1998 in paleontology

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 1998.

Palaeocarpinus pacifica[3] Sp nov Valid Manchester & Chen PaleoceneDanian Malo-Mikhailovka Formation Russia A betulaceous fruit Cryptodidymosphaerites[4] Gen et sp nov valid Currah, Stockey, & LePage EoceneYpresian Allenby FormationPrinceton Chert Canada British Columbia A hyperparasitic pleosporalean fungus of uncertain family affinity.

The type species is C. princetonensis Its hosted by the phyllachoralean fungus Palaeoserenomyces allenbyensis Palaeoserenomyces[4] Gen et sp nov valid Currah, Stockey, & LePage EoceneYpresian Allenby FormationPrinceton Chert Canada British Columbia A parasitic phyllachoralean fungus of uncertain family affinity.

Its hyperparasitized by Cryptodidymosphaerites princetonensis Ursquilla[5] Gen nov Valid Hof Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Israel Jordan Tyrannophontes acanthocercus[6] Sp nov Jr synonym Jenner, Hof & Schram Serpukhovian Bear Gulch Limestone

nov Valid De Andrade Burdigalian Dominican amber Dominican Republic A Dorylinae ant Aquarius lunpolaensis[9] Comb nov. valid (Lin) Andersen Miocene Lunpola Basin China A water strider Moved from Gerris lunpolaensis Carabus neli[10] Sp nov. valid Deuve Turolian Montagne d'Andance France A ground beetle Cylindromyrmex antillanus[11] Sp.

nov Valid De Andrade Burdigalian Dominican amber Dominican Republic A Dorylinae ant Daniavelia[9] Gen et sp nov. valid Andersen EoceneYpresian MØclayFur Formation Denmark A macroveliid water strider The type species is D. morsensis Electrovelia[9] Gen et sp nov. valid Andersen EoceneLutetian Baltic Amber Denmark A riffle bugThe type species is P. baltica Eocenometra longicomis[9] Sp nov. valid Andersen EoceneYpresian MØclay0lst/Fur Formations Denmark A marsh treader Ledouxnebria[10] Gen et sp nov. valid Deuve Turolian Montagne d'Andance France A ground beetle Limnoporus wilsoni[9] Sp nov. valid Andersen EoceneYpresian Okanagan HighlandsDriftwood shales Canada British Columbia A water strider Palaeogerris[9] Gen et 3 sp nov. valid Andersen EoceneYpresian MØ clay0lst/Fur Formations Denmark A water striderThe type species is P. furensis Also includes P. grandis & P. mikkelseni Palaeometra[9] Gen et sp nov. valid Andersen EoceneYpresian Fur Formation Denmark A limnobatodine water striderThe type species is P. madseni Telmatrechus defunctus[9] Comb nov. valid (Handlirsch) Andersen EoceneYpresian Okanagan HighlandsQuilchena site Canada British Columbia A water strider Moved from Gerris defuncta (1910) Iridistrophia aliciae[12] Sp nov valid Herrera, Salas & Giolitti Early Devonian Talacasto Formation Argentina A species of Iridistrophia Iridistrophia dominans[12] Sp nov valid Herrera, Salas & Giolitti Early Devonian Talacasto Formation Argentina A species of Iridistrophia Iridistrophia magna[12] Sp nov valid Herrera, Salas & Giolitti Early Devonian Talacasto Formation Argentina A species of Iridistrophia Iridistrophia prima[12] Sp nov valid Herrera, Salas & Giolitti Early Devonian Talacasto Formation Argentina A species of Iridistrophia Eoschuchertella delicata[12] Sp nov valid Herrera, Salas & Giolitti Early Devonian Talacasto Formation Argentina A species of Eoschuchertella Pojetaia sarhroensis[13] sp nov Valid Geyer & Streng Early Cambrian Anti-Atlas mountains Morocco Early Cambrian Fordillidae bivalve Gen et sp nov Valid Blake & Reid Early Cretaceous (Albian) A starfish, type species is A. sumralli.

Gen et comb nov Valid Blake & Reid Early Cretaceous (Albian) Paw Paw Formation A starfish, type species is A. wintoni, originally named as Comptonia wintoni in 1920.

Gen et sp nov Valid Blake & Reid Early Cretaceous (Albian) A starfish, type species is B. reidi.

Comb nov Valid Blake & Reid Early Cretaceous (Albian) A starfish, originally named as Pentagonaster texensis in 1920.

Gen et comb nov Valid Blake & Reid Early Cretaceous (Albian) A starfish, type species is D. americana, originally named as Pentaceros americanus in 1920.

Gen et comb nov Valid Blake & Reid Early Cretaceous (Albian) Paw Paw Formation A starfish, type species is F. hortensae, originally named as Metopaster hortensae in 1920.

Rhadinosteus[15] Gen et sp nov Valid Henrici Kimmeridgian Morrison Formation

A possible Rhinophrynidae frog Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

Valid Andrei V. Panteleyev Late Cretaceous Coniacian, Bissekty Formation Uzbekistan An Alexornithidae Brodkorb, 1976, this is the type species of the new genus.

Valid Hou Lianhai Late Pleistocene Cave Deposits China An Accipitridae.

Valid Andrei V. Panteleyev Late Cretaceous Coniacian Uzbekistan An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Euenantiornithes Incertae Sedis, this is the type species of the new genus.

Valid Claudia P. Tambussi Middle-Late Pliocene Irene Formation Argentina An Anatidae.

Valid Brigitte Senut Yannicke Dauphin Martin Pickford Early Middle Miocene Karingarab Namibia A Struthionidae, eggshells.

Valid Andrei V. Panteleyev Late Cretaceous Coniacian, Bissekty Formation Uzbekistan An Alexornithidae Brodkorb, 1976, this is the type species of the new genus.

Valid Eric Buffetaut Jean Le Loeuff Late Cretaceous Late Campanian-Early Maastrichtian, Marnes de la Maurine Formation France An Ornithothoraces, this is the type species of the new genus.

Valid Andrei V. Panteleyev Late Cretaceous Coniacian, Bissekty Formation Uzbekistan An Alexornithidae Brodkorb, 1976, this is the type species of the new genus.

Valid Jirí Mlíkovský Early Miocene MN 2a Czech Republic; Germany: Bavaria A Strigidae, this is the type species of the new genus.

Valid Gerald Mayr Dieter S. Peters Middle Eocene Messel pit,

The genus Pseudastur is preoccupied and replaced by Pseudasturides Mayr, 2004, this is the type species of both genera.

Valid Gerald Mayr ppMichael Daniels Middle Eocene Messel pit,

Valid Jíří Mlíkovský Early Miocene MN 4b Czech Republic A Rostratulidae.

Valid Brigitte Senut Yannicke Dauphin Martin Pickford Early Miocene Karingarab Namibia A Struthionidae, eggshells.