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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 1961.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
+...

Plants

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Angiosperms

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Acer beckianum[2]

Sp nov

Valid

Prakash & Barghoorn

Langhian

Ginkgo Petrified Forest

  USA
  Washington

A maple, described from petrified wood

Acer palaeorufinerve[3]

sp nov

Valid

Tanai & Onoe

Miocene - Pliocene

Ningyo-toge Formation

A maple, A member of the Macrantha section.

Davisicarpum[4]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Chandler

Ypresian

London Clay

  UK
  England

A moon seed relative.
Type species D. gibbosum

Archosauromorphs

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Phytosaurs

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Rileyasuchus[5]

Gen et comb nov

Nomen dubium.

Kuhn

Rhaetian

  UK
  England

A dubious phytosaur, possibly a chimera;
replacement name for Rileya von Huene 1902 (non Ashmead, 1888).

Pseudosuchians

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Avalonianus[5]

Gen et comb nov

Nomen dubium

Kuhn

Late Triassic (Rhaetian)

  UK
  England

Dubious non-dinosaurian archosaur;
replacement name for Avalonia Seeley, 1898 (non Walcott, 1889).

Dasygnathoides[5]

Gen et comb nov

Nomen dubium?

Kuhn

Late Triassic (Carnian)

Lossiemouth Sandstone

  UK
  Scotland

A pseudosuchian of uncertain affinity.[6]
Replacement name for Dasygnathus Huxley, 1877 (non MacLeay, 1819).

Dinosaurs

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Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[7]

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Astrodonius[5]

Gen et comb nov

Junior synonym

Kuhn

Early Cretaceous

Arundel Formation

  USA
  Maryland

Junior synonym of Astrodon.

 
Astrodon johnstoni

Campylodoniscus[5]

Gen et comb nov

Nomen dubium.

Kuhn

Late Cretaceous

Bajo Barreal Formation

  Argentina

A possible titanosaur
Replacement name for "Campylodon" von Huen 1929

 
Campylodoniscus

Pachysaurops[8]

Gen et sp nov

Junior synonym

von Huene

Late Triassic

  Germany

Junior synonym of Pachysauriscus.

Birds

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Anas pullulans[9]

Sp nov.

valid

Brodkorb

Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

An Anatidae.

Eremochen[9]

Gen et Sp nov.

valid

Brodkorb

Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

An Anatidae, type species E. russelli.

Fulica infelix[9]

Sp. nov.

valid

Brodkorb

Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

A Rallidae.

Ocyplonessa shotwelli[9]

Sp. nov.

jr synonym

Brodkorb

Late Miocene - Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

An Anatidae,
moved to Histrionicuslli shotwelli by Olson & Rasmussen, 2001[10]

Megapaloelodus opsigonus[9]

Sp. nov.

valid

Brodkorb

Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

A Palaelodidae.

Neortyx[11]

Gen et Sp. nov.

valid

Holman

Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

An Odontophoridae
Type species N. peninsularis

Phalacrocorax leptopus[9]

Sp. nov.

valid

Brodkorb

Early Pliocene

Juntura Formation

  USA
(  Oregon)

A Phalacrocoracidae.

Puffinus mitchelli[12]

Sp. nov.

valid

Miller

Middle Miocene

Temblor Formation

  USA
(  California)

A Procellariidae.

Puffinus priscus[12]

Sp. nov.

valid

Miller

Middle Miocene

Temblor Formation

  USA
(  California)

A Procellariidae.

References

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  1. ^ Gini-Newman, Garfield; Graham, Elizabeth (2001). Echoes from the past: world history to the 16th century. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd. ISBN 9780070887398. OCLC 46769716.
  2. ^ Prakash, U.; Barghoorn, E. S. (1961). "Miocene fossil woods from the Columbia Basalts of central Washington". Journal of the Arnold Arboretum. 42 (2): 165–203. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.19013. S2CID 127699009.
  3. ^ Wolfe, J.A.; Tanai, T. (1987). "Systematics, Phylogeny, and Distribution of Acer (maples) in the Cenozoic of Western North America". Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University. Series 4, Geology and Mineralogy. 22 (1): 1–246.
  4. ^ Manchester, S.R. (1994). "Fruits and Seeds of the Middle Eocene Nut Beds Flora, Clarno Formation, Oregon". Palaeontographica Americana. 58: 30–31.
  5. ^ a b c d e Kuhn, O. 1961. Die Familien der rezenten und fossilen Amphibien und Reptilien. Meisenbach, Bamberg: 79 pages.
  6. ^ von Baczko, M; Ezcurra, Martin (2016-10-17). "Taxonomy of the archosaur Ornithosuchus: reassessing Ornithosuchus woodwardi Newton, 1894 and Dasygnathoides longidens (Huxley 1877)". Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 106 (3): 199–205. doi:10.1017/S1755691016000104. hdl:11336/49897. S2CID 88658892.
  7. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  8. ^ Huene, F. von. 1961. Palaontologie und Phylogenie der Niederen Tetrapoden. Nachtrage und Erganzungen. Fischer, Jena: 58 pages.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Brodkorb, Pierce (1961). "Birds from the Pliocene of Juntura, Oregon". Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences. 24 (3): 169–184.
  10. ^ Olson, Storrs L.; Rasmussen, Pamela C. (2001). "Miocene and Pliocene Birds from the Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina". Smithsonian Contributions to Paleobiology. 90: 233–365.
  11. ^ Holman, J. Alan (1961). "Osteology of Living and Fossil New World Quails". Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences. 6 (2): 131–233.
  12. ^ a b Miller, Loye Holmes (1961). "Birds from the Miocene of Sharktooth Hill, California". Condor. 63 (5): 399–402. doi:10.2307/1365299. JSTOR 1365299.