1947 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 1947.

Mosses

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Palaeohypnum[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Steere

Eocene
Pribonian

Florissant Formation

United States
Colorado

A moss genus.
The type species is P. patens
Also included P. arnoldianum, P. brittoniae, P. brownii, & P. knowltoni
Species moved to Archaeomnium in 1952
Moved to Hypnites in 1980[3]

Archosauromorphs

Newly named dinosaurs

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[4]

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Amygdalodon[5] Nomen dubium Cabrera Middle Jurassic Toarcian * Argentina A sauropod known from some vertebrae, ribs, four complete and three partial teeth, and a partial pelvis and shoulder-blade.
Amygdalodon

Newly named pseudosuchians

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Arizonasaurus[6] Valid Welles Middle Triassic (Anisian) USA ( Arizona and New Mexico) A poposaurid.
Arizonasaurus

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Kunminia Valid Young Sinemurian * China

Other animals

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Beltanella[7] Gen. et sp. nov. Sprigg Ediacaran Australia A discoid fossil, originally described as a jellyfish tentatively placed in the class Scyphozoa. The type species is B. gilesi.

Considered a probable junior synonym of Aspidella terranovica by Gehling, Narbonne & Anderson (2000)[8] and Ivantsov & Zakhrevskaya (2025).[9]
Cyclomedusa[7] Gen. et sp. nov. Sprigg Ediacaran Australia A discoid fossil, originally described as a jellyfish of uncertain affinity (either of the classes Hydrozoa or Scyphozoa). The type species is C. davidii.

Considered a probable junior synonym of Aspidella terranovica by Gehling, Narbonne & Anderson (2000)[8] and Ivantsov & Zakhrevskaya (2025).[9]
Dickinsonia[7] Gen. et sp. nov. Valid Sprigg Ediacaran Australia Russia and Ukraine A bilaterally symmetrical and ovoid fossil, originally described as a jellyfish of uncertain affinity (either of the classes Hydrozoa or Scyphozoa). The type species is D. costata.
Ediacaria[7] Gen. et sp. nov. Sprigg Ediacaran Australia A discoid fossil, originally described as a scyphozoan jellyfish of uncertain affinity (either of the orders Semaeostomeae or Rhizostomeae). The type species is E. flindersi.

Considered a probable junior synonym of Aspidella terranovica by Gehling, Narbonne & Anderson (2000)[8] and Ivantsov & Zakhrevskaya (2025).[9]
Papilionata[7] Gen. et sp. nov. Junior synonym Sprigg Ediacaran Australia A bilaterally symmetrical fossil, originally described as a jellyfish of uncertain affinity (either of the classes Hydrozoa or Scyphozoa). Synonym of Dickinsonia. The type species is P. eyrei.

References

  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. ↑ LaMotte, R.S. (1952). Catalogue of the Cenozoic plants of North America through 1950. Geological Society of America Memoirs. Vol. 51. Geological Society of America. doi:10.1130/MEM51.
  3. ↑ Miller, N. G. (1980). "Fossil mosses of North America and their significance". The Mosses of North America. pp. 9–36.
  4. ↑ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  5. ↑ Cabrera, A. 1947. Un sauropodo nuevo del Jurasico de Patagonia. Motas Mus. La Plata 12 Paleontol. 95: pp. 1-17.
  6. ↑ Welles, S.P. 1947. Vertebrates from the upper Moenkopi Formation of northern Arizona. University of California Publications Geol. Sci. 27: pp. 241-294.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Sprigg, Reg C. (1947). "Early Cambrian (?) jellyfishes from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia" (PDF). Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 71: 212–24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-29.
  8. 1 2 3 Gehling, James G.; Narbonne, Guy M.; Anderson, Michael M. (September 2000). "The first named Ediacaran body fossil, Aspidella Terranovica". Palaeontology. 43 (3): 427–456. Bibcode:2000Palgy..43..427G. doi:10.1111/j.0031-0239.2000.00134.x. ISSN 0031-0239.
  9. 1 2 3 Ivantsov, A.Yu.; Zakrevskaya, M.A. (2025). "The last jellyfish of the Precambrian" (PDF). Invertebrate Zoology. 22 (1): 56–67. doi:10.15298/invertzool.22.1.05.
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