Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. 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 2009.
Three new species of extinct Octopoda discovered in 2009. 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 fossils included evidence of arms, muscles, rows of suckers, ink, and internal gills. The discovery was made by a team led by Dirk Fuchs of the Freie University, which is located at Berlin, Germany. The fossils were found at Hakel and Hadjoula, Lebanon. Various new ammonoid taxa were named, including Ivoites.
Keuppia
Gen et sp nov
Valid
Fuchs, Bracchi, & Weis
Upper Cenomanian
Lebanon
Styletoctopus
gen et sp nov
Valid
Fuchs, Bracchi, & Weis
Upper Cenomanian
Lebanon
Ivoites
gen nov
Valid
De Baets, Klug, & Korn
Lower Emsian
Germany
Gansuselache
Gen. et sp. nov
Valid
Wang et al.
Late Permian
Fangshankou Formation
China
A member of Hybodontoidea. Genus includes new species G. tungshengi.
Papilionichthys
Gen. et sp. nov
Valid
Carboniferous (Serpukhovian)
Bear Gulch Limestone
United States
A member of Iniopterygidae. The type species is P. stahlae.
Rainerichthys
Gen. et sp. nov
Valid
Carboniferous (Serpukhovian)
Bear Gulch Limestone
United States
A member of Iniopterygidae. The type species is R. zangerli.
Valid
Late Miocene
Armenia
Valid
Oligocene
Czech Republic
Poland
Valid
Oligocene
Russia
Valid
Eocene (late Ypresian)
Monte Bolca locality
Italy
Valid
Late Devonian
Gogo Formation
Australia
Valid
Famennian (Late Devonian)
Dura Den Formation
Scotland
Valid
Eocene (late Ypresian)
Monte Bolca locality
Italy
Valid
Famennian (Late Devonian)
Evieux Formation
Belgium
Valid
Oligocene
Abkhazia
Azerbaijan
Czech Republic
France
Germany
Hungary
Poland
Romania
Russia
Ukraine
Valid
Early Paleocene
Angola
Valid
Oligocene
Romania
Baphetes orientalis
Valid
Late Carboniferous
Czech Republic
Cratia
Valid
Lower Cretaceous
Crato Formation
Brazil
Possible stem neobatrachian
Eurycephalella
Valid
Lower Cretaceous
Crato Formation
Brazil
A hyloid
Nannaroter
Valid
Early Permian
USA
The smallest known ostodolepid microsaur
Nesovtriton
Valid
Turonian
Bissekty Formation
Uzbekistan
A cryptobranchoid salamander
Regalerpeton
Valid
Early Cretaceous
Huajiying Formation
China
A cryptobranchoid salamander
Spinarerpeton
Valid
Early Permian
Boskovice Furrow
Czech Republic
A discosauriscid seymouriamorph
Australothyris
Valid
Middle Permian
Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone
South Africa
A basal parareptile
Procolina
Valid
early Late Olenekian
Czatkowice 1
Poland
A procolophonine procolophonid
Angolachelys
Valid
Turonian (Late Cretaceous)
Angola
Aurorachelys
Valid
Late Cretaceous
Strand Fiord Formation
Canada
Basilochelys
Valid
Late Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous
Phu Kradung Formation
Thailand
Cedrobaena
Valid
Paleocene
Fort Union Formation
USA
New genus for "Plesiobaena" putorius Gaffney, 1972
Chelonoidis alburyorum
Valid
Holocene
The Bahamas
A tortoise.
Chinlechelys
Valid
Late Triassic (Norian)
Bull Canyon Formation
United States
A basal member of Testudinata. The type species is C. tenertesta. The genus Chinlechelys was considered to be a junior synonym of the genus Proganochelys by Joyce (2017), though the author maintained C. tenertesta as a distinct species within the latter genus.
Derrisemys
Junior synonym
Early Paleocene
USA
Junior synonym of Hutchemys.
Eileanchelys
Valid
Middle Jurassic
Kilmaluag Formation
Scotland
Hutchemys
Valid
Paleocene
Fort Union Formation Tullock Formation
USA
A plastomenine softshell turtles
Kinkonychelys
Valid
Late Cretaceous
Maevarano Formation
Madagascar
Palatobaena cohen
Valid
Maastrichtian
Hell Creek Formation
USA
A baenid
Peckemys
Valid
Late Cretaceous
Hell Creek Formation
USA
A baenid
Plastomenoides
Junior synonym
Early Paleocene
USA
Junior synonym of Hutchemys.
Czatkowiella
Valid
earliest Late Olenekian
Czatkowice 1
Poland
A long−necked archosauromorph
Pamelina
Valid
Early Olenekian
Czatkowice 1
Poland
A basal kuehneosaurid
Sophineta
Valid
earliest Late Olenekian
Czatkowice 1
Poland
A basal lepidosauromorph
Gallardosaurus
Valid
Late Jurassic (Oxfordian)
Jagua Formation
Cuba
Nichollssaura
Valid
Early Cretaceous (Albian)
Clearwater Formation
Canada
Replacement name for Nichollsia Druckenmiller & Russell, 2008, preoccupied by an isopod genus Nichollsia Chopra & Tiwari, 1950
Rarosaurus
Disputed
Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)
Jordan
A member of Polycotylidae. The type species is R. singularis.
Carinodens minalmamar
Sp. nov
Valid
Schulp, Bardet & Bouya
Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)
Morocco
A mosasaur.
Titanoboa
Gen. et sp. nov
Valid
Head et al.
Paleocene
Colombia
In February, the fossils of 28 individual T. cerrejonensis (Titanoboas) were announced to have been found in the coal mines of Cerrejon, La Guajira, Colombia.
Protuberum
Valid
Middle Triassic (Ladinian)
Santa Maria Formation
Brazil
Raranimus
Valid
Middle Permian (Roadian)
Xidagou Formation
China
Yuanotherium
Valid
Late Jurassic (Oxfordian)
Shishugou Formation
China
Eucalyptolaurus
gen et sp nov
Valid
Coiffard et al.
uppermost Albian-lowermost Cenomanian
Charente-Maritimes
France
A study noting the effects of the KT mass extinction on Earth's modern biota is published.
As science becomes more collaborative, papers with large numbers of authors are becoming more common. To prevent the deformation of the tables, these footnotes list the contributors to papers that erect new genera and have many authors.