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1991 in paleontology

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1991 in paleontology

Paleontology or palaeontology (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, 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 1991.

Contents

Archosauromorphs

  • Sankar Chatterjee's discovery of a possible Triassic bird, Protoavis, if genuine, would push avian origins back almost 70 million years. The find ignites controversy over the connection between dinosaurs and birds.

    • Newly named dinosaurs

    Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

    Genera no longer considered to be birds

  • Protoavis. The avian status of Protoavis has since been almost universally rejected by paleontologists.

    • References

    1991 in paleontology Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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