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 1937.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1934
1935
1936
1937
1938
1939
1940
+...

Plants

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Ferns and fern allies

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Equisetum alexanderi[2]

Sp nov

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A horsetail species.

Flowering plants

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Magnoliids

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Machilus americana[2]

Sp nov

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A Machilus species.

Machilus asiminoides[2]

Sp nov

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A Machilus species.

Magnolia latahensis[2]

Comb nov

(Berry) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

synonymy

A Magnolia species.
Moved from Apocynophyllum latahense (1929)

Monocots

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Smilax magna[2]

Syn nov

Chaney

Miocene

Eagle Creek Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A greenbriar species.

Basal Eudicots and unplaced core Eudicots

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Tetracera spokanensis[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

First described as a Tetracera species.
Moved to Castanopsis spokanensis (1959)[3]

Vitis washingtonensis[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

synonymy

A grape species
Moved from Populus washingtonensis (1926)

 
Vitis washingtonensis

Superasterids - basal

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Philadelphus pardeei[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

Phyllites peculiaris
Knowlton (1926)

A Philadelphus species.
Moved from Phyllites pardeei (1926)

 
Philadelphus pardeei

Vaccinium sophoroides[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

synonymy

A Vaccinium species.
Moved from Phyllites sophoroides (1926)

 
Vaccinium sophoroides

Superasterids

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Aralia republicensis[2]

Nom nov.

jr synonym

Brown

Eocene
Ypresian

Okanagan Highlands
Klondike Mountain Formation

  USA
  Washington

Aralia whitneyi non Lesquereux nec Berry, (1929)
Platanus appendiculata non Lesquereux nec Berry, (1929)

First named as an Aralia species.
A new name for Republic flora fossils
A jr synonym of Macginitiea gracilis (1987)

 
Macginitiea gracilis

Arbutus idahoensis[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene

Payette Formation

  USA
  Idaho

synonymy

An Arbutus species.
Moved from Myrica? idahoensis (1898)

Hydrangea fraxinifolia[2]

Comb nov

(Berry) Brown

Eocene
Priabonian

Florissant Formation

  USA
  Colorado

synonymy

A Hydrangea species.
Moved from Celastrus fraxinifolius (1883)

Mahonia reticulata[2]

Comb nov

(MacGinitie) Brown

Miocene

Strawberry Volcanics
"Blue Mountains flora"

  USA
  Oregon

synonymy

An Oregon grape species.
Moved from Clematis reticulata (1933)

Viburnum fernquisti[2]

Comb nov

(Berry) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A viburnum species.
Moved from Ribes fernquisti (1929)[4]

Viburnum lantanafolium[2]

Syn nov

Berry

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

Aesculus hesperia Berry (1929)

A viburnum species.
One species synonymized in.

Superrosids

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Acer bendirei[2]

Syn nov

Lesquereux

Miocene

Mascall Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A maple species.
A number of occurrences synonymized in.

Acer osmonti[2]

Syn nov

Knowlton

Eocene

John Day Formation
"Bridge Creek Flora"

  USA
  Oregon

synonymy

A maple species.
A number of occurrences synonymized in.

Alnus carpinoides[2]

Syn nov

Lesquereux

Eocene

John Day Formation
"Bridge Creek flora"

  USA
  Oregon

Alnus prerhombifolia Berry (1929)
Betula thor Knowlton 1926)

An alder species.
Two species synonymized in.

 
Alnus relatus

Alnus relatus[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

synonymy

An alder species.
Moved from Phyllites relatus (1926)

 
Alnus relatus

Betula fairii[2]

Comb nov

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A birch species.
Three species synonymized in

 
Betula fairii

Betula vera[2]

Sp nov

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A birch species.

Carya simulata[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene

Mascall Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A hickory species.
Moved from Aesculus simulata (1902)

Cotinus fraterna[2]

Syn nov

(Lesquereux) Cockerell

Eocene
Priabonian

Florissant Formation

  USA
  Colorado

Andromeda delicatula
Lesquereux (1888)

A cotton-easter species.
One species synonymized in.

Dilodendron boreale[2]

Sp nov

Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

A sapindaceous species.

Dipteronia insignis[2]

Comb nov

Jr synonym

(Lesquereux) Brown

Eocene
Priabonian

Florissant Formation

  USA
  Colorado

synonymy

A sapindaceous species.
Moved from Comptonia insignis (1906)
First named Myrica insignis (1874)
Moved to Bohlenia insignis (1987)

Fagus washoensis[2]

Syn nov

LaMotte

Miocene

Cedarville Formation

  USA
  Nevada

Amygdalus alexanderi Berry (1929)

A beech species.
One species synonymized in.

Paliurus florissanti[2]

Syn nov

Lesquereux

Eocene
Priabonian

Florissant Formation

  USA
  Colorado

Acalypha myricina
Cockerell (1909)

A rhamnaceous species.
Acalypha myricina (1909) synonymized in

Pterocarya mixta[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene

Mascall Formation

  USA
  Oregon

A wingnut species.
Moved from Salix mixta (1902)

Salix spokanensis[2]

Comb et syn nov

(Berry) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

Vaccinium spokanense (1929)

A willow species.
Moved from Rhamnus spokanensis (1929)

 
Salix spokanensis

Zelkova oregoniana[2]

Comb nov

(Knowlton) Brown

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation

  USA
  Washington

synonymy

A Zelkova species.
Moved from Myrica oregoniana (1902)


Angiosperms - other

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Carpites boraginoides

Comb nov

valid?

Knowlton

Miocene
Langhian

Latah Formation
Coeur d'Alene Florule

  USA
  Idaho

A fruit or seed of uncertain affinity
One species synonymized in
Suggested to possibly be boraginaceous or malvaceous

 
Carpites boraginoides

Arthropods

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Insects

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Protrogosita[5]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Piton & Théobald

Thanetian

Menat Formation

  France

A Trogossitid bark gnawing beetle

 
Protrogosita distincta

Vertebrates

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Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[6]

Dinosaurs

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Jaxartosaurus[7]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Riabinin

Late Cretaceous

  Kazakhstan   China

A Lambeosaurine.

Parksosaurus[8]

Gen et comb nov

Valid

Sternberg

Maastrichtian

Horseshoe Canyon Formation

  Canada (  Alberta)

A parksosaurid

 
Parksosaurus

Synapsids

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Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images

Cyonosaurus

Valid

Olson 255 Millions of years ago A Gorgonopsian.
 
Cyonosaurus

Micrictodon

Junior Synonym

Junior Synonym of Thrinaxodon.

Moschoides

Valid

Myctosuchus

Valid

Newtonella

Valid

Nitosaurus

Valid

Procynosuchus

Valid

Broom 255 Millions of years ago One of the Earliest-Known Cynodonts.
 
Procynosuchus

Sinokannemeyeria

Valid

Young 245 Millions of years ago A Chinese Kannemeyerid Dicynodont.
 
Sinokannemeyeria
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Amusement parks and attractions

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  • August 28th: The Calgary Zoo's Prehistoric Park opened. Paleontologist Darren Tanke has described Prehistoric Park as "an extensive treed park and pathways containing numerous life-sized concrete dinosaurs and other prehistoric life". It also had "two long, walkthrough display buildings containing a Corythosaurus skeleton and individual dinosaur bones", as well as exhibits of paleozoic invertebrates and prehistoric plants. It became a popular attraction among visitors to the zoo.[9]

Literature

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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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad Brown, R. W. (1937). Additions to some fossil floras of the Western United States (PDF) (Report). Professional Paper. Vol. 186. United States Geological Survey. pp. 163–206. doi:10.3133/pp186J.
  3. ^ Chaney, R.; Axelrod, D. (1959). Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau: Part II. Systematic Considerations, by Ralph W. Chaney and Daniel I. Axelrod. Carnegie Institution of Washington. pp. 1–226.Miocene Floras of the Columbia Plateau at the HathiTrust Digital Library
  4. ^ Berry, E.W. (1929). A revision of the flora of the Latah Formation (Report). Professional Paper. United States Geological Survey. pp. 225–265. doi:10.3133/pp154h. 154-H.
  5. ^ Piton, L.; Théobald, N. (1937). "Les lignites et schistes bitumineux de Menat (Puy-de-Dôme). II: Les insectes fossiles de Menat". Revue des Sciences Naturelles d'Auvergne. 3 (2): 76–88.
  6. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  7. ^ Riabinin, A.N. 1937. A new finding of dinosaurs in the Trans-Baikal region. Ezheg Vserossijskogo Pal. Obstcg. 11: pp. 142–144.
  8. ^ Sternberg, C.H. 1937. Classification of Thescelosaurus: A description of a new species. Proc. Geol. Soc. Amer. 1936: p. 375.
  9. ^ D. H. Tanke. 2010. Lost in plain sight: rediscovery of William E. Cutler's missing Eoceratops. In M. J. Ryan, B. J. Chinnery-Allgeier, D. A. Eberth (eds.), New Perspectives on Horned Dinosaurs: The Royal Tyrrell Museum Ceratopsian Symposium. Indiana University Press, Bloomington 541–550.
  10. ^ Sarjeant, W. A. S., 2001, Dinosaurs in fiction: In: Mesozoic Vertebrate Life, edited by Tanke, D. H., and Carpenter, K., Indiana University Press, p. 504–529.