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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 2011.
2011 in science |
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Fields |
Technology |
Social sciences |
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Paleontology |
Extraterrestrial environment |
Terrestrial environment |
Other/related |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov |
Valid |
A Plasmodiidae vectored by the bat fly Enischnomyia stegosoma |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Drynaria callispora[3] |
Sp nov |
Su et al |
Sanying Formation |
A Drynaria species fern |
|||||
sp. nov |
Valid |
Channing, Zamuner, Edwards, & Guido |
oldest crown group Equisetum species |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Agathoxylon byeongpungense[5] |
comb nov |
(Kim et al.) Oh et al. |
Donghwachi Formation |
An Araucariaceous wood |
|||||
Agathoxylon kiiense[5] |
comb nov |
(Ogura) Oh et al. |
Cretaceous |
Togeum Formation |
An Araucariaceous wood |
||||
Agathoxylon togeumense[5] |
Sp nov |
Oh et al. |
Cretaceous |
Togeum Formation |
An Araucariaceous wood |
||||
Cariria[6] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Kunzmann et al. |
Aptian |
A possible gnetophyte |
||||
Cupressus guangxiensis[7] |
Sp nov |
Shi et al. |
Ningming Formation |
A cuprecaceous foliage/cone species |
|||||
Gen et comb nov |
Rothwell et al. |
|
A cuprecaceous cone morphotaxon |
||||||
Pinus arnoldii[9] |
Syn nov |
Valid |
Miller |
A permineralized pine |
|||||
Protaxodioxylon turolense[11] |
Sp nov |
Vozenin-Serra |
Utrillas Formation |
A cupressaceous wood |
|||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
Krassilov & Schrank |
Albian |
Hatira Formation |
A gymnosperm pollen morphotype |
||||
Schizolepis daohugouensis[13] |
Sp nov |
Zhang et al. |
A pinaceous relative |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Synonymized taxa | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ficus palaeoracemosa[14] |
Sp nov |
Srivastava, Srivastava, & Mehrotra |
Kasauli Formation |
A fig leaf morphospecies |
|||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
Sun, Dilcher, Wang, & Chen |
Early Cretaceous |
A basal eudicot |
|||||
Oemleria janhartfordae[16] |
Species |
Valid |
Benedict, DeVore, & Pigg |
An Osoberry flower |
|||||
Species |
Valid |
Dutta, Ambwani, & Estrada-Ruiz |
Maastrichtian |
A palm wood morphospecies |
|||||
Prunus cathybrownae[16] |
Species |
Valid |
Benedict, DeVore, & Pigg |
A cherry flower species |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen et sp nov |
valid |
Poinar |
A diplogasterid nematode |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Valid |
Liu et al. |
Lower Cambrian |
A lobopodian. |
|||||
Valid |
Gamez Vintaned, Linan, & Zhuravlev |
Early Cambrian |
A lobopodian. |
|||||
Valid |
Dzik |
Early Cambrian |
Sinsk Formation |
A lobopodian. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gen. nov |
valid |
Zinther, et al. |
earliest known vetulicolian described |
Main article: List of gastropods described in 2011 § Fossil gastropods |
Main article: 2011 in arthropod paleontology |
Main article: 2011 in paleoichthyology |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Viséan |
A microsaur. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
An ostodolepid. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Species |
Valid |
|
Early Permian |
A trematopid. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
early-middle Anisian |
Catalan basin |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Permian |
A trematopid. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Permian |
An amphibamid. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Bathonian |
A basal stem salamander. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Sakmarian |
The oldest and most basal neodiapsid. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Barremian |
An ophthalmosaurid. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Middle Anisian |
An incertae sedis. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Hauterivian |
An aristonectid. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Middle Anisian |
A relative of nothosauroids.[34] | ||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Middle Anisian |
A keichousaurid pachypleurosaur. | ||||
Species |
Valid |
|
Early Toarcian |
Whitby Limestone Formation |
A second species of Hauffiosaurus. | |||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Callovian |
A pliosaurid. | ||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Pliensbachian |
A plesiosaurid plesiosaur. | ||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
An elasmosaurid plesiosaur. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Turonian/Santonian |
An iguanian lizard. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Lutetian |
An amphisbaenian lizard. | ||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Campanian |
A plioplatecarpine mosasaur. Its type species is Latoplatecarpus willistoni; "Plioplatecarpus" nichollsae (Cuthbertson et al.., 2007) is a second species of Latoplatecarpus. | ||||
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
|
Eocene (Chadronian) |
A member of Corytophanidae. The type species is Oreithyia oaklandi. | ||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Middle Coniacian to middle Santonian. |
A plioplatecarpine mosasaur, a new genus for "Clidastes" planifrons (Cope, 1874). | ||||
Queironius[43] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
|
Eocene (Chadronian) |
A relative of the desert iguana. The type species is Queironius praelapsus. | |||
Sauropithecoides[43] |
Gen. et comb. nov |
Valid |
|
Eocene (Chadronian) |
A member of Polychrotidae; a new genus for "Polychrus" charisticus Smith (2006). |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Species |
Valid |
|
Late Cretaceous |
A madtsoiid snake. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Oligocene |
A podocnemidid. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Early Miocene |
A podocnemidid, a new genus for "Shweboemys" gaffneyi. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Late Eocene |
Qasr el-Sagha beds |
A podocnemidid, a new genus for "Podocnemis" antiqua. |
|||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
A softshell turtle, new genus for "Aspideretes" lancensis (Gilmore, 1928). |
||||
Graptemys kerneri[48] |
Sp. nov |
Valid |
|
Late Pleistocene |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Oxfordian |
Lorente Formation |
A paracryptodire or a basal testudine. |
|||
Species |
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
A kinosternoid, a species of Hoplochelys. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Paleocene |
A podocnemidid, a new genus for "Roxochelys" vilavilensis. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Uncertain, possibly Miocene. |
Uncertain, possibly Moghara Formation. |
A podocnemidid. |
|||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Miocene |
Moghara Formation |
A podocnemidid. |
|||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Miocene |
A podocnemidid, a new genus for "Sternothaerus" blanckenhorni. |
||||
Oliveremys[51] |
Gen. et comb. nov. |
Valid |
|
Eocene |
A trionychid, a new genus for "Trionyx" uintaensis. |
|||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Campanian - Maastrichtian |
|||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Cretaceous |
A podocnemidid. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Cretaceous |
A podocnemidid. |
||||
Species |
Valid |
|
Aptian/Albian |
The oldest known chelid, a species of Prochelidella. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Upper Kimmeridgian |
|||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Maastrichtian |
A pleurodiran. |
||||
Species |
Valid |
|
Middle Eocene |
A species of Trionyx sensu lato. |
||||
Wilburemys[57] |
Gen. et sp. nov |
Valid |
Martin & Mallory |
Late Miocene-Pliocene |
An emydine Emydidae pond turtle. |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Ladinian/Early Carnian |
A member of Archosauriformes of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Originally classified as a doswelliid, but subsequently argued to be an erpetosuchid archosaur.[59] |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Triassic |
The earliest tanystropheid. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Ladinian/Early Carnian |
The earliest drepanosaurid. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Middle - Late Triassic |
A tanystropheid, a new genus for "Tanystropheus" antiquus (von Huene, 1905). |
Main article: 2011 in archosaur paleontology |
Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
|||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A dicynodont. A new genus for "Dicynodon" woodwardi. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Jurassic |
|||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Middle Triassic |
A carnivorous cynodont. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Gzhelian |
Remigiusberg Formation |
A sphenacodontid pelycosaur. The type species is Cryptovenator hirschbergeri. |
|||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A dicynodont. A new genus for "Dicynodon" bathyrhynchus. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Grès Rouge Group |
A large caseid. A new genus for "Casea" rutena. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A therocephalian. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A dicynodont. A new genus for "Dicynodon" benjamini. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A therocephalian. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Early Jurassic |
A morganucodontan. |
||||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A dicynodont. A new genus for "Dicynodon" amalitzkii |
||||
Species |
Valid |
|
Middle Permian |
A therocephalian. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A therocephalian with a short skull. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Upper Sakmarian - Lower Lopingian |
Grès Rouge Group |
A large caseid. The type species is Ruthenosaurus russellorum |
|||
Gen. et comb. |
Valid |
|
Late Permian |
A dicynodont. A new genus for "Dicynodon" vanhoepeni. |
||||
Gen. et sp. |
Valid |
|
Capitanian |
A basal, saber-toothed herbivorous anomodont. The type species is Tiarajudens eccentricus. |
Main article: 2011 in mammal paleontology |