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            List of years in paleontology       (table)
 1968 .  1969 .  1970 .  1971  . 1972  . 1973  . 1974 
1975 1976 1977 -1978- 1979 1980 1981
 1982 .  1983 .  1984 .  1985  . 1986  . 1987  . 1988 

Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology (from Greek: paleo, "ancient"; ontos, "being"; and logos, "knowledge") is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, coprolites, palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has 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 in the year 1979.

Dinosaurs[]

Newly named dinosaurs[]

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list[1] and Dr. Jeremy Montague's dinosaur genus database.[2]

Name Status Authors Notes Images
Amtosaurus[3] Nomen dubium.
  • Sergei Kurzanov
  • Tumanova

Saurornitholestes

Yangchuanosaurus

Coloradia[4] Valid taxon

PReoccupied by Blake 1863. Renamed Coloradisaurus.

Lesothosaurus[5] Valid taxon Possible junior synonym of Fabrosaurus.
Micropachycephalosaurus[6] Valid taxon
Ohmdenosaurus[7] Valid taxon
  • Wild
"Roccosaurus"[8] Nomen nudum. Junior synonym of Melanorosaurus.

van Heerden vide:

  • Anderson
  • Cruickshank
Saurornitholestes[9] Valid taxon
Yangchuanosaurus[10] Valid taxon
  • Li X. M.
  • Zhou S.


Pterosaurs[]

New taxa[]

Name Status Authors Notes

Valid

Valid

Humans[]

  • A paleoanthropological team led by Mary Leakey finds 3.5 million year old human footprints.[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". http://www.polychora.com/dinolist.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-07. 
  2. ^ Montague, Jeremy. "Dr. Montague's Database". http://www.barry.edu/bio300/pdf/montague%20dino%20web%20data%2012-3-2005.pdf. Retrieved on 2008-10-29. 
  3. ^ Kurzanov, S.M. and T.A. Tumanova. 1978. On the structure of the endocranium in some anylosaurs from Mongolia [in Russian]. Paleontol. Zh. 1978: pp. 90-96.
  4. ^ Bonaparte, J.F. 1978. Coloradia brevis n. gen. et. n. sp. (Saurischia, Prosauropoda), dinosaurio Plateosauridae de la Formacion Los Colorados Triasico superior de La Rioja, Argentina. Ameghiniana 15: pp. 327-332.
  5. ^ Galton, P.M. 1978. Fabrosauridae, the basal family of ornithischian dinosaurs (Reptilia: Ornithopoda). Paläont. Z. 52 (1/2): pp. 138-159.
  6. ^ Dong, Z. 1978. A new genus of Pachycephalosauria from Laiyang, Shantung. Vertebrata PalAsiatica 16: pp. 225-228.
  7. ^ Wild, R. 1978. Ein Sauropoden-Rest (Reptilia, Saurischia) aus dem Posidonienschiefer (Lias, Toarcium) von Holzmaden. Stuttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde, Serie B (Geologie und Paleontologie) 41: pp. 1-15.
  8. ^ van Heerden vide Anderson, J. M., and A.R.I. Cruickshank. 1978. The biostratigraphy of the Permian and the Triassic. Part 5. A review of the classification and distribution of Permo-Triassic tetrapods. Palaeontographica Africana 21: pp. 15- 44.
  9. ^ Sues, H -D. 1978. A new small theropod dinosaur from the Judith River Formation (Campanian) of Alberta, Canada. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. London 62: pp. 381-400.
  10. ^ Dong, Z., Y. Chang, X. Li, and S. Zhou. 1978. Note on a new carnosaur (Yangchuanosaurus shangyouensis gen. et sp. nov.) from the Jurassic of Yangchuan District, Szechuan Province. Kexue Tongbao 23: pp. 298-302.