2002 in paleontology

[1] This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues.

Moved to Proneuronema wehri in 2016[7] Dolichoderus kohlsi[8] Sp nov Valid Dlussky & Rasnitsyn Ypresian Green River Formation United States Colorado A dolichoderine ant.

Eoformica magna[8] Sp nov Valid Dlussky & Rasnitsyn Ypresian Green River Formation United States Wyoming A ant of uncertain placement.

Ponerites[8] Gen, 3 sp et 1 comb nov Valid Dlussky & Rasnitsyn Ypresian Green River Formation United States Colorado A ponerine ant form genus.Type species P. eocenicusAlso includes P. coloradensis, P. hypoponeroides, & P. umbrus (moved from Ponera umbrus 1932) Proiridomyrmex[8] Gen et sp nov Valid Dlusskys & Rasnitsyn Ypresian Green River Formation United States Colorado A dolichoderine ant form genusType species P. vetulus Solenopsites[8] Gen et sp nov Valid Dlussky & Rasnitsyn Ypresian Green River Formation United States Colorado A myrmicine ant form genus.Type species S. minutus Wesmaelius mathewesi[6] sp.

nov valid Makarkin, Archibald, Oswald Ypresian Coldwater Formation Canada first description of fossil Wesmaelius Eolinguipolygnathus[12] Gen et comb nov valid Bardashev, Weddige, & Ziegler early Devonian An eopolygnathid conodont, type species E. dehiscens moved from Polygnathus dehiscens (1967) Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.

nov. Mayr & Smith Early Oligocene Borgloon Formation Belgium Flemish Brabant A palaelodid Type species A. hoogbutseliensis Aegialornis germanicus [30] Valid Sp.

nov. Hope Maastrichtian Lance Formation USA Wyoming A cimolopterygid moved to Lamarqueavis petra in 2010[36] Collocalia manuoi [37] Valid Sp.

nov. (Wiman) Eocene La Meseta Formation Antarctica A spheniscid penguin Moved from Ichtyopteryx gracilis (1905) Enaliornis seeleyi [39] Valid Sp.

nov. Martin & Lim Campanian Pierre Shale Formation USA South Dakota A hesperornithid Hesperornis chowi [44] Valid Sp.

nov. Martin & Lim Campanian Pierre Shale Formation USA South Dakota A hesperornithid Hesperornis macdonaldi [44] Valid Sp.

nov. Martin & Lim Campanian Pierre Shale Formation USA South Dakota A hesperornithid Hesperornis mengeli [44] Valid Sp.

Type species M. polaris Miodytes serbicus [53] Valid Gen et Sp nov. Dimitreijevich, Gál, & Kessler Early Miocene Valjevo Basin Serbia A podicipedid grebe.

nov. Dyke * Gulas Early Eocene London Clay UK England A gallinuloidid Parasarcoramphus [57] Valid Gen et Sp nov. Mourer-Chauviré Bartonian-Late Oligocene Phosphorites du Quercy France Occitanie A cathartid.

Edgarosaurus Gen et sp nov Valid Druckenmiller Albian Thermopolis Shale United States Montana A polycotylid Type species E. muddi Kaiwhekea Gen et sp nov Valid Cruickshank & Fordyce Maastrichtian Katiki Formation New Zealand Otago An aristonectine elasmosaurid Type species K. katiki Vinialesaurus Gen et comb nov Valid Gasparini et al. Oxfordian Jagua Formation Cuba A cryptoclidid Type species V. caroli Moved from Cryptocleidus caroli (1949) In October, a partial Mesadacylus wing was discovered in the Kingsview Quarry of Colorado.

Lanthanocephalus[80] gen et sp nov Preoccupied Modesto, Rubidge, & Welman Upper Permian Koonap Formation South Africa Genus preoccupied by Lanthanocephalus Williams & Starmer, 2000, moved to the replacement Lanthanostegus in 2003 Neotrirachodon[81] gen et sp nov Valid Tatarinov Middle Triassic Donguz Formation Russia A cynodont.