Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

2017 in paleontology

Overview of the events of 2017 in paleontology From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2017 in paleontology
Remove ads

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 2017.

Thumb
Important taxa described (but not necessarily validly named) in 2017

Remove ads

Flora

Cnidarians

Summarize
Perspective

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...
Remove ads

Arthropods

Bryozoans

Summarize
Perspective

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...
Remove ads

Brachiopods

Summarize
Perspective

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...
Remove ads

Molluscs

Echinoderms

Summarize
Perspective

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...
Remove ads

Conodonts

Summarize
Perspective

Research

  • A study on the conodont assemblage from the Silurian (Homerian) Rootsiküla Formation (Estonia), interpreted as occurring in the evaporite-bearing strata, and on the conodont diversity in various environments, is published by Jarochowska et al. (2017).[133]
  • Articulated skeletal remains of Hindeodus parvus, providing direct evidence of the number and arrangement of elements in the apparatus, are described from the Lower Triassic of China by Zhang et al. (2017).[134][135][136]

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...
Remove ads

Fishes

Amphibians

Summarize
Perspective

Research

  • A study on the evolution of eye size in early tetrapods and in fish belonging to the lineage that gave rise to tetrapods, as well as on the impact of the eye size on the eye performance while viewing objects through water and through air is published by MacIver et al. (2017).[164]
  • A study on the evolution of forelimb musculature from the lobe-finned fish to early tetrapods is published online by Molnar et al. (2017).[165]
  • A study on the influence of habitat traits on the persistence length of living and fossil amphibian species is published by Tietje & Rödel (2017).[166]
  • A study on the development of the vertebral intercentrum and pleurocentrum in fossil amphibians is published by Danto et al. (2017).[167]
  • A study on the probable function of the interpterygoid vacuities (holes in the palate) in temnospondyls as the site of muscle attachment is published by Witzmann & Werneburg (2017).[168]
  • A study on the earliest larval development in temnospondyls, as indicated by specimens from the Permian (Sakmarian) lake sediments near Obermoschel (Saar–Nahe Basin, Germany), is published by Werneburg (2017).[169]
  • A study on the histology of the small palatal plates and their denticles in a Permian dissorophoid temnospondyl from the Dolese Brothers Limestone Quarry near Richards Spur (Oklahoma, United States) is published by Gee, Haridy & Reisz (2017).[170]
  • Taxonomic revision of all described rhinesuchids and a study on the phylogenetic relationships of members of Rhinesuchidae is published by Marsicano et al. (2017), who transfer the species "Rhinesuchus" capensis Haughton (1925) to the genus Rhinesuchoides.[171]
  • New specimen of the rhinesuchid Australerpeton cosgriffi (a skull and mandible) is described from the Permian Rio do Rasto Formation (Brazil) by Azevedo, Vega & Soares (2017).[172]
  • A description of the anatomy of the braincase and middle ear regions of an exceptionally well-preserved skull of Stanocephalosaurus amenasensis from the Triassic of Algeria is published by Arbez, Dahoumane & Steyer (2017).[173]
  • A study on the anatomy of the skulls of metoposaurid species Metoposaurus krasiejowensis and Apachesaurus gregorii, as well as its implications for establishing whether metoposaurids were active or ambush predators is published by Fortuny, Marcé-Nogué & Konietzko-Meier (2017).[174]
  • An analysis of the microanatomy and histology of metoposaurid vertebra from the Petrified Forest National Park is published by Gee, Parker & Marsh (2017), who interpret Apachesaurus gregorii as more likely to be an early ontogenetic stage of a large metoposaurid, such as Koskinonodon perfectus rather than a distinct species.[175]
  • A juvenile specimen of Koskinonodon perfectus is described from the Norian Petrified Forest Member of the Late Triassic Chinle Formation (Arizona, United States) by Gee & Parker (2017).[176]
  • A study on the physiology (especially metabolic rate, body temperature, breathing, feeding, digestion, osmoregulation and excretion) of Archegosaurus decheni is published by Witzmann & Brainerd (2017).[177]
  • A study on the histology of the dermal skull roof bones in Kokartus honorarius is published by Skutschas & Boitsova (2017).[178]
  • Fossilized soft tissues preserved with the type specimen of the salamander Phosphotriton sigei are described by Tissier, Rage & Laurin (2017).[179]
  • A study on the bite force in extant Cranwell's horned frog (Ceratophrys cranwelli) and its implications for estimating the bite force in the Late Cretaceous species Beelzebufo ampinga is published by Lappin et al. (2017).[180]
  • Frog fossils, including the first known fossils of shovelnose frogs, are described from the early Pliocene of Kanapoi (Kenya) by Delfino (2017).[181]
  • A study on the morphology of the skull of Lethiscus stocki and on the phylogenetic relationships of early tetrapods, recovering lepospondyls as a polyphyletic group, is published by Pardo et al. (2017).[182]

New taxa

Temnospondyls

More information Name, Novelty ...

Lissamphibians

More information Name, Novelty ...

Other amphibians

More information Name, Novelty ...
Remove ads

Reptiles

Synapsids

Summarize
Perspective

Non-mammalian synapsids

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Mammals

Other animals

Summarize
Perspective

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

Other organisms

Summarize
Perspective

Research

New taxa

More information Name, Novelty ...

General paleontology

Summarize
Perspective

Research related to paleontology that either does not concern any of the groups of the organisms listed above, or concerns multiple groups.

  • A study on the links between changes in the composition of exposed continental crust and oxygenation of the atmosphere in the Precambrian is published by Smit & Mezger (2017).[352]
  • A review of the progress in modeling the Snowball Earth atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, specifically as it pertains to Cryogenian geology and geobiology, is published by Hoffman et al. (2017).[353]
  • A revised record of fossil eukaryotic steroids during the Neoproterozoic is presented by Brocks et al. (2017), who argue that bacteria were the only notable primary producers in the oceans before the Cryogenian, and that rapid rise of marine planktonic algae to domination occurred in the narrow time interval between the Sturtian and Marinoan glaciations, 659–645 million years ago, likely driving the subsequent radiation of animals in the Ediacaran period.[354]
  • A study evaluating whether mass extinction events over the last 500 million year were caused by astronomical phenomena is published by Erlykin et al. (2017).[355]
  • A study on the water column geochemistry of the Yangtze Sea during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition and its implications for the relationship between ocean oxygenation and Early Cambrian animal diversification is published by Zhang et al. (2017).[356]
  • A study on the links between the expansion of siliceous sponges and seawater oxygenation during the Ediacaran–Cambrian transition is published by Tatzel et al. (2017).[357]
  • A study on the factors influencing marine invertebrate diversity dynamics through the Phanerozoic is published by Cermeño et al. (2017).[358]
  • Edwards et al. (2017) identify a strong temporal link between the rising atmospheric oxygen levels and the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.[359]
  • A study on the impact of the drawdown of atmospheric carbon dioxide (caused by burial of organic carbon leading to the formation of coal) on the climate around the Carboniferous/Permian boundary is published by Feulner (2017).[360]
  • A comprehensive reconstruction of the Permian (Lopingian) Bletterbach Biota (Italy) and a review of other best-known Lopingian terrestrial associations containing both vertebrate and plant remains is published by Bernardi et al. (2017).[361]
  • A study on the causal connection between the Siberian Traps large igneous province magmatism and Permian–Triassic extinction event, identifying the initial emplacement pulse as likely to have triggered mass extinction, is published by Burgess, Muirhead & Bowring (2017).[362]
  • Viglietti, Rubidge & Smith (2017) review the tectonic setting of the Late Permian Karoo Basin (South Africa), provide an updated basin development model, and interpret their findings as indicating that the climatic changes associated with the Permian–Triassic extinction event were occurring much lower in the stratigraphy (and thus earlier) than previously documented.[363]
  • A summary of knowledge of the impact of Permian-Triassic mass extinction on reef ecosystems, and on their recovery after this extinction, is presented by Martindale, Foster & Velledits (2017).[364]
  • A study on benthic invertebrate communities from the Lower Triassic Werfen Formation (Italy), aiming to test whether carbon isotope perturbations during the Early Triassic were associated with biotic crises that impeded benthic recovery after the Permian–Triassic extinction event, is published by Foster et al. (2017).[365]
  • A study on the impact of the magmatic activity associated with the Central Atlantic magmatic province on the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event is published by Davies et al. (2017).[366]
  • A study on the volcanic activity at the end of the Triassic as indicated by mercury concentrations in sediments from around the world is published by Percival et al. (2017).[367]
  • A study on the oxygen levels in Earth's oceans during and after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event as indicated by uranium isotopes in shallow-marine limestones in the Lombardy Basin (northern Italy) is published by Jost et al. (2017).[368]
  • A high-resolution stratigraphic chart for terrestrial Late Cretaceous units of North America and a study on the stratigraphic ranges of North American dinosaurs is published by Fowler (2017).[369]
  • A study on the impact that large amounts of soot injected into the atmosphere during the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event (probably caused by global wildfires) had on the climate is published by Bardeen et al. (2017).[370]
  • A study estimating the decrease of the air temperature and the duration of the climate cooling caused by Chicxulub impact at the end of the Cretaceous is published by Brugger, Feulner & Petri (2017).[371]
  • A study on the volume of the climate-active gases released from sedimentary rocks as a result of the Chicxulub impact, as well as on their effect on the global climate, is published by Artemieva, Morgan & Expedition 364 Science Party (2017).[372]
  • Kaiho & Oshima (2017) calculate the amounts of stratospheric soot and sulfate formed by a virtual asteroid impact at various global locations, and conclude that the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event was caused by the Chicxulub impact happening at the hydrocarbon-rich, sulfate-dominated area on the Earth's surface, and that an impact at a low–medium hydrocarbon area on Earth would be unlikely to cause mass extinction.[373]
  • A study on the data sets of molluscan fossils from the Cretaceous–Paleogene of the Seymour Island (Antarctica) is published by Tobin (2017), who identifies possible evidence of two separate extinction events, one prior to the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, and one simultaneous with the bolide impact at the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary.[374]
  • A study on the behavioral and ecological diversification of animals that colonized land as indicated by trace fossils is published by Minter et al. (2017).[375]
  • A study on the age of the Cowie Harbour Fish Bed (Scotland, United Kingdom), containing fish and arthropod fossils (including the millipede Pneumodesmus newmani), is published by Suarez et al. (2017).[376]
  • A study on the preservation of skin and keratinous integumentary structures in tetrapod fossils through time is published by Eliason et al. (2017).[377]
  • A study on the differences between the tetrapod faunas at different latitudes during the early and middle Permian, as well as their implications for establishing whether the Olson's Extinction was a genuine event, is published by Brocklehurst et al. (2017).[378]
  • A study on the non-flying terrestrial tetrapod species richness through the Mesozoic and early Palaeogene is published by Close et al. (2017).[379]
  • A study on the evolution of the shape of brain and skull roof during the transition from early reptiles through archosauromorphs, including nonavian dinosaurs, to birds is published by Fabbri et al. (2017).[380]
  • A study on the structure and vulnerability of the food web in marine vertebrate assemblages prior to the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event as indicated by calcium isotope data from plesiosaurs and mosasaurs is published by Martin et al. (2017).[381]
  • Qvarnström et al. (2017) reconstruct fossil inclusions in two coprolites (produced by an insectivorous animal and a large aquatic predator) from the Late Triassic locality of Krasiejów (Poland) using propagation phase-contrast synchrotron microtomography.[382]
  • A study on the fossil inclusions in coprolite fragments (produced by medium to large-sized carnivores, possibly therocephalian therapsids or early archosauriforms) recovered from the Late Permian locality of Vyazniki (Russia) is published by Bajdek et al. (2017).[383]
  • A new tetrapod assemblage from the lowermost levels of the Triassic Chañares Formation (Argentina), dominated by fossils of Tarjadia ruthae, dicynodonts and cynodonts, and also including fossils of other pseudosuchians and rhynchosaurs, is described by Ezcurra et al. (2017), who also reinterpret Tarjadia ruthae and Archeopelta arborensis as erpetosuchid archosaurs.[384]
  • A study on the cosmopolitanism of terrestrial amniote faunas in the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic extinction event and Triassic–Jurassic extinction event is published by Button et al. (2017).[385]
  • Frese et al. (2017) determine the mineral and elemental composition of a range of fossils from the Talbragar fossil site (Australia) and their rock matrices using ultraviolet light-induced fluorescence/photoluminescence, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffractometry, and use those techniques to reveal anatomical details of animals and plants fossils that weren't discernible otherwise.[386]
  • A study on changes of the size of fossil marine shells and predatory drill holes in those shells during the Phanerozoic, as well as their implications for changes of predator-prey size ratio throughout the Phanerozoic, is published by Klompmaker et al. (2017).[387]
  • A study evaluating the utility of oxygen-isotope compositions of fossilised foraminifera tests as proxies for surface- and deep-ocean paleotemperatures, and its implications for inferring Late Cretaceous and Paleogene deep-ocean and high-latitude surface-ocean temperatures, is published by Bernard et al. (2017).[388][389][390]
  • A study on the glacial development and environmental changes in the Aurora Subglacial Basin (Antarctica) throughout the Cenozoic based on geophysical and geological evidence is published by Gulick et al. (2017).[391]
  • A study on the onset duration of the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum is published by Kirtland Turner et al. (2017).[392]
  • A study on the relationship between volcanic activity in the North Atlantic Igneous Province and the Paleocene–Eocene Thermal Maximum is published by Gutjahr et al. (2017).[393]
  • A study on the environment in the area corresponding to the present-day Amazon basin in the Miocene as indicated by data from the shark and ray fossils from the Pirabas Formation (Brazil) is published by Aguilera et al. (2017).[394]
  • A study on the impact of the Messinian salinity crisis on Mediterranean magmatism is published by Sternai et al. (2017).[395]
  • A study on the changes of ice sheets volume and sea level during the late Pliocene is published by de Boer et al. (2017).[396]
  • Pimiento et al. (2017) identify a previously unrecognized extinction event among marine megafauna at the end of the Pliocene.[397]
  • A study on the aridity in eastern Africa over the past 4.4 million years as indicated by oxygen isotope ratios in fossil herbivore tooth enamel, and on its implications for inferring the role of climate in shaping early hominin environments, is published by Blumenthal et al. (2017).[398]
  • Tierney, deMenocal & Zander (2017) reconstruct temperature and aridity in the Horn of Africa region spanning the past 200,000 years.[399]
  • A vertebrate fauna from the Pleistocene and Holocene of Sumba (Indonesia) is described by Turvey et al. (2017).[400]
  • A study on the modified mammalian bones from the Plio–Pleistocene of Ethiopia is published by Sahle, El Zaatari & White (2017), who interpret the marks on some of these bones as more likely to be produced by crocodiles than by hominids using stone tools.[401]
  • Hagstrum et al. (2017) report impact-related microspherules and elevated platinum concentrations found in fine-grained sediments retained within Late Pleistocene bison and mammoth skull fragments from Alaska and Yukon, and interpret the findings as evidence of repeated airbursts and ground/ice impacts associated with multiple episodes of cosmic impact.[402]
  • A study on changes in landscape moisture in the rangelands in Europe, Siberia and the Americas during the late Pleistocene as indicated by data from the bones of megaherbivores is published by Rabanus-Wallace et al. (2017).[403]

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads