstrai
Scullya	Sp nov	nomen dubium	Broom				A titanosuchid dinocephalian
Styracocephalus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Haughton	Permian Capitanian		South Africa	A tapinocephalian therapsid	Styracocephalus

Other animals

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Rangea	Gen. et sp. nov.	Valid	Gürich	Ediacaran		Namibia	The type species is R. schneiderhoehni