# 2008 in paleontology

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 2008.

## Protozoa
### New taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Paleoleishmania neotropicum | sp nov | Valid | Poinar | Burdigalian | Dominican amber | Dominican Republic | second record, and youngest, of the extinct genus Paleoleishmania | Paleoleishmania neotropicum |

## Plants
### Angiosperms

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Dillhoffia | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Manchester & Pigg | Ypresian | Unnamed Formation, Kamloops Group | Canada | | Dillhoffia cachensis |
| Pluricarpellatia | Gen. et sp. nov. | Valid | Mohr, Bernardes-de-Oliveira & Taylor | Early Cretaceous | Crato Formation | Brazil | | |

### Monocots

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Montrichardia aquatica | sp nov | Valid | Herrera et al | Middle to late Paleocene | Cerrejón Formation | Colombia | only fossil record of the genus Montrichardia | |
| Petrocardium | gen et sp nov | Valid | Herrera et al | Middle to late Paleocene | Cerrejón Formation | Colombia | Two named species Petrocardium cerrejonense and Petrocardium wayuuorum | |

## Arthropoda
### Arachnomorphs

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Dicranocaris | Gen et sp nov | valid | Briggs, Lieberman, Hendricks, Halgedahl & Jarrard | Middle Cambrian | Wheeler Formation Marjum Formation | United States | An arachnormorph of uncertain classification. Type species D. guntherorum |
| Nettapezoura | Gen et sp nov | valid | Briggs, Lieberman, Hendricks, Halgedahl & Jarrard | Middle Cambrian | Marjum Formation | United States | An arachnormorph of uncertain classification. Type species N. basilika |
| Palaeosiro | Gen et sp nov | valid | Poinar | Cenomanian | Burmese amber | Myanmar | A stylocellid harvestman. Type species P. burmanicum |

### Crustaceans
#### Research

* Schram (2008) publishes an adjustment to the taxonomy of Paleozoic stomatopods, erecting the family Archaeocarididae.

### Insects

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Cataglyphoides | Gen et sp et comb nov | Valid | Dlussky | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil formicine ant, two species C. constrictus (Mayr, 1868) & C. intermedius Dlussky, 2008 | Cataglyphoides constrictus |
| Dolichoderus punctatus | Sp nov | Valid | Dlussky | Middle Eocene | Baltic amber | Europe | Fossil dolichoderine ant | Dolichoderus punctatus |
| Electropodagrion | Gen et sp nov | valid | Azar & Nel | Middle Eocene | Baltic Amber | Europe | A Megapodagrionidae damselfly | |
| Elektroepyris | Gen et sp nov | Valid | Perrichot & Nel | Eocene | Oise amber | France | A bethylid wasp | Elektroepyris magnificus |
| Formosibittacus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Li, Ren & Shih | Middle Jurassic | Jiulongshan Formation | China | A bittacid | |
| Haidomyrmodes | gen et sp nov | Valid | Perrichot et al | Middle Cretaceous | Charentese amber | France | A Sphecomyrminae ant, type species H. mammuthus | Haidomyrmodes mammuthus |
| Jurahylobittacus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Li, Ren & Shih | Middle Jurassic | Jiulongshan Formation | China | A bittacid | |
| Lutzomyia adiketis | sp nov | Valid | Poinar | Burdigalian | Dominican amber | Dominican Republic | Vector for the extinct Trypanosomatidae species Paleoleishmania neotropicum | Lutzomyia adiketis |
| Proraphidia gomezi | sp nov | Valid | Jarzembowski | Lower Cretaceous | Lower Weald Clay | England | | |
| Proraphidia hopkinsi | sp nov | Valid | Jarzembowski | Barremian | | Spain | | |
| Proteroscelio gravatus | Sp nov | valid | Johnson, Musetti & Masner | Early Cretaceous (Aptian) | Lebanese Amber | Lebanon | A member of Platygastroidea. | |
| Rhabdepyris gallicus | Sp nov | Valid | Perrichot & Nel | Eocene | Oise amber | France | A bethylid wasp | Rhabdepyris gallicus |
| Sinomeganeura | gen et sp nov | Valid | Ren, Nel, & Prokop | Namurian | Tupo Formation | China | Third Namurian age Meganeuridae griffenfly described. | |
| Sinoprotelenomus | Nom nov | valid | Zhang in Johnson, Musetti & Masner | Miocene | | China | A member of Platygastroidea; replacement name for Protelenomus Zhang (1989). | |
| Sphecomyrmodes occidentalis | Sp nov | jr syn | Perrichot et al | Middle Cretaceous | Charentese amber | France | A stem group ant jr synonym of Gerontoformica occidentalis | Gerontoformica occidentalis |
| Syndesus ambericus | Sp nov | Valid | Woodruff | Burdigalian | Dominican amber | Dominican Republic | A stag beetle | |
| Termitaradus avitinquilinus | Sp nov | Valid | Grimaldi & Engel | Burdigalian | Dominican amber | Dominican Republic | A termite bug | |

### Xiphosurans

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Lunataspis | gen et sp nov | Valid taxon | Nowlan, Rudkin, & Young | Late Ordovician | Churchill River Group? | Canada | | |

## Fishes
### Bony fish

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Arquatichthys | | Valid | Lu & Zhu | Devonian (Pragian) | Posongchong Formation | China | A basal member of Dipnomorpha. The type species is A. porosus. | |
| Donnrosenia | | Valid | Long, Choo, & Young | Devonian (Givetian) | Aztec Siltstone | Antarctica | A basal member of Actinopterygii. Genus includes new species D. schaefferi. | |
| Genyonemus whistleri | | Valid | Takeuchi & Huddleston | Late Miocene | Puente Formation | United States | A relative of the white croaker. | |
| Hiodon woodruffi | Comb nov | valid | (Wilson) | Ypresian | Klondike Mountain Formation | United States Washington | A mooneye, Moved from Eohiodon woodruffi Wilson 1978 | Hiodon woodruffi |
| Tarachomylax multicostatus | | Valid | Qiao & Zhu | Devonian (Emsian) | Chuandong Formation | China | A lungfish. | |

### Cartilaginous fish

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Thrinacoselache | Gen. et. sp. nov. | Jr. synonym | Grogan & Lund | Carboniferous (Serpukhovian) | Bear Gulch Limestone | USA | Type species is T. gracia. Genus now a junior synonym of Thrinacodus. | |

### Placoderms

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Gavinaspis | Gen. et. sp. nov. | Valid | Dupret & Zhu | Early Devonian (Lochkovian) | Xitun Formation | China | A phyllolepid. | |
| Materpiscis | gen et sp nov | Valid | Long, Trinajstic, Young, & Senden | Late Devonian | Gogo Formation | Australia | discovered with fossilized embryo. | Materpiscis embryo features |

### General research

* Hilton & Grande redescribe the fossil mooneyes of western North America synonymizing the genus Eohiodon with Hiodon.
* Cicimurri, Paris, & Everhart describe a partial dentition from a Holocephali chimaeroid fish found in the Niobrara Chalk.

## Amphibians

Jenkins, F. A., jr, Shubin, N. H., Gatesy, S. M., and Warren, A., 2008, Gerrothorax pulcherrimus from the Upper Triassic Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland and a reassessment of head lifting in temnospondyl feeding: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 28, n. 4, p. 935-950.

### Newly named amphibians

| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Beelzebufo | Valid taxon | Evans Jones Krause | Late Cretaceous (70 mya) | Maevarano Formation | Madagascar | | An artist's depiction of Beelzebufo |
| Gerobatrachus | Valid taxon | Anderson Reisz Scott Fröbisch Sumida | Early Permian (290 mya) | | USA ( Texas) | | An artist's depiction of Beelzebufo |
| Oumtkoutia | Valid taxon | Rage Dutheil | Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) | Kem Kem Beds | Morocco | A pipid anuran. | An artist's depiction of Beelzebufo |

## Archosaurs
### Newly named pseudosuchians

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Acynodon adriaticus | Sp. nov | Valid | Delfino, Martin & Buffetaut | Late Cretaceous | | Italy | |
| Dakosaurus carpenteri | Sp. nov | Valid | Wilkinson, Young & Benton | Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) | Kimmeridge Clay Formation | United Kingdom | A metriorhynchid crocodyliform. Originally described as a species of Dakosaurus, subsequently transferred to the separate genus Torvoneustes. |
| Gryposuchus croizati | Sp. nov | Valid | Riff & Aguilera | Late Miocene | Urumaco Formation | Venezuela | |
| Guarinisuchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Barbosa, Kellner & Viana | Early Paleocene (Danian) | Maria Farinha Formation | Brazil | A dyrosaurid crocodyliform. Genus includes new species G. munizi. |
| Ocepesuchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Jouve et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | Ouled Abdoun Basin | Morocco | A member of Gavialoidea. Genus includes new species O. eoafricanus. |
| Postosuchus alisonae | Sp. nov | Valid | Peyer et al. | Late Triassic | Newark Supergroup | United States ( North Carolina) | |
| Sierritasuchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Parker, Stocker & Irmis | Late Triassic | Tecovas Formation | United States ( Texas) | An aetosaur Genus includes new species S. macalpini. |
| Sphagesaurus montealtensis | Sp. nov | Valid | Andrade & Bertini | Late Cretaceous | Adamantina Formation | Brazil | A sphagesaurid crocodyliform. Originally described as a species of Sphagesaurus, but subsequently transferred to the genus Caipirasuchus. |
| Wargosuchus | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Martinelli & Pais | Late Cretaceous | Bajo de La Carpa Formation | Argentina | A baurusuchid crocodyliform. Genus includes new species W. australis. |

### Newly named pterosaurs

| Name | Status | Location | Authors | Notes |
| Elanodactylus | Valid | China | Andres Ji, Q. | |
| Hongshanopterus | Valid | China | Xiaolin Wang de Almeida et al. | |
| Mythunga | Valid | Australia | Molnar Thulborn, R.A. | |
| Nemicolopterus | Valid | China | Wang Kellner et al. | |
| Raeticodactylus | Junior synonym | Switzerland | Stecher | Jr. synonym of Caviramus |
| Shenzhoupterus | Valid | China | Lü J. Unwin et al. | |
| Volgadraco | Valid | Russia | Averianov Arkhangelsky Pervushov | |

### Dinosaurs

* Oviraptorosaurian eggs with embryonic skeletons are discovered for the first time in China.
* Mongolian Late Jurassic theropod fossils are found for the first time.
* A new study on morphological variation in shed theropod teeth from the Mil River Formation is published.

#### Newly named dinosaurs

28 new dinosaur genera were erected in 2008. Data courtesy of George Olshevky's dinosaur genera list.
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Austroraptor | Valid | Novas Pol et al. | Campanian–Maastrichtian | Allen Formation | Argentina | The largest dromaeosaurid yet discovered in the Southern Hemisphere. | Austroraptor |
| Dakotadon | Valid | Paul | Barremian | Lakota Formation | USA ( South Dakota) | A new genus for "Iguanodon" lakotaensis (Weishampel and Bjork, 1989). | |
| Daxiatitan | Valid | You Li et al. | Lower Cretaceous | Lanzhou Basin | China | A basal titanosaur. | Daxiatitan |
| Diceratus | Junior synonym | Mateus | Late Cretaceous | | | Objective junior synonym of Nedoceratops; possible junior synonym of Triceratops. | |
| Dollodon | Valid | Paul | Barremian | Bernissart | Belgium | An iguanodontian. | Dollodon |
| Dongyangosaurus | Valid | Lü Azuma et al. | early Late Cretaceous | Fangyang Formation | China | A titanosauriform. | |
| Duriavenator | Valid | Benson | Bajocian | Dorset | United Kingdom | A megalosaurid. | Duriavenator |
| Eocarcharia | Valid | Sereno Brusatte | Aptian/Albian | Elrhaz Formation | Niger | A carcharodontosaurid. | Eocarcharia |
| Eomamenchisaurus | Valid | Lü Li et al. | Middle Jurassic | Zhanghe Formation | China | A mamenchisaurid. | |
| Epidexipteryx | Valid | Zhang Zhou et al. | Late Jurassic | Daohugou Beds | China | An avialian. | Epidexipteryx |
| Gobiceratops | Valid | Alifanov | Late Cretaceous | Baruungoyot Formation | Mongolia | Possible junior synonym of Bagaceratops. | |
| Kryptops | Valid | Sereno Brusatte | Aptian/Albian | Elrhaz Formation | Niger | An abelisaurid. | Kryptops |
| Loricatosaurus | Valid | Maidment Norman et al. | Callovian | | England  France | A stegosaurid. | |
| Microceratus | Nomen dubium | Mateus | Campanian | | China |
| Orkoraptor | Valid | Novas Ezcurra Lecuona | Maastrichtian | Pari Aike Formation | Argentina | A neovenatorid. | Orkoraptor |
| Peloroplites | Valid | Carpenter Bartlett et al. | Lower Cretaceous | Cedar Mountain Formation | USA | A nodosaurid ankylosaur. | |
| Pitekunsaurus | Valid | Filippi Garrido | Campanian | Anacleto Formation | Argentina | A titanosaur. | |
| Qingxiusaurus | Valid | Mo Huang et al. | Late Cretaceous | | China | A titanosaur. | |
| Sahaliyania | Valid | Godefroit Hai et al. | Maastrichtian | Yuliangze Formation | China | A lambeosaurine hadrosaurid. | |
| Similicaudipteryx | Valid | He Wang Zhou | Aptian | Jiufotang Formation | China | A caudipterid oviraptorosaur. | Similicaudipteryx |
| Tastavinsaurus | Valid | Canudo Royo-Torres Cuenca-Bescós | Aptian | Xert Formation | Spain | A titanosauriform. Lurasiformes. | Tastavinsaurus |
| Uberabatitan | Valid | Salgado Carvalho | Upper Cretaceous | Marília Formation | Brazil | A titanosaur. | Tethyshadros |
| Wulagasaurus | Valid | Godefroit Hai et al. | Maastrichtian | Yuliangze Formation | China | A saurolophine hadrosaurid. | |

#### Newly named birds

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Aegolius martae | Sp. nov. | Valid | Marco Pavia | Early/Middle Pleistocene | Sicily | Italy:  Sicily | A Strigidae. |
| Bermuteo avivorus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Storrs L. Olson | Late Pleistocene | | Bermuda | An Accipitridae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Bountyphaps obsoleta | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Trevor H. Worthy Graham M. Wragg | Subrecent | Henderson Island | Pitcairn | A Columbidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Calonectris wingatei | Sp. nov. | Valid | Storrs L. Olson | Middle Pleistocene | | Bermuda | A Procellariidae. |
| Caracara tellustris | Sp. nov. | Valid | Storrs L. Olson | Holocene | | Jamaica | A Falconidae. |
| Cathayornis chabuensis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Li Jianjun Li Zhiheng Zhang Yuguang Zhou Zhonghe Bai Zhiqiang Zhang Lifu Ba Tuya | Early Cretaceous | Jinchuan Formation | China | A Cathayornithidae Zhou, Jin et Zhang, 2006, Enantiornithes Walker, 1981. |
| Certhiops rummeli | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Albrecht Manegold | Early Miocene | MN 3 | Germany:  Bavaria | A Certhioidea, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Didactylornis jii | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Yuan Chongxi | Lower Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | Basal pygostylia, Sapeornithidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Enantiophoenix electrophyla | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Andrea Cau Paolo Arduini | Upper Cretaceous | | Lebanon | An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, Avisauridae Brett-Surman et Paul, 1985, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Eoconfuciusornis zhengi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Fucheng Zhang Zhonghe Zhou Michael Benton | Lower Cretaceous | Dabeigou Formation | China | A Primitive Confuciusornithidae Hou, Zhou, Gu et Zhang, 1995, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Ephippiorhynchus tchoufour | Sp. nov. | Valid | Antoine Louchart Yohannes Haile-Selassie Patrick Vignaud Androssa Likius Michel Brunet | Late Miocene | ca 7 Ma | Chad | A Ciconiidae. |
| Eurotrochilus noniewiczi | Sp. nov. | Valid | Zygmunt Bochenski Zbigniew Bochenski | Early Oligocene | Late Rupelian | Poland | A new European species of the Trochilidae. |
| Foudia delloni | Sp. nov. | Valid | Anthony S. Cheke Julian P. Hume | Subrecent | Not seen since 1672 | Réunion | The original Foudia from Réunion. |
| Hokkaidornis abashiriensis | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Kazuhiko Sakurai Masaichi Kimura Takayuki Katoh | Late Oligocene | Tokoro Formation | Japan | A Plotopteridae Howard, 1969, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Jabiru codorensis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Stig A. Walsh Rodolfo Sánchez | Early Pliocene | Codore Formation, Middle El Jebe Member | Venezuela | A Ciconiidae. |
| Leptoptilos patagonicus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Jorge I. Noriega Gerardo Cladera | Late Miocene | Puerto Madryn Formation | Argentina | A Ciconiidae. |
| Manuherikia douglasi | Sp. nov. | Valid | Trevor H. Worthy Alan J. D. Tennyson Suzanne J. Hand R. Paul Scofield | Early-Middle Miocene | Bannockburn Formation | New Zealand | An Anatidae, Anserinae. |
| Megadyptes waitaha | Sp. nov. | Valid | Sanne Boessenkool Jeremy J. Austin Trevor H. Worthy R. Paul Scofield Alan Cooper Philip J. Seddon Jonathan M. Waters | Late Holocene | Subrecent | New Zealand | A Spheniscidae, when it became extinct it made room for Megadyptes antipodes. |
| Mopsitta tanta | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | David W. Waterhouse Bent E. K, Lindow Nikita V. Zelenkov Gareth J. Dyke | Early Eocene, Ypresian | Fur Formation | Denmark | Described in the Psittaciformes, Gerald Mayr, 2009 sees no reasons to place the species in Psittaciformes. |
| Palaeortyx volans | Sp. nov. | Valid | Ursula B. Göhlich Marco Pavia | Neogene | Gargano | Italy | A Phasianidae. |
| Pelagornis mauretanicus | Sp. nov. | Valid | Cécille Mourer-Chauviré Denis Geraads | Late Pliocene | Ahl al Oughlam | Morocco | A Pelagornithidae Fürbringer, 1888. |
| Pengornis houi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Zhou Zhonghe Julia A. Clarke Zhang Fucheng | Early Cretaceous | Jiufotang Formation | China | An Enantiornithes Walker, 1981, this is the type species of the new genus and the type genus of the new family Pengornithidae Wang, O'Connor, Zheng, Wang, Hu et Zhou, 2014. |
| Phaethusavis pelagicus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Estelle Bourdon Mbarek Amaghzaz Baâdi Bouya | Early Eocene | Early Ypresian | Morocco | A Phaethontidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Pleistovultur nevesi | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Herculano M. F. de Alvarenga Guilherme R. R. Brito Rafael Migotto Alex Hubbe Elizabeth Höfling | Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene | | Brazil | A Cathartidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Thomasococcyx philohippus | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | David W. Steadman | Early Miocene | Hemingfordian LMA | USA:  Florida | A Cuculidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Tirarinetta kanunka | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Trevor H. Worthy | Pliocene | Tirari Formation | Australia  South Australia | An Anatidae, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Zhongornis haoae | Gen. nov. et Sp. nov. | Valid | Gao Chunling Luis M. Chiappe Meng Qinjing Jingmai O'Connor Wang Xuri Cheng Xiaodong Liu Jinyuan | Lower Cretaceous | Yixian Formation | China | Basal Aves, this is the type species of the new genus. |
| Zygodactylus luberonensis | Sp. nov. | Valid | Gerald Mayr | Early Oligocene | MP 23-24 | France | A Zygodactylidae Brodkorb, 1971, ?Piciformes. |

### Other publications

* Hutchinson, J.R., Miller, C., Fritsch, G., and Hildebrandt, T. 2008. The anatomical foundation for multidisciplinary studies of animal limb function: examples from dinosaur and elephant limb imaging studies; pp. 23–38 in Endo, H. and Frey, R. (eds.), Anatomical Imaging: Towards a New Morphology. Springer Verlag, Tokyo.
* Witmer, L.M., Ridgely, R.C., Dufeau, D.L., and Semones, M.C. 2008. Using CR to peer into the past: 3D visualization of the brain and ear regions of birds, crocodiles, and nonavian dinosaurs; pp. 67–88 in Endo, H. and Frey, R. (eds.), Anatomical Imaging: Towards a New Morphology. Springer Verlag, Tokyo.

## Turtles
### Newly named turtles

Currently valid turtle genera named in 2008 :
| Name | Status | Location | Authors | Images |
| Condorchelys | Valid taxon | Argentina | Sterli | |
| Kharakhutulia | Valid taxon | Mongolia | Sukhanov, Danilov & Syromyatnikova | |
| Odontochelys | Valid taxon | China | Li et al. | Odontochelys |

## Squamates
### new taxa

| Name | Novelty | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Itaboraiophis | gen et sp nov | Valid | Rage | Middle Paleocene | | Brazil | A "booid"-grade snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Itaboraiophis depressus. |
| Kuwajimalla | gen et sp nov | Valid | Evans & Manabe | Early Cretaceous (Valanginian to Hauterivian) | Kuwajima Formation | Japan | A polyglyphanodontian lizard. The type species is Kuwajimalla kagaensis. |
| Merkurosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Klembara | Early Miocene | | Czech Republic | A member of Anguimorpha, might be related to the Chinese crocodile lizard. The type species is Merkurosaurus ornatus. |
| Ovoo | gen et sp nov | Valid | Norell, Gao, & Conrad | Late Cretaceous | near Ukhaa Tolgod | Mongolia | one of the oldest monitor lizards |
| Paraungaliophis | gen et sp nov | Valid | Rage | Middle Paleocene | | Brazil | A snake related to members of the genus Ungaliophis. The type species is Paraungaliophis pricei. |
| Paulacoutophis | gen et sp nov | Valid | Rage | Middle Paleocene | | Brazil | A booid-grade snake of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Paulacoutophis perplexus. |
| Prognathodon kianda | sp nov | Valid | Schulp et al. | Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) | | Angola | A mosasaur. |
| Selmasaurus johnsoni | sp nov | Valid | Polcyn & Everhart | Late Cretaceous (early Santonian) | Niobrara Chalk | United States | A mosasaur. |
| Taniwhasaurus mikasaensis | sp nov | Valid | Caldwell, Konishi, Obata, & Muramoto | upper Santonian-lower Campanian | | Japan | Third identified species for the genus Taniwhasaurus |
| Tianyusaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Lü et al. | Late Cretaceous | Qiupa Formation | China | A polyglyphanodontian lizard. The type species is Tianyusaurus zhengi. |
| Tinosaurus indicus | Sp nov | Valid | Prasad & Bajpai | Early Eocene | Cambay Shale | India | An agamid lizard, a species of Tinosaurus. |
| Vallecillosaurus | gen et sp nov | Valid | Smith & Buchy | Late Cretaceous (early Turonian) | Agua Nueva Formation | Mexico | A member of Mosasauroidea of uncertain phylogenetic placement. The type species is Vallecillosaurus donrobertoi. |
| Vastanagama | Gen. et sp. nov | Valid | Prasad & Bajpai | Early Eocene | Cambay Shale | India | An agamid lizard. The type species is Vastanagama susani. |

### New papers

* Everhart, M.J. (2008). "A bitten skull of Tylosaurus kansasensis (Squamata: Mosasauridae) and a review of mosasaur-on-mosasaur pathology in the fossil record". Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science. 111 (3/4): 251–262. doi:10.1660/0022-8443-111.3.251. S2CID 85647383.
* Everhart, M.J. 2008. The mosasaurs of George F. Sternberg, paleontologist and fossil photographer. Proceedings of the Second Mosasaur Meeting, Fort Hays Studies Special Issue 3, Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, pp. 37–46.
* Polcyn, M.J. and Everhart, M.J. 2008. Description and phylogenetic analysis of a new species of Selmasaurus (Mosasauridae: Plioplatecarpinae) from the Niobrara Chalk of western Kansas. Proceedings of the Second Mosasaur Meeting, Fort Hays Studies Special Issue 3, Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, pp. 13–28.
* Polcyn, M.J., Bell, G.L., Jr., Shimada, K. and Everhart, M.J. 2008. The oldest North American mosasaurs (Squamata: Mosasauridae) from the Turonian (Upper Cretaceous) of Kansas and Texas with comments on the radiation of major mosasaur clades. Proceedings of the Second Mosasaur Meeting, Fort Hays Studies Special Issue 3, Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas, pp. 137–155.
* Everhart, M.J. 2008. Rare occurrence of a Globidens sp. (Reptilia; Mosasauridae) dentary in the Sharon Springs Member of the Pierre Shale (Middle Campanian) of Western Kansas. p. 23-29 in Farley G. H. and Choate, J.R. (eds.), Unlocking the Unknown; Papers Honoring Dr. Richard Zakrzewski, Fort Hays Studies, Special Issue No. 2, 153 p., Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS.

## Sauropterygians
### New taxa

| Name | Status | Authors | Notes |
| Glyphoderma | Valid | Zhao et al. | |
| Nichollsia | renamed | Druckenmiller Russell | Nichollsia preoccupied by a genus of isopod, renamed in 2009 to Nichollssaura |
| Occitanosaurus | Synonym | Bardet Fernandez Garcia-Ramos Superbiola Pinuela Ruiz-Omenaca Vincent | Junior Synonym of Microcleidus. |
| Wumengosaurus | Valid | Jiang et al. | |

## Synapsids
### Non-mammalian

| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes | Images |
| Alrausuchus | Valid | Ivakhnenko | Middle Permian | | Russia | A new genus for "Biarmosuchus" tagax | |
| Megawhaitsia | Valid | Ivakhnenko | Upper Permian | | Russia | | |

### Mammal

Newly named mammals :
| Name | Status | Authors | Age | Unit | Location | Notes |
| Albireo savagei | Valid | Barnes | Late Pliocene | Pismo Formation | United States ( California) | A member of Delphinoidea belonging to the family Albireonidae, a species of Albireo. |
| Cantalera | Valid | Badiola Canudo Cuenca-Bescós | Early Cretaceous (late Hauterivian-early Barremian) | | Spain | A multituberculate belonging to the family Pinheirodontidae. The type species is C. abadi. |
| Crenatocetus | Valid | McLeod Barnes | Eocene | | United States ( North Carolina) | A member of Protocetidae. The type species is Crenatocetus rayi. |
| Cynarctoides whistleri | Valid | Wang Tedford | Hemingfordian | | United States ( California and Texas) | A member of Canidae belonging to the subfamily Borophaginae, a species of Cynarctoides. |
| Diceratherium radtkei | Valid | Prothero Rasmussen | Arikareean | Cabbage Patch beds Harrison Formation Sharps Formation | United States ( South Dakota, Montana and Nebraska) | |
| Djourabus | Valid | Peigné et al. | Late Miocene | | Chad | A member of Mustelidae belonging to the subfamily Lutrinae. The type species is D. dabba. |
| Floridameryx | Valid | Webb | Late Miocene to earliest Pliocene | | United States ( Florida and New Mexico) | A member of Gelocidae belonging to the subfamily Pseudoceratinae. The type species is F. floridanus; genus also includes "Pseudoceras" klausi Frick (1937). |
| Fossendorhinus | Valid | Mihlbachler | Uintan | | | A member of Brontotheriidae; a new genus for "Telmatherium" diploconus Osborn (1895) |
| Fredszalaya | Valid | Shockey Anaya | Late Oligocene | | Bolivia | A member of Borhyaenidae. The type species is Fredszalaya hunteri. |
| Glibia namibiesis | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | A rodent belonging to the family Zegdoumyidae, a species of Glibia. |
| Merycopotamus thachangensis | Valid | Hanta Ratanasthien Kunimatsu Saegusa Nakaya Nagaoka Jintasakul | Late Miocene | | Thailand | |
| Metalopex | Valid | Tedford Wang | Late Clarendonian to early Hemphillian | Ash Hollow Formation Kern River Formation Rattlesnake Formation Thousand Creek Formation | United States ( Arizona, California, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas, Idaho and Oregon) | A fox. The type species is Metalopex merriami. |
| Mioheteromys crowderensis | Valid | Lindsay Reynolds | Late Hemingfordian to Barstovian | Barstow Formation Crowder Formation | United States | A rodent belonging to the family Heteromyidae, a species of Mioheteromys. |
| Namahyrax | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | A hyrax. The type species is Namahyrax corvus. |
| Namaia | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | Probably a member of the family Adapidae. The type species is Namaia bogenfelsi. The generic name turned out to be preoccupied; Pickford and Uhen (2014) created a replacement name Notnamaia. |
| Namalestes | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | A member of Cimolesta belonging to the family Todralestidae. The type species is Namalestes gheerbranti. |
| Namatherium | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | An embrithopod. The type species is Namatherium blackcrowense. |
| Nasamplus | Valid | Mihlbachler | Late Eocene (Ulangochuian) | | | A member of Brontotheriidae; a new genus for "Metatitan" progressus Granger and Gregory (1943). |
| Pollyosbornia | Valid | Mihlbachler | Uintan | Uinta Formation | United States ( Wyoming) | A member of Brontotheriidae; a new genus for "Telmatherium" altidens Osborn (1908). |
| Prepomonomys | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | A rodent belonging to the family Diamantomyidae. The type species is Prepomonomys bogenfelsi. |
| Proadinotherium saltoni | Valid | Shockey Anaya | Late Oligocene | | Bolivia | A member of Toxodontidae, a species of Proadinotherium. |
| Siamoadapis | Valid | Chaimanee Yamee Tian Chavasseau Jaeger | Middle Miocene | | Thailand | |
| Silicamys | Valid | Pickford Senut Morales Mein Sanchez | Eocene (Lutetian) | | Namibia | A rodent belonging to the family Myophiomyidae. The type species is Silicamys cingulatus. |
| Sivaonyx beyi | Valid | Peigné et al. | Late Miocene | | Chad | A member of Mustelidae belonging to the subfamily Lutrinae. |
| Stenomylus taylori | Valid | Cassiliano | Miocene (Hemingfordian) | Zia Formation | United States ( New Mexico) | A camelid. |
| Teilhardina magnoliana | Valid | Beard | Early Eocene | Tuscahoma Formation | United States ( Mississippi) | |
| Wickia | Valid | Mihlbachler | Uintan | Sand Wash Basin Washakie Formation | United States ( Colorado) | A member of Brontotheriidae. The type species is Wickia brevirhinus. |

## Footnotes

* Paleontology portal
* History of science portal

### Complete author list

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.
* ↑ Novas, Pol, Canale, Porfiri, Calvo.
* ↑ You, Li, Zhou, Ji.
* ↑ Lü, Azuma, Chen, Zheng, Jin.
* ↑ Lü, Li, Zhong, Ji, Li.
* ↑ Zhang, Zhou, Xu, Wang, Sullivan.
* ↑ Maidment, Norman, Barrett, Upchurch.
* ↑ Carpenter, Bartlett, Bird, Barrick.
* ↑ Mo, Huang, Zhao, Wang, Xu.
* 1 2 Godefroit, Hai, Yu, Lauters.