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 1947.

List of years in paleontology (table)
In science
1944
1945
1946
1947
1948
1949
1950
+...

Mosses

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Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Palaeohypnum[2]

Sp nov

jr synonym

Steere

Eocene
Pribonian

Florissant Formation

  United States
  Colorado

A moss genus.
The type species is P. patens
Also included P. arnoldianum, P. brittoniae, P. brownii, & P. knowltoni
Species moved to Archaeomnium in 1952
Moved to Hypnites in 1980[3]


Archosauromorphs

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Newly named dinosaurs

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Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.[4]

Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Amygdalodon[5] Nomen dubium Cabrera Middle Jurassic Toarcian *   Argentina A sauropod known from some vertebrae, ribs, four complete and three partial teeth, and a partial pelvis and shoulder-blade.
 
Amygdalodon

Newly named pseudosuchians

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Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Notes Images
Arizonasaurus[6] Valid Welles Middle Triassic (Anisian)   USA (  Arizona and   New Mexico) A poposaurid.
 
Arizonasaurus

Synapsids

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Non-mammalian

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Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Kunminia Valid Young Sinemurian *   China

Other Animals

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Name Status Authors Age Location Notes Images
Dickinsonia[7] Valid Sprigg Ediacaran   Australia   Russia and   Ukraine A bilaterian of uncertain affinities
Papilionata Synonym of Dickinsonia Sprigg Ediacaran   Australia

References

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  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. ^ LaMotte, R.S. (1952). Catalogue of the Cenozoic plants of North America through 1950. Geological Society of America Memoirs. Vol. 51. Geological Society of America. doi:10.1130/MEM51.
  3. ^ Miller, N. G. (1980). "Fossil mosses of North America and their significance". The Mosses of North America. pp. 9–36.
  4. ^ Olshevsky, George. "Dinogeorge's Dinosaur Genera List". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  5. ^ Cabrera, A. 1947. Un sauropodo nuevo del Jurasico de Patagonia. Motas Mus. La Plata 12 Paleontol. 95: pp. 1-17.
  6. ^ Welles, S.P. 1947. Vertebrates from the upper Moenkopi Formation of northern Arizona. University of California Publications Geol. Sci. 27: pp. 241-294.
  7. ^ Sprigg, Reg C. (1947). "Early Cambrian (?) jellyfishes from the Flinders Ranges, South Australia" (PDF). Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 71: 212–24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-29.