2009 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.

The species – Keuppia hyperbolaris, Keuppia levante, and Styletoctopus annae – lived about 95 million years ago, and bear a strong resemblance to modern octopuses, suggesting that the Octopoda order has remained relatively unchanged for tens of millions of years.

The discovery was made by a team led by Dirk Fuchs of the Freie University, which is located at Berlin, Germany.

nov Valid Wang et al. Late Permian Fangshankou Formation China A member of Hybodontoidea.

nov Valid Carboniferous (Serpukhovian) Bear Gulch Limestone United States A member of Iniopterygidae.

Chinlechelys[29] Valid Late Triassic (Norian) Bull Canyon Formation United States A basal member of Testudinata.