1878 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 1878.

Plants

Angiosperms

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Synonymized taxa	Notes	Images
Acer aequidentatum[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A maple species.
Acer bolanderi[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A maple species.
Aralia angustiloba[3]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a spikenard species. Moved to Platanophyllum angustiloba in 1941.[4] Moved to Macginitiea angustiloba in 1986.[5]
Aralia whitneyi[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a spikenard species. Moved to Platanophyllum whitneyi in 1941.[4] Moved to Macginitiea whitneyi in 1986.[5]
Betula aequalis[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a birch relative. Moved to Acalypha aequalis in 1941.[4]
Castanopsis chrysophylloides[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as an chinquapin species. Moved to Tabernaemontana chrysophylloides in 1941.[4]
Cercocarpus antiquus[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A mountain mahogany species.
Cornus kelloggii[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A dogwood species.
Cornus ovalis[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A dogwood species.
Fagus pseudoferruginea[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A beech tree species.
Ficus microphylla[2]	sp nov	jr homonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A fig species. A jr homonym of Ficus microphylla Salzm. ex Miq., 1853 Moved to replacement name Ficus mensae in 1910.[6]
Ficus sordida[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a fig species. Moved to Phytocrene sordida in 1941.[4]
Ilex prunifolia[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A holly species.
Juglans californica[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a walnut species. A jr homonym of Juglans californica S. Watson, 1875 Moved to Juglans leonis in 1908.[7] Moved to Canarium leonis in 1952.[8]
Juglans egregia[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a walnut species. Moved to Carya egregia in 1936.[9] Moved to Gordonia egregia in 1941.[4]
Juglans laurinea[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a walnut species. Moved to Phyllites laurineus in 1941.[4] Moved to Sageretia laurinea in 1977.[10]
Juglans oregoniana[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene?	Mascall Formation	US Oregon		A walnut species.
Liquidambar californica[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A sweet gum species.
Magnolia californica[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A Magnolia species.
Magnolia lanceolata[2]	sp nov	jr homonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A Magnolia species. A jr homonym of Magnolia lanceolata Link, 1829 Moved to replacement name Magnolia dayana in 1910.[6]
Persea pseudocarolinensis[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An avacado species.
Platanus appendiculata[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A sycamore species.
Platanus dissecta[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A sycamore species.
Quercus boweniana[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An oak species.
Quercus convexa[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as an oak species. Moved to Castanopsis convexa in 1935.[11] Moved to Chrysolepis convexa in 1985.[12]
Quercus distincta[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An oak species.
Quercus elaenoides[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as an oak species. Moved to Nyssa elaenoides in 1944.[13]
Quercus goeppertii[2]	sp nov	jr homonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as an oak species. A jr homonym of Quercus goeppertii O. Weber, 1852 Moved to replacement name Alnus operia in 1941.[4]
Quercus nevadensis[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An oak species.
Quercus pseudochrysophylla[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An oak species.
Quercus pseudolyrata[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An oak species.
Quercus transgressus[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An oak species.
Quercus voyana[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as an oak species. Moved to Hamamelites voyana in 1941.[4]
Rhus boweniana[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A sumac relative.
Rhus dispersa[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a sumac species. Moved to Quercus dispersa in 1939.[14]
Rhus metopioides[2]	sp nov	jr homonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A sumac relative. A jr homonym of Rhus metopioides Turcz., 1858 Moved to replacement name Rhus mensae in 1941.[7]
Rhus mixta[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a sumac species. Moved to Koelreuteria mixta in 1946.[15]
Rhus myricaefolia[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a sumac species. Moved to Thouinopsis myricaefolia in 1941.[4]
Rhus typhinoides[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a sumac species. Moved to Carya typhinoides in 1944.[13]
Sabalites californicus[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A palm relative.
Salix californica[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A willow species.
Salix elliptica[2]	sp nov	jr homonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a willow species. A jr homonym of Salix elliptica Schleich. ex Ser., 1815 Moved to replacement name Salix merriamii in 1908.[7]
Ulmus affinis[2]	sp nov	jr homonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An elm species. A jr homonym of Ulmus affinis Massal., 1853
Ulmus californica[2]	sp nov	valid	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		An elm species.
Ulmus pseudofulva[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as an elm species. Moved to Chaetoptelea pseudofulva in 1941.[4]
Zanthoxylum diversifolium[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a Sichuan pepper species. Moved to Fagara diversifolia in 1908.[7]
Zizyphus microphyllus[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		A jujube species. A jr homonym of Zizyphus microphyllus Roxb., 1824 Synonymized into Cercidiphyllum piperoides in 1952.[8]
Ziziphus piperoides[2]	sp nov	jr synonym	Lesquereux	Eocene Ypresian	Ione Formation	US California		First described as a jujube species. Moved to Cercidiphyllum piperoides in 1952.[8] Moved to Tetracentron piperoides in 1977[10]	Tetracentron piperoides

Arthropods

Newly named arachnids

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Aranea columbiae[16]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Scudder	?Ypresian	Quesnel ?Fraser Formation	Canada British Columbia	An orb-web spider egg sack ichnogenus. moved to Araneaovoius columbiae (2011).[17]	Araneaovoius columbiae (1890 illustration

Newly named insects

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Bothromicromus[16]	Gen et Sp nov	valid	Scudder	?Ypresian	Quesnel ?Fraser Formation	Canada British Columbia	A possibly megalomine[18] hemerobiid lacewing. Type species B. lachlani	Bothromicromus lachlani (1890 illustration)
Euschistus antiquus[16]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Scudder	?Ypresian	Quesnel ?Fraser Formation	Canada British Columbia	A shield bug moved to Teleoschistus antiquus (1890).[19]	Teleoschistus antiquus (1890 illustration)
Holcorpa[20]	Gen et sp nov	valid	Scudder	Eocene Priabonian	Florissant Formation	USA Colorado	A holcorpid scorpionfly The type species is H. maculosa.	Holcorpa maculosa
Lachnus quesneli[16]	Sp nov	jr synonym	Scudder	?Ypresian	Quesnel ?Fraser Formation	Canada British Columbia	An aphidoid of uncertain placement Moved to Sbenaphis quesneli (1890).[19]	Sbenaphis quesneli (1890 illustration)
Sciara deperdita[16]	Sp nov	valid	Scudder	?Ypresian	Quesnel ?Fraser Formation	Canada British Columbia	A sciarine dark-winged fungus gnat.	Sciara deperdita (1890 illustration)

Archosauromorphs

O. W. Lucas recovers more material which would be referred to Laelaps trihedrodon from Morrison Formation strata near Garden Park, Colorado.^[21]

Newly named pseudosuchians

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Symphyrophus		Nomen dubium	Cope	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA	Possible synonym of Amphicotylus.[22]

Newly named dinosaurs

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Amphicoelias fragillimus	Sp nov	Jr. synonym	Marsh	Late Jurassic (Tithonian)	Unknown	USA	Moved to Maraapunisaurus fragillimus (2018).[23]	Maraapunisaurus fragillimus
Brachyrophus	Gen nov	jr synonym	Cope	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA	Junior synonym of Camptosaurus.	Camptosaurus dispar
Creosaurus	Gen nov	Junior synonym	Marsh	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA	Synonym of Allosaurus fragilis.	Allosaurus fragilis
Diplodocus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Marsh	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA	A diplodocine diplodocid. Type species D. longus	Diplodocus carnegii
Epanterias	Gen et sp nov	Nomen dubium	Cope	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA Colorado	An allosaurid theropod. Possibly a synonym of Allosaurus. Type species E. amplexus
Hypsirhophus	Gen et sp nov	Nomen dubium	Cope	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA Colorado	possibly a synonym of Stegosaurus. Type species H. discurus
Laosaurus	Gen et sp nov	Nomen dubium	Marsh	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA Colorado	A dubious Neornithischian of uncertain placement.	Laosaurus
Morosaurus	Gen et sp nov	Jr. synonym	Marsh	Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian to Tithonian)	Morrison Formation	USA Colorado	Junior synonym of Camarasaurus. Type species M. grandis	Camarasaurus lentus

Plesiosaurs

Newly named plesiosaurs

Name	Novelty	Status	Authors	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Eurysaurus	Gen et sp nov	Valid	Gaudry	Early Jurassic	Unknown	France	A possible pliosauroid Type species E. raincourti

Synapsids

Non-mammalian

Name	Status	Authors	Discovery year	Age	Unit	Location	Notes	Images
Dimetrodon	Valid						USA Texas	Dimetrodon incisivum
Embolophorus	Valid
Ophiacodon	Valid
Sphenacodon	Valid
Theropleura	Valid

Footnotes

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. Lesquereux, L. (1878). "Report on the fossil plants of the auriferous gravel deposits of the Sierra Nevada". Memoirs of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College. 6 (2): 1-62 pl.1-10. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.15853.
3. Cite error: The named reference Lesquereux187 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
4. MacGinitie, H.D. (1941). "A Middle Eocene flora from the central Sierra Nevada". Publications of the Carnegie Institution of Washington (534): 1–178, pl. 1-48.
5. Manchester, S.R. (1986). "Vegetative and reproductive morphology of an extinct plane tree (Platanaceae) from the Eocene of western North America". Botanical Gazette. 147 (2): 200–226. doi:10.1086/337587. S2CID 83715341.
6. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1910). "The Miocene trees of the Rocky Mountains". American Naturalist. 44 (517): 31–47.
7. Cockerell, T.D.A. (1908). "Descriptions of Tertiary plants II". American Journal of Science. 4. 26 (156): 537–544.
8. 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.
9. LaMotte, R.S. (1936). "The upper Cedarville flora of northwestern Nevada and adjacent California". Publications of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. 455: 59–142, pl. 1-14.
10. Wolfe, J.A. (1977). Paleogene floras from the Gulf of Alaska region (Report). Professional Paper. Vol. 997. United States Geological Survey. pp. 1–108. doi:10.3133/pp997.
11. Brooks, B.W. (1935). "Fossil plants from Sucker Creek, Idaho". Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 24: 275–336.
12. Axelrod, D.I. (1985). "Miocene floras from the Middlegate Basin, West-Central Nevada". University of California Publications in Geological Sciences. 129: 1–280.
13. Condit, C. (1944). "The Table Mountain flora". Publications of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. 553: 57–90, pl. 13-21.
14. Axelrod, D.I. (1939). "A Miocene flora from the western border of the Mohave desert". Publications of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. 516: 1–129.
15. Brown, R.W. (1946). "Alterations in some fossil and living floras". Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences. 36 (10): 344–355.
16. Scudder, S. H (1878). "Additions to the Insect-fauna of the Tertiary beds at Quesnel, British Columbia". Geological Survey of Canada, Report of Progress for. 1876–1877: 457–464.
17. Dunlop, J.A.; Braddy, S.J. (2011). "Cteniza bavincourti and the nomenclature of arachnid-related trace fossils". The Journal of Arachnology. 39: 250–257.
18. Makarkin, V.; Wedmann, S.; Weiterschan, T. (2016). "A new genus of Hemerobiidae (Neuroptera) from Baltic amber, with a critical review of the Cenozoic Megalomus-like taxa and remarks on the wing venation variability of the family". Zootaxa. 4179 (3): 345–370. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4179.3.2.
19. Scudder, S. H. (1890). "The Tertiary insects of North America". United States Geological Survey of the Territories, Washington: 615.
20. Archibald, SB (2010). "Revision of the scorpionfly family Holcorpidae (Mecoptera), with description of a new species from Early Eocene McAbee, British Columbia, Canada" (PDF). Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 46 (1–2): 173–182. doi:10.1080/00379271.2010.10697654. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
21. "Introduction," Chure (2001) page 11.
22. Osborn, H.F., and Mook, C. C. (1921). "Camarasaurus, Amphicoelias and other sauropods of Cope." Memoirs of the American Museum of Natural History NS, 3(3): 249–387.
23. Carpenter, K. (2018). "Maraapunisaurus fragillimus, n.g. (formerly Amphicoelias fragillimus), a basal Rebbachisaurid from the Morrison Formation (Upper Jurassic) of Colorado". Geology of the Intermountain West. 5 (9): 227–244. ISSN 2380-7601.

References

• Chure, Daniel J. (2001). "On the type and referred material of Laelaps trihedrodon Cope 1877 (Dinosauria: Theropoda)". In Tanke, Darren; Carpenter, Kenneth (eds.). Mesozoic Vertebrate Life. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. pp. 10–18. ISBN 0-253-33907-3.