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2014 in paleontology

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2014 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 2014.

Contents

Research

  • Specimens of Micromelerpeton crederni with abnormalities in their limbs interpreted as a result of limb regeneration are described by Fröbisch, Bickelmann and Witzmann (2014).

    • Research

  • The humerus bone of a large calyptocephalellid anuran, apparently one of the largest fossil anurans known to date, is described by Otero et al. (2014) from the Eocene of Chile.

    • Research

  • Anatomy, taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of Cretaceous ophthalmosaurids Simbirskiasaurus birjukovi and Pervushovisaurus bannovkensis are reevaluated by Fischer et al. (2014).

    • Research

  • A redescription of Tasmaniosaurus triassicus is published by Ezcurra (2014).
  • A revision of anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of the archosauriform Dorosuchus neoetus is published by Sookias et al. (2014).
  • A revision of putative euparkeriids from the Triassic of China is published by Sookias et al. (2014).

    • Research

  • A study of anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum, Turfanosuchus dabanensis and Yonghesuchus sangbiensis is published by Butler et al. (2014).
  • A study of jaw mechanism and dental function in heterodont crocodyliforms is published by Ősi (2014).
  • The atoposaurid crocodyliform genus Alligatorellus is revised by Tennant and Mannion (2014).

    • Research

  • A study of size changes and rates of anatomical innovation in the theropod lineage ancestral to birds is published by Lee et al. (2014).
  • A study of evolution of body size and forelimb length in birds and nov-avian coelurosaurian theropods is published by Puttick, Thomas and Benton (2014).
  • A phylogenetic analysis of bird and non-avian coelurosaurian theropod relationships and a study of rates of morphological evolution and changes in morphological disparity across the dinosaur-bird transition is published by Brusatte et al. (2014).
  • A description of abelisaurid teeth from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation of Portugal and a phylogenetic analysis of theropod relationships based on dental characters is published by Hendrickx and Mateus (2014).
  • A study of theropod diversity in the Cretaceous (Aptian-Albian) of Tunisia is published by Fanti et al. (2014).
  • A juvenile specimen of Megaraptor namunhuaiquii is described by Porfiri et al. (2014).
  • A study of European fossil record of Ornithomimosauria is published by Allain et al. (2014).
  • A study of flight ability in some non-avian paravian theropods is published by Sorkin (2014).
  • "Saurornitholestes" robustus, initially thought to be a dromaeosaurid, is reinterpreted as a troodontid by Evans et al. (2014).
  • A well-preserved specimen of Microraptor zhaoianus is described by Pei et al. (2014).
  • A study of anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Antetonitrus ingenipes is published by McPhee et al. (2014).
  • Fragmentary partial skeleton of a small sauropod belonging to the genus Haplocanthosaurus collected from the Rocky Mountains of central Colorado is described by Foster & Wedel (2014).
  • The purported size of the holotype vertebra of Amphicoelias fragillimus is reevaluated by Woodruff and Foster (2014).
  • A study of phylogenetic relationships of Lourinhasaurus alenquerensis is published by Mocho, Royo-Torres and Ortega (2014).
  • A study of anatomy and phylogenetic relationships of Aragosaurus ischiaticus is published by Royo-Torres et al. (2014).
  • A study of titanosaur osteoderms from the Upper Cretaceous Lo Hueco site in Cuenca, Spain is published by Vidal, Ortega and Sanz (2014).
  • A study of species richness of South American titanosaur assemblages during the Late Cretaceous is published by Vieira et al. (2014).
  • A study of the effect of intervertebral cartilage on neck posture of sauropod dinosaurs is published by Taylor (2014).
  • A study of the dentition of Manidens condorensis is published by Becerra et al. (2014).
  • A study of the postcranial anatomy of Heterodontosaurus tucki is published by Galton (2014).
  • A study of the impact of osteoderm placement on the centre of mass of stegosaurs is published by Mallison (2014).
  • A study of Early Cretaceous Spanish iguanodont ornithopod diversity and a description of new remains referrable to Delapparentia is published by Gasca, Canudo and Moreno-Azanza (2014).
  • A specimen of Edmontosaurus regalis with remains of a soft-tissue cranial crest is described by Bell et al. (2014).
  • A juvenile specimen of Edmontosaurus annectens is described by Prieto-Márquez (2014).
  • An assemblage of Psittacosaurus juveniles associated with a larger specimen from the Lujiatun beds of the Yixian Formation in Liaoning, China is described by Hedrick et al. (2014).
  • An aggregation of four juveniles of Protoceratops andrewsi from the Tugrikin Shire locality of the Djadokhta Formation in Central Gobi region, Mongolia and two associated subadults of the same species from the same locality are described by Hone et al. (2014).
  • A study of ontogenetic changes in the craniofacial skeleton of Centrosaurus apertus is published by Frederickson and Tumarkin-Deratzian (2014).
  • A new specimen attributable to Arrhinoceratops brachyops is described by Mallon et al. (2014).
  • A new specimen of Spinosaurus is described by Ibrahim et al., with a controversial reconstruction of Spinosaurus as a quadrupedal semi-aquatic genus.
  • Two new specimens of the previous enigma Deinocheirus are described and analysed by Lee et al. (2014).
  • A tiny theropod was found in the South Korea. (2014)

    • Research

  • A study on the antiquity of birds is published by Lee et al. (2014).
  • A new specimen of Archaeopteryx is described by Foth, Tischlinger and Rauhut (2014).
  • Zhongornis haoae, initially thought to be a bird, is argued to be a non-avian maniraptoran by O'Connor and Sullivan (2014).
  • A study of ecological disparity in Early Cretaceous birds is published by Mitchell and Makovicky (2014).
  • A subadult specimen of Zhouornis hani is described by Zhang et al. (2014).
  • A study of the species status of the moa from the genus Euryapteryx is published by Huynen and Lambert (2014).
  • A study of growth in the moa from the genus Euryapteryx is published by Huynen et al. (2014).
  • A study of tbx5 gene of the moa from the genus Dinornis is published by Huynen et al. (2014).
  • Fossil remains of a relative of the hoatzin, possibly a species belonging to the genus Namibiavis, from the middle Miocene of Kenya, are described by Mayr (2014).
  • A specimen of Pumiliornis tessellatus with preserved stomach contents including pollen grains is described by Mayr and Wilde (2014).
  • A Late Pleistocene specimen of griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) with exceptionally well preserved fossilized soft tissues is described from the Alban Hills volcanic region, Italy by Iurino et al. (2014).

    • Research

  • A study of pneumaticity of pterosaur wing bones is published by Martin and Palmer (2014).
  • A complete and fully articulated juvenile specimen of Scaphognathus crassirostris is described by Bennett (2014).
  • Partial 3D egg of Pterodaustro guinazui is described by Grellet-Tinner et al. (2014).
  • Cearadactylus atrox is redescribed by Vila Nova et al. (2014).
  • The taxonomy and distribution of the family Azhdarchidae is reviewed by Averianov (2014).
  • A reevaluation of the fossil material attributed to Bakonydraco galaczi, indicating that the fossils actually represent at least two pterosaur taxa, is published by Prondvai, Bodor and Ősi (2014).
  • A study of medullary bone-like tissue in the mandibular symphyses of Bakonydraco galaczi is published by Prondvai and Stein (2014).

    • Research

  • A study of the anatomy of nasal cavity of Brasilitherium riograndensis is published by Ruf et al. (2014).
  • A study of the anatomy of the therocephalian Simorhinella baini and a taxonomic re-evaluation of the family Lycosuchidae is published by Abdala et al. (2014).

    • References

    2014 in paleontology Wikipedia
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