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 1923.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1920
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1926
+...

Plants edit

Conifers edit

Araucariaceae edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Araucarioxylon texense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Comanchean

Glen Rose Formation

  US
  Texas

An araucarian wood morphospecies

 
Araucarioxylon texense

†Cheirolepidiaceae edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Brachyoxylon comanchense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Comanchean

Glen Rose Formation

  US
  Texas

A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies

 
Brachyoxylon comanchense

Brachyoxylon raritanense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Turonian

Raritan Formation

  US
  New Jersey

A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies

 
Brachyoxylon raritanense

Brachyoxylon woodworthianum[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Turonian

Raritan Formation

  US
  Massachusetts

A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies

 
Brachyoxylon woodworthianum

Telephragmoxylon brachyphylloides[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Comanchean

  US
  Texas

A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies
Location given as "Weatherford, Texas"

 
Telephragmoxylon brachyphylloides

Telephragmoxylon comanchense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Comanchean

  US
  Texas

A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphospecies
Location given as "Weatherford, Texas"

 
Telephragmoxylon comanchense

Voltzioxylon[2]

Gen et sp nov

jr synonym

Torrey

Triassic
Late Triassic

Dockum group

  US
  Texas

A cheirolepidiaceous wood morphogenus
Considered a jr synonym of Protocupressinoxylon (1949)
The type species is V. dockumense

 
Protocupressinoxylon dockumense

Cupressaceae edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Metacupressinoxylon[2]

Gen et comb nov

Torrey

Jurassic

  UK
  England

A cupressaceous wood morphogenus
The type species is Paracupressinoxylon cedroides (1913)

Paracupressinoxylon trinitense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Comanchean

Trinity Group

  US
  Texas

A cupressaceous wood morphospecies
location given as "near Weatherford, Texas"

 
Paracupressinoxylon trinitense

Sequoioxylon[2]

Gen, sp, et comb nov

Torrey

Cretaceous
Maastrichtian

Laramie Formation

  US
  Montana

A redwood wood morphogenus
The type species is S. montanense
Includes the new species S. dakotense, S. laramense
Also includes Sequoia burgessii (1903)

 
Sequoioxylon montanense

Pinaceae edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Abies longirostris[3][4]

Sp nov

jr Synonym

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

A possible bristlecone fir species
A jr synonym of Abies rigida (1990)

Abies rigida[3][4]

Sp nov

valid

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

A possible bristlecone fir species

 
Abies rigida

Pinus coloradensis[3][4]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

A bristle cone pine species
A jr synonym of Pinus crossii (1990)

Pinus crossii[3][4]

Sp nov

Valid

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

A bristle cone pine species

Pinus similis[3][4]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

A bristle cone pine species
A jr synonym of Pinus crossii (1990)

Pityoxylon scituatensiforme[2]

Comb nov

(Bailey) Torrey

Cretaceous
Turonian

Raritan Formation

  US
  New Jersey

A pinaceous wood morphospecies
Moved from Pinus scituatensiforme (1911)

 
Pityoxylon scituatensiforme

Pseudotsuga annulata[2]

Comb nov

(Platen) Torrey

Pliocene

  US
  California

A Douglas fir wood morphospecies
Moved from Pityoxylon annulatum (1907)

 
Pseudotsuga annulata

Podocarpaceae edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Podocarpoxylon dakotense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Cretaceous

Laramie group

  US
  North Dakota

A "podocarpaceous" wood morphospecies
Podocarpoxylon Noted by Torrey to be very similar to Cupressaceae and problematic in definition.

Podocarpoxylon texense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Eocene

  US
  Texas

A podocarpaceous wood morphospecies
Location given as "lignite mine at Rockdale station, Texas"

Podocarpoxylon Noted by Torrey to be very similar to Cupressaceae and problematic in definition.

 
Podocarpoxylon texense

Podocarpoxylon washingtonense[2]

Sp nov

Torrey

Miocene

Wilkes Formation

  US
  Washington

A podocarpaceous wood morphospecies
Location given as "Salmon Creek"
Podocarpoxylon Noted by Torrey to be very similar to Cupressaceae and problematic in definition.

 
Podocarpoxylon washingtonense

Angiosperms edit

Basal eudicots edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Odostemon hakeaefolia[3][4]

Comb nov

Jr synonym

(Lesquereux) Knowlton

Eocene
Priabonian

Florissant Formation

  US
  Colorado

A Mahonia species
Moved from Lomatia hakeaefolia (1883)
Moved to Mahonia hakeaefolia (1936)
Specimens from Creede combined into Mahonia aceroides (1990)

Odostemon(?) marginata[3][4]

Comb nov

Jr synonym

(Lesquereux) Knowlton

Eocene
Priabonian

Florissant Formation

  US
  Colorado

A Mahonia species
Moved from Hedera marginata (1883)
Moved to Mahonia marginata (1936)
Specimens from Creede combined into Mahonia aceroides (1990)

Superroids edit

Fagales edit
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Alnus? larseni[3][4]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

First identified as a possible Alder species
Moved to Populus larsenii (1990)

Rubus? inquirendus[3][4]

Sp nov

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

A possible bramble species flower

Malvales edit
Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Sterculia aceroides[3][4]

Sp nov

Jr synonym

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Creede Formation

  US
  Colorado

First identified as a Sterculia species
Moved to Mahonia aceroides (1990)

Incertae sedis edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images

Phyllites potentilloides[3][4]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Knowlton

Oligocene
Chattian

Huerto Formation

  US
  Colorado

First identified as a leaf of uncertain affiliation
Moved to Sorbus potentilloldes (1987)

Arthropoda edit

Insects edit

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Archimyrmex[5]

Gen et sp nov

valid

Cockerell

Eocene
Lutetian

Green River Formation

  USA

A myrmeciine ant
The type species is A. rostratus

 
Archimyrmex rostratus

Archosauromorpha edit

Newly named dinosaurs edit

Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[6]

Name Status Author Age Unit Location Notes Images

Altispinax[7]

Valid taxon

Friedrich von Huene

Early Cretaceous (middle Valanginian)

Wadhurst Clay Formation

A possible carcharodontosaurid.

Lambeosaurus[8]

Valid taxon

Parks

middle-late Campanian

Dinosaur Park Formation

A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid.

 
Lambeosaurus

Lametasaurus[9]

Nomen dubium.

Matley

late Maastrichtian

Lameta Formation

A composite of abelisaurid and titanosaur remains.

Pentaceratops[10]

Valid taxon

Henry Fairfield Osborn

late Campanian

Kirtland Formation
Fruitland Formation

A chasmosaurine ceratopsid.

 
Pentaceratops
"Protiguanodon"[11]

Junior synonym of Psittacosaurus.

Henry Fairfield Osborn

Barremian

Öösh Formation

A junior synonym of the psittacosaurid ceratopsian Psittacosaurus.

Protoceratops[12]

Valid taxon

Granger and Gregory

middle-late Campanian

Djadochta Formation

A protoceratopsid ceratopsian.

 
Protoceratops
"Protrachodon"[13][14]

Nomen nudum?

Nopcsa

Mentioned in print, but never given full description

Psittacosaurus[11]

Valid taxon

Henry Fairfield Osborn

Barremian

Öösh Formation

A little psittacosaurid ceratopsian.

 
Psittacosaurus
Thecocoelurus[7]

Nomen dubium.

Friedrich von Huene

Barremian

Wessex Formation

An ornithomimosaur. New genus for "Thecospondylus" daviesi Seeley, 1888.

Pterosaurs edit

New taxa edit

Name Status Authors Age Unit Location Notes Images

Anurognathus

Valid

Döderlein

Tithonian

Solnhofen Limestone

  Germany

An anurognathid. a Pterosaur with a Bat-like lifestyle.

 
Anurognathus

Synapsids edit

Non-mammalian edit

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images

Burnetia

Valid

Robert Broom

255 million years ago

A biarmosuchian, a member of Burnetiidae. with weird-looking knobs on its head.

 
Burnetia

Dinophoneus

Junior synonym

Robert Broom

A titanosuchid. Junior synonym of Jonkeria.

References edit

  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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Torrey, R. E. (1923). "The comparative anatomy and phylogeny of the Coniferales Part 3: Mesozoic and Tertiary coniferous woods". Proceedings and Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada. 3. Vol. 6 (no. 2). Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History. pp. 38–103.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Knowlton, F.H. (1923). Fossil plants from the Tertiary lake beds of South-Сentral Colorado (Report). Professional Paper. Vol. 131-G. United States Geological Survey. pp. 183–197. doi:10.3133/pp131G.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wolfe, J.A.; Schorn, H.E. (1990). Taxonomic revision of the Spermatopsida of the Oligocene Creede flora, southern Colorado (Report). Bulletin. Vol. 1923. United States Geological Survey. pp. 1–40. doi:10.3133/b1923.
  5. ^ Dlussky, G.M. (2012). "New Fossil Ants of the Subfamily Myrmeciinae (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) from Germany". Paleontological Journal. 46 (3): 288–292. doi:10.1134/s0031030111050054.
  6. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  7. ^ a b Huene, F. von. 1923. Carnivorous Saurischia in Europe since the Triassic. Bull. Geol. Soc. America 34: pp. 449-458.
  8. ^ Parks, W.A. 1923. Corythosaurus intermedius, a new species of trachodont dinosaur. Univ. Toronto Stud. (Geol. Ser.) 13: pp. 1-32.
  9. ^ Matley, C.A. 1923. Note on an armoured dinosaur from the Lameta beds of Jubbulpore. Rec. Geol. Survey India 55 (2): pp. 105-109.
  10. ^ Osborn, H.F. 1923. A new genus and species of Ceratopsia from New Mexico, Pentaceratops stennbergi. Amer. Mus. Novitates 93: pp. 1-3.
  11. ^ a b Osborn, H.F. 1923. Two Lower Cretaceous dinosaurs from Mongolia. Amer. Mus. Novitates 95: pp. 1-10.
  12. ^ Granger, W. and W.K. Gregory. 1923. Protoceratops andrewsi, a preceratopian dinosaur from Mongolia. Amer. Museum Novitates 42: pp. 1-9.
  13. ^ Nopcsa, F. 1923. Die Familien der Reptilien. Fortschr. Geol. Palaeontol. 2: pp. 1-210.
  14. ^ B. F. Nopcsa. 1923. On the geological importance of the primitive reptilian fauna in the uppermost Cretaceous of Hungary; with a description of a new tortoise (Kallokibotion). Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 74:100-116