1978 in paleontology
Paleontology, palaeontology or palæontology 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, burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised faeces, palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because mankind has 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 in the year 1978.
Expeditions, field work, and fossil discoveries
- A paleoanthropological team led by Mary Leakey found 3.5 million year old human footprints.
- Baby hadrosaurs were discovered in the Two Medicine Formation.
Cnidarians
Maurits Lindström, described the earliest known octocoral in Sweden shifting the first known appearance from the Cretaceous to the Ordovician.Dinosaurs
Newly named dinosaurs
Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Type locality | Location | Notes | Images |
"Amtosaurus" | Gen nov | Nomen dubium. | Kurzanov | Tumanova | ||||
"Coloradia" | Gen et sp nov | jr homonym | Bonaparte | Preoccupied by Blake 1863. Renamed Coloradisaurus. | ||||
Lesothosaurus | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Galton | Early Jurassic |  LesothoGeneral research
Popular cultureDinosaur Planet by Anne McAffrey was published. This novel was about a planet called Ireta that was populated by dinosaurs transplanted there by aliens attempting to preserve Earth's Mesozoic biosphere. Paleontologist William A. S. Sarjeant has praised the intelligent pterosaurs descended from Quetzalcoatlus in the novel as plausible. |