1961 in paleontology

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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.^[1] This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (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 or were published in the year 1961.

Plants

Angiosperms

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Acer palaeorufinerve[2]	sp nov	Valid	Tanai & Onoe	Miocene - Pliocene	Ningyo-toge Formation	Japan	A maple, A member of the Macrantha section.

Archosauromorphs

Newly named phytosaurs

Name	Status	Authors		Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Rileyasuchus[3]	Nomen dubium.	Kuhn		Rhaetian	Magnesian Congolomerate	England	A dubious phytosaur; replacement name for Rileya von Huene 1902 (non Ashmead, 1888).

Newly named pseudosuchians

Name	Status	Authors		Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Avalonianus[3]	Nomen dubium	Kuhn		Late Triassic (Rhaetian)	Westbury Formation	England	Dubious non-dinosaurian archosaur; replacement name for Avalonia Seeley, 1898 (non Walcott, 1889).
"Dasygnathoides"[3]	Junior synonym	Kuhn		Late Triassic (Carnian)	Lossiemouth Sandstone	Scotland	A junior synonym of Ornithosuchus. Replacement name for Dasygnathus Huxley, 1877 (non MacLeay, 1819).

Newly named dinosaurs

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

Name	Status	Authors		Notes	Images
"Astrodonius"[3]	Junior synonym.	Kuhn		Junior synonym of Astrodon.
Campylodoniscus[3]	Nomen dubium.	Kuhn
"Pachysaurops"[5]	Junior synonym	Friedrich von Huene		Junior objective synonym of Pachysauriscus.

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. Wolfe, J.A.; Tanai, T. (1987). "Systematics, Phylogeny, and Distribution of Acer (maples) in the Cenozoic of Western North America". Journal of the Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University. Series 4, Geology and mineralogy 22 (1): 1–246.
3. Kuhn, O. 1961. Die Familien der rezenten und fossilen Amphibien und Reptilien. Meisenbach, Bamberg: 79 pages.
4. Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Retrieved 2008-08-07.
5. Huene, F. von. 1961. Palaontologie und Phylogenie der Niederen Tetrapoden. Nachtrage und Erganzungen. Fischer, Jena: 58 pages.